Winter Gardens, Blackpool - main foyer.

Billed as ‘The Most Magnificent Palace of Amusement in the World’, the Winter Gardens Blackpool houses a collection of unique venues including, on the ground floor, the very grand Empress Ballroom, the Arena, The Opera House, the Pavilion Theatre and Horseshoe, the vast spaces of the exhibition halls - the Olympia and the Floral Hall, the Theatre Bar and the Galleon Bar, while the first floor includes the more intimate surroundings of the Spanish Hall Suite, the Windsor Bar, The Baronial Hall and the Renaissance Room. The picture shows part of the circular foyer of the north entrance, leading to a long gallery off which are located the theatres, ballroom, bars and various restaurants etc. as mentioned above.
The complex was first opened to the public on 11 July 1878 with a lavish ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of London and Mayors and Mayoresses from 68 towns throughout the country. From 1860 onwards, the Winter Gardens developed as an entertainment complex adapted to cope with a wide range of visitors and provided a vibrant theatrical and entertainment experience for audiences and performers.
In 1885 the Winter Gardens received a new proscenium and private boxes. In 1897, a large glass and steel arched structure, similar to the Crystal Palace, was erected as the new Victoria Street entrance. It formed a high palm-house with an enormous and spectacular illuminated transparent sign with lettering in white opal against a ruby glass background. In that same year the original Winter Gardens Pavilion was extensively altered, with the floor being lowered and tilted towards the stage.
In 1938 the old Opera House was demolished and the present 3000 seat Opera House erected. It has the largest stage in the country, with a sweeping curved proscenium and elegant foyers and bars. It was opened in 1939 and during the war it was used for RAF training purposes during the day and entertainment during the evenings.
(As today has been extremely wet and windy for most of the day, as predicted, I have settled for an indoor picture but I have to confess that I have forgotten to bring along my trusty tripod!)