Blackpool Civic Trust Awards for 2013

The award presentation ceremony was held on Thursday 27th February 2014 at the Blackpool Football Club Sponsors Lounge.

The Annual Awards Dinner is the highlight of Blackpool Civic Trust’s year and a showcase of best new build, excellent design and environmental work in the community.

Jimmy Armfield, one of the Trust’s Patrons, presented the awards.

Andy Mitchell announced the winners and Gerry Wolstenholme gave a talk about the Development of Blackpool Football Club.

The winners of the awards are:

Bispham Endowed Primary School won the Schools Environmental Shield,

Pietro Simone for Blackpool Nature Watch won the Blackpool Environmental Action Team Award,

Ian Clarkson of Blackpool Councils Property Services Department won the Blackpool Council Conservation Award,

The Friends of Highfield Park won the Community Award,

Trinity Hospice Gardens won the Open Spaces Award,

Michaels Indian Restaurant won the Best Night Time Economy Award,

The Cherry Tree Pub won the Best Refurbishment,

Best New Building was shared by Highfield Humanities College and Blackpool Gateway Academy.

Blackpool Tower and Blackpool Illuminations won the award for Transforming Blackpool.

We thank the event sponsors:

Blackpool Civic Trust 40th Anniversary Awards and Dinner for 2014

The Blackpool Civic Trust 40th Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner was held on Friday 27th February 2015 at VIVA Blackpool.

These awards are for excellence in building, design and work in the community during 2014.

A wonderful evening at Viva!

Joan Humble, Chairman of Blackpool Civic Trust, said; “This year’s awards presentation is even more special than usual because we are celebrating our 40th Anniversary. Blackpool Civic Trust was founded in February 1975. Two of those founder members are still involved with the Trust as our Vice-Presidents; Coun. David Owen and Mr Martin Gunson. I am very pleased that both could attend this 40th presentation of awards for excellence.

Jimmy Armfield gave out the awards. We were also joined by Dr Freddie Gick, the Chair of Civic Voice, who spoke about the work of this national charity that supports civic trusts and societies throughout England.

photo: Best New Build – Bickerstaffe House

Also attending the event were the Mayor of Blackpool Councillor Val Haynes and Her Consort Mr Alan Haynes, Blackpool’s Members of Parliament Mr Gordon Marsden and Mr Paul Maynard. The Leader of Blackpool Council Mr Simon Blackburn, Blackpool Council Chief Executive Mr Neil Jack. The Chairman of Lytham St Annes Civic Society Mrs Marion Coupe, The Chairman of Fylde Decorative and Fine Arts Society Mrs Jo Darbyshire. Mr Andy Mitchell of Radio Wave was MC for the night and the presentations and citations were prepared by Mr Carl Carrington, Blackpool’s Built Heritage Manager.

The Mayor of Blackpool Councillor Val Haynes and Mr Martin Gunson:

Mrs Elaine Smith, President of Blackpool Civic Trust welcomed the guests and introduced Mrs Joan Humble, Chairman of Blackpool Civic Trust who gave the opening address. Mr Jimmy Armfield presented the awards Mr Andy Mitchell made the citations for each award.

We thank those who again sponsored the evening.

Cassidy & Ashton Architects of Preston & Chester

Blackpool Borough Council

Eclipse Developments UK Ltd

F.Parkinson Builders

The School Shield, Open Space and Community Awards were chosen by members of our Executive Committee, but the remaining awards were chosen by a panel of judges.

The judges: Alistair Baines is a local architect and has been involved with the awards judging for some years now. Pippa Greenway is from Blackpool Council Planning office. Rhiannon Williamsis from Blackpool Sixth Form and Jordon Braithwaite is from Blackpool & the Fylde College. The buildings of today are the future heritage of our children & grandchildren and so we like to have young people on our panel. From the Blackpool Civic Trust committee, Canon Andrew Sage, the Civic Trust’s Planning Officer on the panel of judges.

The 2014 Awards and Winners are; SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL SHIELD, Moor Park Primary School for rebuilding their vandalised garden, revitalising the pond, introducing new homes for wildlife and growing fruit and vegetables.

The pupils were devastated when their garden was heavily vandalised at the beginning of 2014, but undaunted, they worked hard to repair damage and improve the gardens throughout 2014.

With the help of the local community and funding from Rock FM’s Cash For Kids, the children have revitalised the pond, introduced new homes for wildlife like bird boxes and even built a bug hotel! The Geo-dome, destroyed by vandals was replaced with a new one for growing tomatoes along with new raised vegetable beds and potato patch, all used to produce fruit and vegetables for sale at school fairs.

To top it all off, a new outdoor classroom was created so that children have the opportunity to learn outdoors in an environment they created themselves!

The pupils received the award.

BLACKPOOL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM (BEAT), award was given to Mr. Paul Boynton for works to the Fylde Coast Arboretum.

When Paul was living on the Fylde coast he volunteered to participate in a number of projects for BEAT including the incredible work he did in stripping and cleaning the railings and gates to the Jewish cemetery in Layton, prior to repainting.

But Paul really showed his worth when taking the lead role in works undertaken at the Fylde Coast Arboretum. Supported initially by a group of volunteers, he excavated a number of trenches prior to installing a land drainage system aimed at alleviating the flooding problem on site following heavy rain.

Paul then moved away to the North East but returned last year to finish what he started by laying a pathway of brick block paving over the pipework and along the length of the original temporary gravel based paths. His dedication, even from the other side of the country is astounding and he’s played a key role in making the Arboretum a special place for those who use it to remember the casualties of conflict. The BEAT Board unanimously agreed that it would be fitting that Paul should receive this award for his past and ongoing dedication to Blackpool.

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL CONSERVATION AWARD, was given to Mr Aaron Whiteside for the glass and to Mr Rob Knighton of Eclipse for the joinery on the refurbishment of the front of Blackpool Tower.

This award recognises exceptional quality in craft skill or design and everyone will agree with our judges that the quality of this project has made a real difference to Blackpool Tower.

It was decided to reward both of the companies involved in the creation of the new doors because of the exceptional quality and the way in which close working has produced such an exceptional result.

Aaron was trained at Daedaelion Glass and served his apprenticeship working on incredible projects like restoration at Windsor Castle. Closer to home he worked on the restoration of the windows to the Town Hall’s Committee Room A and created new glass within the Winter Gardens and for shop fronts in and around St John’s Square.

Eclipse have developed a significant business in the restoration and re-creation of historic joinery. Responsible for many of the new shop fronts in St John’s Square as well as large sections of the interior restoration of Blackpool Winter Gardens they have established themselves as one of the leading joinery firms in the region.

COMMUNITY AWARD, was presented to the Friends of Watson Road Park for the work they did in supporting the archaeological dig at the park.

Watson Road Park seems an unlikely location for archaeology, but lying underneath this peaceful haven in south shore is one of our most important pieces of World War One heritage. The Loos and Arras Trenches were created to train troops in the creation of fighting trenches and during 1915 and later, in true Blackpool fashion, turned into a visitor attraction. Filled in after the war, it remained a little known secret until the summer of 2014.

It can’t be often that a community group gets an award for uncovering the past, but without them, this project would never have happened.They supported the funding bids to Ward Councillors, they worked with the local community to inform them of what was happening and they supported the community archaeologists is making it all happen. Hundreds of cups of tea, and hours of cleaning up and putting things right after the works were complete.

This is all the more remarkable because it created four huge holes in a park that this group works so hard to keep immaculate! Their dedication to the park and to its secret history is recognised by this award and we’d urge you to all go down and take a look at the exhibition in the pavilion and find out more about the history of Watson Road Park.

OPEN SPACES AWARD, went to the Friends of the Devonshire Road Rock Gardens for the work they had done in repairing and renovating the Vista building at the gardens.

This award recognises a small but dedicated Friends Group who have worked to restore one of the most romantic landscapes in Blackpool. Devonshire Road Rock Gardens was created in the 1930’s to provide a public park for new housing in the area and to take advantage of rolling views across to the Trough of Bowland. The real gem in the park though is The Vista, a small Italian style rustic pavilion with a terrace overlloking the hills to the east, below which pools and waterfalls follow the fall of the hill. This was used for thousands of wedding pictures from the 1930’s until the 1980’s.

The Vista had been subjected to vandalism for many years and had become a roofless ruin, partly overgrown until the Friends started to raise funds to restore it in 2012. By 2013 enough had been raised through events, generous contributions from Ward Funding and other sources, for work to begin.

A year later and the roofs are back on, vandal proof doors and windows have been installed, the terrace repaired and the friends now have a place out of the rain for storage and brewing up whilst looking at the incredible view! BEST NIGHT TIME ECONOMY, was given to the Beach House for the rebuilding, repair and renovation of the building after serious storm damage, to produce a new cocktail bar and stylish venue.

In an extreme case of your best asset ending up being your biggest nightmare, the Beach House Restaurant and Bar was severely affected by the storms that caused widespread damage and flooding at the beginning of 2014 . The windows and furniture were smashed and the years of hard work by the owners Hagup and Cheryl and their team were wiped away almost overnight.

Did they give up? No! The Beach House re-opened in a temporary restaurant, kindly provided by Blackpool Football Club, and started work clearing out and repairing the structure before getting to work creating a new interior

They used local contractors from the Fylde and focused on bringing an even more contemporary look to the restaurant complete with a feature light fitting in Ditchfield glass . The result has been striking, a slick new cocktail bar, new (and improved) menu and one of the mist stylish places to eat and drink on the Fylde Coast.To receive the best night time economy award, Hagop and Cheryl Tchobanian!

BEST REFURBISHMENT, went to Trinity Hospice for the high quality of its refurbishment in planning spaces and decoration, privacy, dignity and patient choice.

Trinity Hospice is no stranger to these awards, which says a lot about how we, as a community feel about how important their work is. Like everything the Hospice does, this refurbishment is of the highest quality. In planning spaces and decoration, privacy, dignity and patient choice were at the centre of decision making.

The range of calm interiors, vibrant interiors, private spaces, single or twin occupancy rooms and facilities for families staying over were all things that our judges thought outstanding. The Brian House Children’s Hospice has become a magical place with themed decor, pirates and sea life murals decorate the rooms along with a beautifully designed new kitchen, with play kitchen alongside.

This range of child and dementia friendly spaces, stimulating environments and calm rooms, some opening onto the award winning gardens will provide a step change in the quality of end of life and dementia care for our community and this award is well deserved!

To collect this award Simon Hellewell, Julie Huttley and Linzi Young

BEST NEW BUILD, was Bickerstaffe House for replacing derelict buildings with a well designed new structure and bringing together Council staff from a variety of scattered offices.

The new offices of Blackpool Council have been awarded best new build for a number of reasons. Firstly, they sit at the heart of Talbot Gateway which truly has changed the feel of the arrival into Blackpool by train. Gone are the semi derelict buildings surrounding Blackpool North to be replaced by a series of light, bright contemporary buildings to welcome people to Blackpool.

Secondly, it’s design, intended on the north and west side to resemble pier like structures, breaks up the sleeker, smoother facades of the buildings either side and forms part of the new Bickerstaffe Square with attractive seating and lighting.

Thirdly is the way in which this building has brought together people working at a number of sites across the borough into one place, reducing the Council’s carbon footprint, and establishing new ways of flexible working to help save money and jobs. The building is a welcome addition to the creation of a new contemporary offer in Blackpool and we hope to see more of it with Phase II of this excellent development! Councillor Simon Blackburn, Leader of Blackpool Council and Mr. Andy Barton of Muse Developments collected the prize.

TRANSFORMING BLACKPOOL, went to Phase One of the Talbot Gateway for creating a new group of high quality buildings including Bickerstaffe House, the Sainsbury Super Store and the refurbished art deco Talbot Road Car Park.

We’ve already seen Bickerstaffe House pick up an award this evening so it seems only fair that the rest of this excellent development should be recognised. Phase One of the Talbot Gateway development was made up of the creation of the fantastic new Sainsbury super store, the new Blackpool Council headquarters at Bickerstaffe House and the remarkable refurbishment of the Art Deco Talbot Road Car Park.

In many ways it’s hard to imagine that the old car park is somewhere under the illuminated glass cladding but somehow it is! The designers managed to preserve the important layout of what is believed to be the first public multi storey car park in Britain and gave it a bright and contemporary feel.

Sainsbury’s is another landmark building with it ship like curving prow and Blackpool feature art inside. In addition, it brings much needed parking and shopping facilities to the Town Centre and plays a huge part in making arrival into Blackpool by rail a much more attractive option. Phase two is in the pipeline so watch this space!

Cllr. Mr. Simon Blackburn, Leader of Blackpool Council, Mr. Andy Barton of Muse Developments and the Super Staff of Blackpool’s new Sainsbury Superstore collected the prize.

SPECIAL AWARD, was given to F Parkinson for restoring the lost terracotta on the front of the Tower and installing seven sets of beautiful hard wood doors.

We’ve already seen the skill of those involved in the detail of the work at Blackpool Tower and now it’s time to recognise the vision and organisation behind those works. Since purchasing Blackpool Tower and Blackpool Winter Gardens in 2010, Blackpool Council has demonstrated its commitment to the future of these buildings time and time again, through high quality, sensitive changes that create new visitor offers whilst preserving the historic significance of the buildings.

As many of you will know, in the 1970’s a new canopy was added to the front of the Tower but in order to fit it better, much of the decorative terracotta casting was hacked off the face of the building. This project has not only restored that lost terracotta but has re-created the sense of arrival with the installation of seven sets of beautiful hardwood doors with all of the original stained glass restored or re-created. The choice of F Parkinson Ltd to plan and execute the works is a testament to how important they’ve become to projects like this in Blackpool. A local firm with a local work force and an excellent track record of heritage projects including extensive work at the Winter Gardens, they really have excelled themselves on this project.

Mr Ray Eyre of F Parkinson Ltd and Cllr. Simon Blackburn, Leader of Blackpool Council!

BEST NEW QUALITY VISITOR ATTRACTION, this new award was given to Illuminasia for its incredible light show.

Illuminasia’s transformation of the Olympia Exhibition Hall has been spectacular. One of Blackpool Council’s ambitions on buying the Winter Gardens in 2010 was to introduce a year round family attraction. It took a while, but in April 2014, just in time for the Easter season, Illuminasia opened its doors!

An incredible light show based on the ancient Chinese art of lantern making, the light steel frames are them covered in silk to add colour and form to the installations.

There are a range of zones based on different themes and many of the installations are of exceptional size and quality, having your photo taken between the teeth of a shark has to be one of the highlights. This award recognises both the local dimension of Illuminasia and the way in which it’s re-connected Blackpool to the international leisure market.

To receive this award, Mr. Gary Fjelstad of International Special Attractions.

Two former Mayors of Blackpool:

Members of Blackpool Civic Trust:

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards and Dinner 2015

Held Friday 26th February 2016

The Blackpool Civic Trust Awards Ceremony and Dinner was held on Friday 26th February 2016 at the Paradise Room, Blackpool Pleasure Beach. These awards are for excellence in building, design and work in the community during 2015, which was also the 40th anniversary of Blackpool Civic Trust.

Sponsors for the event:

Blackpool Borough Council

Cassidy & Ashton Architects of Preston & Chester

The Imperial Hotel

No 1 Hotel

Burbage Holiday Group

Glasdon

Sophisticated Events

A wonderful evening at the Paradise Room, Blackpool Pleasure Beach!

Hosts for the evening: Jimmy Armfield, Joan Humble, Andy Mitchell.

To open the award presentations Elaine Smith MBE and President of Blackpool Civic Trust introduced Joan Humble the Chairman of Blackpool Civic Trust. Photo of Elaine.

Joan Humble announced the attendance of the Mayor of Blackpool, Councillor Peter Callow and the Mayoress, Councillor Mrs Maxine Callow. Also Mr Gordon Marsden, Member of Parliament for Blackpool South and leader of the Council, Councillor Simon Blackburn and the Blackpool Chief Executive, Mr Neil Jack. Photo of Joan.

Joan said the first official meeting of Blackpool Civic Trust was held in February 1975 at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Sir Harold Grime, the distinguished editor of the Gazette agreed to become the President and Geoffrey Thompson, the Managing Director of the Pleasure Beach, became the first Chairman.

Two of our current Vice-Presidents were involved in the Civic Trust from that very first meeting. Cllr David Owen was the first Secretary and Mr Martin Gunson who started as Press Officer, became Vice-Chairman and then Chairman. Thanks for your continuing support over what is now 41 years.

Photo: Mr Martin Gunson and Dr Freddie Gick.

Guests also included the Chairman of Lytham St Annes Civic Society, Mrs Marion Coupe. Corporate Members of Blackpool Civic Trust. Our special guest Dr Freddie Gick, the Chair of Civic Voice. Freddie presented to Blackpool Civic Trust, at the Convention and AGM of Civic Voice, a special achievement award for all the work that we do during Civic Week in June. That will challenge us to do even better this year.

Thanks to Carl Carrington, Blackpools Built Heritage Manager, for all the support he has given the Civic Trust throughout the year.

Very good friend and member of the Trust, the News Editor at Radio Wave, Mr Andy Mitchell who again agreed to be MC for the evening.

Amanda Thompson, one of our patrons, cannot attend and is represented by the Pleasure Beach Director of Finance Mr Nigel Kilgallon. Our other patron is our good friend and Freeman of the Borough, the one and only, Mr Jimmy Armfield CBE. I am pleased that he and his wife, Mrs Anne Armfied, are here with us again this evening; a great big welcome to them both.

The Junior Schools Environmental Shield: St Nicholas Church of England Primary School

The School has built a project around the history and traditions of the Moss market gardening heritage.

In days gone by the school taught market gardening to its pupils and the pupils of today are taught how to look after chickens and sell the eggs as a business as well as how to grow produce such as tomatoes and strawberries which the Moss has always been famous for!?

But thats not all, the children also grow a wide range of other fruits like blackcurrants, raspberries and blueberries alongside chilies and garlic, potatoes, courgettes, peas and various herbs.

The Senior Schools Environmental Shield: Park Community Academy

The environmental project at Park Community Academy has been running for eight successful years and has achieved the prestigious “Green Flag” ECO school award every year since it started.

Staff and Pupils have been committed to ensuring their school environment is energy efficient and environmentally friendly and the ECO curriculum affects every aspect of school life. Activities include recycling rubbish throughout the school day, re-using materials in creative activities as well as reducing waste through the use of wormeries in the school grounds.

The BLACKPOOL COUNCIL CONSERVATION AWARD: Blackpool Civic Trust

This award is given for excellence in conservation or high quality building restoration work and was presented by Cllr Simon Blackburn, Leader of Blackpool Council.

When the Imperial Hotel first opened, it gained fame as the Imperial Hydropathic Hotel. It featured up to ten bathing areas, including Turkish and Russian Baths and sea water plunge pools.

The Turkish baths were probably built in the last decade of the 19th Century. Victorian Turkish Baths used hot air not steam and those in the Imperial are located in the basement of the South Wing. They were decorated with glazed tiles made by the famous Burmantofts Pottery of Leeds.

After the Second World War the Turkish baths were closed and the tiles covered in thick plaster. The area was used for storage and the baths forgotten until almost two years ago, when Blackpool Civic Trust was contacted by the General Manager, Alison Gilmore, to see if the trust could identify volunteers to explore the basement and see what lay under the plaster.

At first working with Andrew Gladwell, but for the last several months independently as contractors, a regular group of volunteers has uncovered the wonders of tile work from more than a hundred years ago.

Civic Trust volunteers have researched the baths and developed skills in carefully removing the plaster and paint to reveal the beautiful tiles. Some of the tiles were deliberately damaged, others accidently damaged but most are in very good condition.

The COMMUNITY AWARD – Joint Winners: The Friends of Watson Road Park

This can go to any kind of community or voluntary group and it recognises groups or individuals making a difference in their community. The choice was so difficult that this year we have two winners.

Friends of Watson Road Park and representatives of Blackpool Coastal Housing

This is not the first time that the Friends of Watson Road Park have received an award from Blackpool Civic Trust. Last year we applauded the efforts that they put in to support the archaeological volunteers on the WW 1 training trenches uncovered in the park.

This year we recognise all the many other activities they engage in. The Friends open the Pavilion Cafe every day and when the community centre was extended, they approached Blackpool Coastal Housing to give them a grant to improve the pathway to the memorial garden and tarmac the entrance area to the park pavilion. This successful grant application substantially improved disabled access.

The Friends also put on a range of popular events from dog shows to the Summer Gala and a regular programme of childrens parties and coffee mornings to raise funds for their mission to maintain the park as a superb community facility. Other groups are always welcome to use the facilities, including South Shore Youth Football and the Blackpool and Fylde Rail Users Association amongst many others.

The COMMUNITY AWARD – Joint Winners: Ibbison Court Centre

The Ibbison Court community group has been together for five years and has a clear aim to encourage community engagement in this area of Blackpool. They are determined to make a difference to their community by improving the lives of the people that live within the area. They do this by listening to the community, working with their ward Councillors and then putting on a wide variety of activities, encouraging people to come through their door but also going out into the community.

They now have a play area, community garden, Memory Lane cafe, and Bingo club. Arts activities are key to encouraging engagement. There is new group, the Hand Made Uns, and another which is described as the Graffiti Grans. These Graffiti Grans have been at work in the Palatine Car Park and on May 21st will be in the Grand Theatre.

Police and Community Together meetings are held in the centre and the community group also organizes larger scale events such as the Revoe Fun Day and the Revoe Christmas Lights stitch on.

But perhaps they are most famous for the Revo-lution choir which was set up three years ago. The Choir now regularly appears at community events throughout Blackpool.

The OPEN SPACES AWARD: The High Ropes Course at Stanley Park

This award is aimed at recognising achievements in creating attractive public spaces either landscaped or hardscaped.

Councillor Graham Cain and Mr John Blackledge collected the award

Stanley Park High Ropes Course opened in May 2015, providing a fantastic facility for both local residents and visitors to the Town.

The high Ropes Course is suitable for anyone 5 years and over and operates two levels. The ‘low ropes’ course sits 4 meters off the ground and the ‘high ropes’ course is eight meters high providing fantastic views across Stanley Park, Blackpool and further afield. Both courses provide a range of activities and challenges for participants to cross including swinging tyres, zip wire onto a cargo net, plank bridges, wobbly logs and lots more. The three story tower also features a zip line, rock climbing wall and a range of developmental activities including crate stack challenge, gladiator challenge, leap of faith and all aboard.

The course was designed to complement the Grade 2 listed park, using natural timbers for the course itself as well as the booking office. The site itself re-uses part of the site once occupied by the former greenhouses and demonstrates an excellent example of brownfield development.

The School Shields, Open Space and Community Awards were chosen by members of our Executive Committee, but the next 4 awards were chosen by a panel of judges who are:

Alistair Baines is a local architect and has been involved with the awards judging for some years now. Pippa Greenway is from Blackpool Councils Planning office. Aaron Spendley is from Blackpool Sixth Form College and Roxanne Bryan is from Blackpool & the Fylde College. The buildings of today are the future heritage of our children & grandchildren and so we think its essential to have young people on our panel. Canon Andrew Sage, the Civic Trusts Planning Officer.

Best Night Time Economy: The Velvet Coaster

The large steel beams over the vast roof terrace draw attention to this new development on the promenade in the South of Blackpool. On entering the pub through the glass fronted entrance, customers are greeted by a towering lift shaft which acts as a means of access to all 3 floors.

The ground floor is a real show case of features inspired by the surrounding area. The bar area is a tribute to the beach and sea and the first floor bar area has feature rope lighting which mixes marine and industrial themes.

The second floor bar area is a blend of contemporary finishes continuing the seaside theme. The roof terrace is a real feature of the design where customers can enjoy the sights and sounds of Blackpool in comfort.

The use of themes that have a local resonance as well as a more general seaside feel are what recommended this building to the judges. The overall design is clean and modern with an art deco feel that reflects the heritage of the nearby Pleasure Beach working well in its surroundings.

This new venue is enormously popular and attracts customers throughout the day as well as at night and the family friendly nature of Wetherspoons makes it an ideal place to stop and relax after a visit to Blackpools promenade and attractions during the day.

Best Refurbishment Award: The Winter Gardens Theatre Bar

Collecting the award are Gregor Mazurek and Anna Psonak from the Blackpool Entertainment Company Ltd and Rob Knighton from Eclipse Developments.

The Theatre Bar, formerly known as Bar Red, had been closed for five years as part of the extensive refurbishment work taking place to the Winter Gardens complex. The restaurant originally formed the main entrance through Italian gardens to the Empress Ballroom when it was opened in 1896. Since then, it has been a car showroom for Brown and Mallalieu and more recently many of you will remember it as Vernon Humpages.

During the work, the remarkable Art Nouveau painted ceramic panels by artist J Neatby working for Royal Doulton were uncovered.? These panels represent a series of women in exotic costume, representing birds and precious stones and are surrounded by exceptional quality ceramic tiles in peacock blue, many of which were badly damaged.

To ensure these beautiful works of art could go on show without risking further damage to the surrounding panels, the walls were carefully covered again, leaving the female figures displayed in recessed and lit arches and now form the most impressive feature of the restaurants interior, which also includes a spectacular black and white image across the back wall of the same space as a car showroom full of Morris Cars!

The bar now opens regularly serving a wide range of drinks and also a 40 cover restaurant serving gourmet burgers from a theatre inspired menu.

Best New Build: Blackpool and the Fylde College Advanced Technology Centre

The Advanced Technology Centre is a two storey new build further education facility for the School of Engineering at Blackpool and The Fylde Colleges principal campus at Bispham. The building includes space for teaching automotive engineering, research and development and advanced manufacturing applications including robotics, pneumatics and hydraulics.

The building was created as an inspiring environment for the delivery of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics skills to meet local and regional needs and definitely looks the part.

The design of the building is focused around the concept of strong geometrical elevations with a curved roof and front which draw you towards the focal entrance.?The landscaping fits with the same design principles using sweeping curves and sharp edges to echo the building it surrounds.

The Advanced Technology Centre is itself a triumph of modern sustainable technology, most notably in its use of high quality materials in construction and its renewable energy features which have achieved the BREEAM Excellent standard in reducing energy consumption. The building, in effect, does what it says on the tin!

Best Shop Front Award: Amaro

Amaro is a new Italian restaurant located on St Johns Square in Blackpool town centre. The restaurant occupies a former clothing retail unit on the corner of Church Street and Leopold Grove.

The building is within the Town Centre Conservation Area and part of the setting of the Grade II* Winter Gardens and so particular regard had to be paid to the restaurant street frontage.

Working closely with local joiners and metal workers, Joseph Boniface Architects designed a simple yet effective shop front which works well within the conservation area and provides an attractive and practical frontage for the restaurant.

The use of traditional window shapes in contemporary aluminium frames has allowed the architect to use traditional form but to add a contemporary feel to the restaurant.

Special Award: Blackpool Transport Services for the Heritage Tram Fleet

Collecting the Award are Cllr Christine Wright, Chair of Blackpool Transport Services and Mr Bryan Lindop Head of Heritage representing the Heritage Tram Tours Team.

Building on a proud history of 130 years of continuous electric tramway operation, Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours prides itself on its commitment to deliver a high quality, world class Heritage Attraction that Blackpool can be proud of.

Its customers are at the very heart of everything that Blackpool Transport Services does and its staff is dedicated to delivering a family friendly experience that is both affordable and good value for money.

Visitor numbers have been boosted by tram enthusiasts from all over the world and on the key operating dates the heritage trams are often filled to capacity.

Throughout the season very positive feedback has been given by passengers to the service. To this can be added a very successful Illuminations period with record attendances on the lights tours.

Management and staff on the Heritage Tram Fleet can look back on the 2015 season with pride whilst feeling confident that they are going to deliver something even better next year!

Best New Quality Visitor Attraction: Red Arrows Skyforce Ride at the Pleasure Beach

Mr Nigel Kilgallon accepted the award on behalf of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

It seems appropriate doesnt it that were giving another award to the Pleasure Beach in this 40th anniversary year given the long connection with the Civic Trust and the Thompson family!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach reached for the skies with a brand new ride for 2015, Red Arrows Skyforce.

The amusement park joined forces with the world famous Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, and became the worlds first tourist attraction to have a ride based on the planets best known aerobatic display team.

The 72ft high, 12 seat white-knuckle ride takes you on a 360 degree tour of the skies and sits in the shadow of the world famous Big One rollercoaster. Stepping into your own Red Arrows cockpit, you take control of the plane and spin and glide and take formation in your very own display.

The Red Arrows have enjoyed a long association with Blackpool and the Pleasure Beach during the teams history. Its a great testament to this connection that the north west of England will get to enjoy and play host to a permanent Red Arrows experience.

Thanks were given to:

The sponsors named above.

Andy Mitchell for reading out the citations, Carl Carrington for his ongoing support and Jimmy Armfield for giving out the awards. Three gifts were presented to say thank you properly.

Flowers were presented to the Mayoress by Christine Lambe of Blackpool Civic Trust.

Thanks to members of our committee whose skill is to be seen all around us in the form of the decorations, printed menus, and raffle prizes.

Thanks are also given to Peter Owen for the photographs of the event.

The Mayor and Mayoress with Joan Humble and Barry Shaw.

Jimmy Armfield, Joan, Andy Mitchell.

Canon Sage of St Stephens on the Cliff’s guests.