Middle Walk Blackpool: A Faded Glory
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- I take you on a tour of Middle Walk in Blackpool, which was a grand feature of Blackpool promenade after it was completed in 1926, but has become a haunt for alcoholics, drug addicts & gay cruising in recent decades.
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A guy on middle walk asked me if I was looking for a cottage. I replied no mate it's a 3 bedroom townhouse I am after. I thought that's a strange place for an estate agent to be hanging about.
Strange place to be house hunting lol
@@mickd6942 it was a bizarre encounter he offered to show me his own semi as well. I don't think it was the right move going down there after dark.
You do know that a cottage means a gay haunt, right? Usually the public lavatories of old.
@JohnHughes2002 what? You mean he wasn't an estate agent? That's why he was talking about back doors then.
@@JohnHughes2002 There's always one person ready to put an end to a joke. You couldn't play along?
I hope one day this can be restored to its former glory. Thank you.
Just imagine when it was built and picture the well dressed Mum’s and Dad’s with their children all wearing their Sunday best. Heartbreaking to see it now.
Just what I was thinking, would have been amazing
@@leemaitland2722 It would be wonderful if there were some old film of how it used to be.
Thanks Stephen👍It would be so nice to see middle walk looking pristine again. Such wonderful architecture ruined.
Thanks Sheila.
If I was a Blackpool resident and had a bit of sway with the council, I would have the cabin lift restored, planted up and the colonnades restored too.
The cliffs hold a special place in my memories, i used to go there a lot to meditate
Just a thought but perhaps they could get all those people living rent free in the Metropole hotel to paint that area as a thank you for everything.
Thank you Steve, I really enjoy seeing Blackpool again.
I believe the places with the pillars are called Colonades.
A crying shame it's gone like this!
Back in the seventies, my family stayed at Warbreck Drive, and evenings would be spent getting fish & chips from the Gynn Fish Bar, then walking along Middle Walk down to North Pier, or even Central Pier. Then they'd be some time in the arcades then back on a tram to the digs! Happy days!
Blackpool council should be utterly ashamed of themselves
Why have the council let this place become so run down? Shocking like !
If this place was cleaned up and the railing painted it would look a lot better. Another interesting video Stephen. Thank you very much. stay safe and take care of yourself ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks Mildred.
The Council cannot afford to clean up Blackpool as looking after too many immigrants! Its such a shame to see the ''faded glory'' of some of our seaside towns.
“looking after too many immigrants”. You really should look at the council making unnecessary investments, building pointless car parks, a massive hotel (where there are thousands of hotels already), tramway extension and many more pointless things. All that money wasted that could go into cleaning up Blackpool and restoring various places. Not that hard but people like you will blame it on immigrants.
Just for information, Middle Walk was originally built to take the tramway from North Pier to Gynn Square, the planned tram stations are where the undercover stepways are.
Due to protests from hoteliers, (about loss of business should that happen), the tramway was moved to the upper row, and had to get Parliament approval to run it in the gutter around the back of the Metropole hotel.
Such a shame, especially given how it’s descended into such a state, nowhere near what was originally conceived….
All that cabling was ripped out by metal thieves when metal thefts were at their height several years ago. Most of the cabling was for the garlands of coloured bulbs strung between posts fastened to the railings on the upper promenade during the illuminations. Nowadays, the strings of illuminations are confined to the main lamp posts along that length. Some of the cabling also fed the lights that were supposed to illuminate the middle walk but were generally vandalised so didn't work anyway.
Thanks for the info.
@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool great comment cant people leave stuff alone or end up like that.kid in tiffanys hotel
That hotel is well looked after
Must be some ai drone to police so u can stop sabotage
Great walk Stephen and that’s what Blackpool is those beautiful sea views over the Irish Sea but what a sad shame as you’re correct what would it take to do a power wash and paint to bring middle walk back to its glory I saw people in your video walking and taking in the sights what on earth goes through there minds when they see the sight of the colonnade 😢so very sad, come on Blackpool council get it cleaned up 👍Thanks again Stephen for showing this and take care until next time Pauline from Blackpool living in Canada 🍁
What a sad state , remember walking along there as a kid with my parents when we holidayed in Blackpool every year . ( Wake week )
Thanks for sharing this video my Northern friend all the best from me in Birmingham 😊
OMG what a shame. 30 ish years ago my Mrs and I came to Blackpool every year and always stayed round the Gynn Square area. We always enjoyed a walk down to town rather than catching a tram. It's a real pity that Blackpool, and many other seaside towns have deteriorated over the past few years.
Well done for making your videos and showing us how Blackpool has changed and still is changing.
We've enjoyed your videos for a long time Stephen.
I enjoyed many happy childhood visits to Pleasure Beach and the Illuminations, growing up in Bolton my parents often took myself and my brother. Have enjoyed a few Winter gardens visits watching darts, still a fantastic venue.
Was great to see you do the Pleasure Beach vlog, as season pass holders there, as a family we often enjoy going there with our kids, it was great to do The Tower also this year, and the Circus is fantastic too.
We have done the lights as always hopping on and off the trams which we always have a great time doing and is a tradition. There are other good things and positives too in Bpl, but definitely a dodgy side and another world to the promenade side of it, as you have shown before. Having once stayed near the Tower, I agree that Central Drive and around there is pretty shocking with the noise levels and the sorts who linger around there! Was surprised that when Walk with me Tim walked the illuminations recently on here , he took his family at night walking the dodgy bit behind the Metropole hotel,which also has a few beer monsters around the covered benches. The hotel is sadly booked up with asylum seekers too I believe! Anyway keep up the good work, and all the best. We will keep on enjoying you walking the good, and the bad side 😂
I wrote a comment about the last time I watched you going around middle walk at night and nearly fell over someone that was sleeping there , but I sent it to the wrong video. You would think that the council would take better care of the architecture like the old railings, because when they're gone that's it. It's such a shame. Another great video Stephen, stay safe 🙏
I would love to see that walk brought back to its former glory & chuck out the riff raff.
Well done Steven a very unbiased video as was your previous one in this area. .Seems like nothing has changed in years.
We used to take our VW campervans down there every year as part of Blackpool Breeze. It used to be a great day out. Sadly for one reason or another it got stopped.
Thanks for another great video! 👍 Blackpool could do with cleaning and revamping quite a few areas, this would be one of them.
Middle walk could be made to look so good, be ideal for events and things, The council is missing chance there, and what a good idea to get the communuty payback boys to clean it up. Lovely vid as always,
Well done as usual mate ,all for the good of town and our people .
Thanks 👍
Thanks for another excellent video Stephen. Some lights and a lick of paint on middle walk would do for starters! Father always used to say to us, "stupid is as stupid does", what he meant by that god only knows.😊😊😊
In the late 60s and early 70s my grandma and grandad took me out in exactly that spot on Saturday mornings or afternoons. Shame to see it like that now.
Thoroughly enjoyed this Stephen. I think it is absolutely disgusting that Middle Walk has been allowed to fall into such a sorrowful state of disrepair. Shame on Blackpool Council, they should get their act together, and ensure that the necessary work is done to return the area to it's former glory. I'm sure there are many local people who are looking for work, who would be delighted to do the job. As I suggested to you Stephen, they could use people who are on community service to do the painting and do a general clean up. Such a beautiful part of the promenade should be restored and cctv cameras should be installed to stop all the unsavory shenanigans. While they are at it, the council need to do something about the alcoholics and drug addicts who hang around and sit in the shelters near North Pier. They are intimidating, offensive and extremely abusive, why on earth is this allowed. Locals and tourists are unable to enjoy sitting in these elegant Victorian shelters because of the low life scummy people who are not policed. Where does all the council money go, could it be that is used to pay for fat cats to ride around in big fancy cars, eat expensive lunches and award themselves ridiculously high wages, who knows? Xxx
I think so - I recently saw a brand new Range Rover Sport with a Blackpool Council parking pass in the windscreen.
Thanks Moonage xx
If you go to Bispham, you'll will be able to enjoy the lovely old Victorian shelters there. If you're in Bispham on a clear day you'll enjoy fantastic views access the sea. Bispham the highest point on the Fylde Coast and the nicest place in Blackpool :)
Blackpool Clowncil on,y care about the tourists and the main promenade, they don’t listen to the locals they just do as they please. We only have nice areas down to volunteers ….sadly it’s the down and puts, those who have moved from inner cities who keep voting the idiots back in…
If you think druggies and alcoholics are dangerous round there at night then you've seen nothing. Worse creep individuals like muderers and sex offenders, stalkers etc lurking round there in the dark shadows.
The Edwardians used to go to these seaside resorts to ''take the air'' arriving on the new-fangled Rail Coaches and from the 1750's attracted Sea Bathers!
The Council should provide the paint and get people together to paint. No drunks allowed!
It needs restoring. Great video, Steve 👌
It does!
fantastic walk - incredible structure
A very Lovely and Relaxing mooch a long this Sea front called Middle Walk. Totally agree with you Steve. The Local Council could invest some money in just cleaning up the area and a nice new lick of paint. Perhaps they could install some new Lights along the walk way. It does need some TLC. People should behave a lot more better and show some Consideration towards other people. Just be nice and Friendly. Thank you Steve. ☺☺☺
Another great vid, every couple of months I come to Blackpool just to get away, I stay in Dickson Road no wilton parade. Handy aswell with the little coop supermarket This is my stomping ground, I always prefer north of the north pier, it’s the only time my labs get 3 walks a day, love the beach, love the promenades on all levels, I mix it up a bit. In all my time visiting I’ve never had any crime issues
Hi Stephen thanks for another great video walked through middle walk last month when we came down the stench is horrible 😢
Another very good, thoughtful, thought provoking look round Blackpool. I enjoy your vlogs.
MacMaster is often giving you a plug. I think you're both brill. Thank you both for your content. x
Thanks for watching us both 🙏
They are doing the promenade up slowly but surely they will get to that bit in time 🇬🇧
Absolutely love your videos Always very interesting
Thanks 🙏
It has a future if council spends some money
Such a waste of what could be a super place. Even stalls from the old Bonny Street market....👌
Good on you for not watching the news, all is not what it seems.
Steve.called in at Chris yesterday .In Blackpool with the family had 6 burgers and a calendar photos look great.All the best Dee.Roger.
Thanks very much 🙏
❤❤❤ interested stuff. Steve.
The council should definitely keep it its heritage and retro , clean it up and allow acts/bands to play
Hello sir, i have visited Blackpool many times and its so sad to see it get to this stage and your spot on the council should do something to restore it because it has the potential to be a great holiday destination for family's. My cousin lives near there you may know him he is a northern soul dance champion name is Jon M. But yeah its changed allot since before covid. I would love to come do a vlog up there or a colab with you. Great tour i enjoy your vlogs.
Nice walkalong stephen needs a lick of paint down there stay safe in storm ciaran 👍
Wonder if there any photos of what it used to look like way back and hopefully when the new museum opens up will show Blackpool as it use to be .
Postcards on facebook and ebay some history groups
Times have changed massively sir! Would of been superb back in the day! Unfortunately no now probably used for people with addictions. My thoughts are with those with addictions, It can be a very vicious circle
well it does need a coat of paint and some renovation work. But actually it's quite a good place to shelter from the wind and rain if you're out for a walk during the day. And it's not a bad place to watch the annual air show from.
It’s really sad seeing the decline in Blackpool. I hadn’t been there in a long time before visiting a about 6 or so years back so the change was very stark.
Hi Stephen thank you for another great video as always such a shame that they have got to the condition they are in now I bet years ago they was stunning I can imagine what happens in the early hours have a great evening xx
Stephen, maybe the Blackpool Council could request Lottery Funding to help clean, paint and repair the promenade ??? The council could also place generosity boxes along the promenade in an effort to help fund it? I wonder how much they get for the lights from the public?? There must be innovative ways to raise money ???
Would be an idea.
We stayed at Blue Waters last week and walked down there smelt like a public toilet! Had to stop my nephews from touching the walls on the way down, plenty of drunks meeting up round there too!
I honestly believe Blackpool council are purposely leaving it so it gets that bad it will all have to be demolished with no questions asked for safety reasons. In a way it might be best but there's a lot of history there.
Stephen takes us to these places so we don’t have to. 😮
Did that walk a few weeks ago, amazing to think how good it must have been in its time. Quite sad really and your idea to get prisoners sorting out is just spot on. Second thoughts there’s a crowd staying at the Metropolitan that could be useful🤔
Pride in them days Stephen
I remember when the crazy paved areas were flower beds.
A New cruising sight to check out 😮😯😳 what goes on in Blackpool stays in blackpool 😕
Such a shame. I work on North Prom. I dont like leaving work late as a bit iffy especially now its getting dark early. Oh well x thanks Stephen guiding people off this area as it is a bit sinister xx
Thanks Thea.
Don't forget Stephen as calenders still available,and also Starman calender,his second channel,there amazing photos,and quality calenders,make great, Christmas present 👍
You gonna buy me one I would like that I do need one ideally.
Thanks Andy 🙏
It's such a shame that Middle Walk have lost it's former glory. Brighton have a similar area that is full of little cafes and shops. You're right Steve, it should get a good wash and then a good coat of paint. Gates should installed to keep the undesirables out at night.
Hopefully when the new sea defences are being built between Cocker Square and Bispham, they will do up the colonnades on Central Walk.
Far too many people go to the trouble of picking up dog poo only to dump the bag.
I hope the council have plans to tackle this run down area they must be getting plenty of money from all these developments about time it was spent to clear out the beer monsters, easily done with a by law to not allow on drinking in certain areas, it's been done in some towns with great success
There is the Hole in the Wall cafe down there. Its lovely in warm westher to sit by the sea wall at the cafe tabkes with a coffe and maybe a cake
Another good one 👍😎
Thanks for the visit
thanks Stephen for another great video 🗼
They should turn into rentable units like in Brighton.... Small touristy type places...
Good idea. I saw those when I was down there, but I didn't really like Brighton all that much tbh.
The local council should be ashamed of the state of this area. It deserves to be cleaned up. xx
My mum used to take me to Blackpool when I was a kid to see the illuminations. What a tragic appearance it now presents. So sad. Heaven only knows what foreigners think. The council obviously needs some new strategies for regeneration.
Money is being spent, but structures like this are being forgotten about.
If it was cleaned up and the police enforced the law it could be kept nice and beautiful for residents and visitors : (
All those sets still in place nearly 100yrs on yet the ones they put down recently all buckling and breaking!
All the Clowncil need to do is clean it up, paint it and put in good lighting with police patrols (which they obviously don’t do or uphold their signage) and it would soon turnaround again but they are only interested in what’s above you.
I’ve always said they should use either prisoner Labour or those fit enough to work in exchange for their benefits in public spaces or helping the elderly.
I’m Blackpool born and bred and I never knew there was a beach patrol there.
I used to walk along there in 1970 to go into town and it wasn’t like this at all…
It's so sad that what was once a lovely building gets ruined by drug users and beer monsters, I used to enjoy sitting in those little shelters but now I find the beer monsters too intimidating
Last time I was in Blackpool was 1992. It was so nice..but look like its going down hill
Great Video Steve I Enjoyed it They Can Give It A Coat paint And It Will Look better it Has Great Views Of The Ocean Have a Great Halloween 🎃
Great idea
Have you ever watched the episode of the comedy Rab C Nesbitt where they filmed an episode in Blackpool? You should give it a watch and compare what the places looked like then with now
HI THERE 🤠. ANOTHER. EXCELLENT SERVICE. ON. VIDEO 📷📸 IT 😮😅😢😊 JOHN BELFAST THANKS 🙏👍
Eyup Stephen👍Good walk, but would like to see more seagulls please
Such a shame it’s left like that Stephen, if council gets paint I’ll come and paint it with you.
It's one of those chicken and egg situations really, isn't it? Decades of neglect and undesirables moving in - which came first? Yes, of course these colonades could be freshened up and, with the right kind of internal lighting; possibly become a new feature in the illuminations, like large shop-windows showing off their various themes... Or could they become shop units, amusement arcades, caberet stages or more? Perhaps they might even become a new, linear hotel - all perfectly feasible projects given the right kind of investors and, all bringing large numbers of people down onto this forgotten walkway - which really only requires some good, powerful street lighting and lots of paint for those rusting railings to make it infinitely less attractive to the undesirables than the rather ideal spot that it has been allowed to become! Alas, their main problem is that they're in Blackpool, amidst a thousand other places built in the same period that are also in need of restoration, or the unthinkable, demolition. I daresay they might be listed buildings and because of that, have rules that prevent their re-use for any other purpose besides that undercover, public walkway that they were designed to be. The only certainty for them is that sooner or later they will need to be boarded up for reasons of health and safety, and quietly decay - save for occasional events relating to violent crime - until they are beyond restoration and have to be demolished, which will be a shame. I can see what draws you there, Stephen.
When I was in Brighton I noticed they had a similar part of the promenade which had shops & cafes using the space.
Again enjoyed your video Stephen, and humour !! Middlewalk seems set quite far back and or slopes and discrete walkways and paths from. Top prom and main road, no wonder if the undesirables hang out down yonder below. Bet a lot and early hours would be clueless who where or what’s going off !! Let alone if inadvertently folk had a meander down there to getting grief or seeing embarrassing scenes !!!! Lol. I would t want be Venturing in or around there. Hope they can restore middle walk. Warts and all !!!!! ….. to its former glory. All boils down to pound signs again in the equasion and banning any emptyheads going there ever gain !! Do hope it can be spruced up somewhat. All the brickwork along reminds me of an amphitheatre. Can imagine people stargazing g out of a posh hotel window opposite middle walk, Seeing. Unsavoury activities, and. Curtains shut in a flash !!!!! Lol. Once again loved the video stephen,, takecare of yourself. Fantastic job. Di xxxx
Thanks Di
Your most welcome ste0hen. Xx
@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool
Why don't they give community service folks the job of sprucing it up...
Remember seeing the illuminations several times as a kid and it was like magic,guess the magic is gone,sad realy😐
Nice 👍 One Peace ✌️ be With You
Its nice down there I used to go down there with my lovely dog and my husband but it can be dodgy especially if ur own your own oh yes ! shame moved the benches too needs putting back lovely to sit gazeing out on the sea
It does like councils no matter where anyone lives are letting things disintergrate the last time I went along there was back in 2008 the public toilets along there was rather rundown, if there still in use at all
A little bit dilapidated, I remember running through there when my parents walked down the parallel footpath back in the day.
England is fallen 😢
great video...every town has its dodgy places...esp seaside resorts...
Quality 👌 👌
Didn’t Cilla Black film an advertisement for Cadbury’s dairy milk in blackpool during the mid 70’s
Love the rules of stupid, very true mind😀
Didn't there use to be benches under that shelter
Not sure.
Great Video Mate👍👍
Thanks Steven 👍
as long as the dogs keep poopin, well keep a scoopin.......there's nothing like picking up a steaming hot dog-poop-bag on a cold winter's day.
Keeps your hands warm! 💩 🔥
Blackpool council are doing their best to do the promenade up
They have got a lot of ground to cover , so just give it time 🇬🇧
I think the Tour of Britain cycle race finished on Middle Walk a couple of times back in the day
Blackpool dogging spot?
I don't think I'll walk there through the night lol
It's a great shame that Blackpool Council have let it get like this