I remember illuminations back in 1980-85 and it’s was much nicer, one way traffic on all sides, only way in was Squires Gate. Still nice but a mir shadow. I think from the Imperial down is the nice run now, with the picture board lights like the old days. Thanks for a lovely tour brought back fond moments. To far from Australia now to view them but one day I would like to do it one more time with cod and chips at the end best Fish and chips is UK.
From Burnley, love Blackpool, did a season there when I was19 in a cafeteria ,loved it. Still go 3 or 4 times a year. I really enjoy your Videos ,keep em coming. 68 now
Brilliant and well done for not spoiling the authentic sounds with dubbed music or lame commentary. Hope you enjoyed your fish 'n' chips you earned them 👍
Nice to get a full tour of the lights as they are today. Sadly though, I prefer the vintage lights from the 80's. They tended to have more themed sections of famous characters of the time. They were set in much bigger and more frequent light boxes and on bigger boards. Lighting features were also running up the lamp posts. It felt much more creative, animated and magical. The old bulbs were much more chunky too and more appropriate for this kind of light show. Most of what I have seen here are timid looking string LED lights. Such a shame.
I know this comment is a bit old now but totally agree... gone are all the funky colours and huge variety in the themed lights. I miss the flying saucers lol, the old lights that I remember from the 90s were like something from a fever dream. They were very trippy, animated, weird and fun to look at. I also remember a lit up train and a rocket tram.
I have a little knowledge of commercial Christmas lights and there are a few factors at play. Old school lights use far more energy than LED lights. To power the lights they have to take power from the lampposts which costs a lot and goes directly to the power companies. The lights need to be built and then stored away each year. I’m guessing they need to be put up and then taken down. The cost for a normal sized town is mind blowing. We are talking hundreds of thousands of pounds with installation starting around September and the lights being taken down around February/March. I dread to think what poor old Blackpool’s bill is each year. There is now a whole industry built upon installing and maintaining Christmas lights. People need full time wages. The scale of Blackpool illuminations takes months of work and while LED lights do have more potential for mind blowing creativity and colours I don’t think you can beat a good old fashioned creative mind and ingenuity. I used to love the Blackpool lights with big bright designs on boards and themes that you know were made in someone’s garden over the summer and became a permanent fixture. It was exciting to see so much light and all the characters and themes not knowing who or what you’d see next. Unfortunately, it’s just too expensive and time consuming now and many smaller and more prosperous towns have incredible displays that will rival Blackpool so the demand is probably less and less each year. I’m guessing it doesn’t cost to see the Blackpool Illuminations so I’m not sure how they will generate their return on investment and unfortunately that’s what the lights have become, a huge cost on the spreadsheet that doesn’t return much to the council (or whoever is responsible for the funding - it might be local business responsibility - again, tough times for any business in Blackpool). I hope the lottery or something will fund a large part of it as I believe it’s heritage and an experience that needs to stay. I’m guessing hotels will have bookings as a result but does that money filter back to the council? Once the council starts having to dig deep into their coffers… and with Blackpool struggling at the best of times and in dire need of any finances it can get, it’s sad to see that it’s not what it used to be… but at least they are still trying and I hope they continue to. The best thing we can do to help out is to simply go and visit, book into a hotel, eat some fish and chips, visit the theme park… and have some fun.
Brilliant video, partner was happy to see Harts Amusements arcade (Redbank Rd) still going. He has good memories from his childhood there in 1970 onward xx
hi steve ime enjoying this ride on your bike quite relaxing seeing all the lights like this and im not out of breath ..thank you mate...lol...john south shore...
am enjoying your videos. they are awesome. they are so lovely to watch. am on lock down too and cannot get out so these are so so beautiful to see. thank you so so much..x
Great to catch up as the last time I saw it was 1976...it does look a bit skinny now compared to the photos, however thank you for your time and commentary. 👍At the time it was one way only double lane north to south ending at the funfair with superb fish and chips...🤗the horse and carriage was amazing.
Cheers. Reminded me of our half term visits back in the day. Used to stay at palm court next to the miners home and spent to much time in harts at the top of red bank rd and ate so many chips. Then off to cavendish rd for the tram into the centre or the pleasure beach. Palm court long gone these days and I now live in Brighton rather than Newcastle, so it’s a long way to come. But your videos bring it all back. ( mid 70’s to early 90’s)
me and my mum was watching the video tonight momorys from my mum and brother and sister before I was born exciting to see again we will all go back one day
Thanks tried to join at squires gate tonight but just to much queuing and valuable drinking time getting eaten up. This video saved me adding to queues.
I wanted to go see the lights But hubby's only just passed his driving test,and was a bit worried about driving on the motorway Lol 😂Thanks for sharing your video.
Can’t wait to come over to Blackpool again really wish I cud move there Blackpool is like 2nd home I try come over as much as I can miss Blackpool so much hate town am in now
Love the videos keep them coming realy like to watch.we visit regular cant come now holidays been cancelled November hope to be able to come back December booked for then regular at langwood bispham stay safe see you back on next time
Good tour of the illuminations Plenty to take In - all looking great and spectacular Are you on a bike? You didn't get stuck in traffic Plenty of people around alao You can see everything, all the lights look brilliant Love all the colours and the lights are very bright and sparkling Better than being on a tram - especially when you are sitting at home and can't get to see them any other way So thanks again for the long video of illuminations really good to see Music and no commentary is making the video good to watch and take I Until your next one Karen in belfast
KAREN QUINN Thanks Karen. I did do the whole trip on my bike, but with additional side footage using a camera in my van. I wanted to make the most complete illuminations experience for anyone not able to get here to see them, so this was the most natural way to do it.
Thanks for video - I feel sorry for the kids of today, these lights aren't a patch on what we experienced in the 70's and 80's. All today's technology and it looks like they were just thrown up with no thought or theme and very sparse. However as i said thanks for the video good job - stay safe.
....a pleasant ride through the Lucynations - but WHY can't they be like they were in the 70's ...and even early 1980's again ? These mostly look like the l.e.d strings you can buy in Aldi and Lidl during their Christmas stock period - which will probably start in late October !
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The story is all the lighting crews, lighting installers are now out of work...just a skeleton crew to replace bulbs. The smell: fish and chips . I don't understand why is like malt vinegar on battered fish...I'm only a tartar sauce individual.
Thanks Mike, the workers are all full time. They will do other things the rest of the year. In fact, a lot of work to maintain the illuminations goes on all year.
I’m thinking of coming up for the 2022 illuminations as can’t do it this year is there any good hotels/ b&bs willing too let me put my bike in a storage area or keep it in the room I book don’t fancy leaving a £2000 bike on the streets over night
I feel sorry for those poor horses having to pull those coaches ,I wanted to go in one but when I looked at the animals I would sooner walk ,I hope vets inspect them
@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool They must have done I saw the protest in August with the fleet of coaches in Blackpool and they must be losing lots of money if they have banned them it is not right and it is down to Heartless Boris and this Government I've got no time for them and don't trust them at all And Blackpool need day-trippers from coaches Hope that you agree?
Still not as good as they used to be it's great that they are on this year through the pandemic.I'm 21 go to see them every year a little family tradition but seems that they have had a little revamp with the neon led tubing and flashing sequence type lights just me ?
Very like Atlantic City, but not a patch on Las Vegas, however you have something that is genuine - Blackpool Tower(518 feet tall) - not like Las Vegas which has a copy of the Eiffel Tower at 550 feet tall.
your asking to be hit by a car weaving in and out and it won't be the drivers fault especially when your going out in to the middle of the road, and if there's one thing the police don't like is people on bikes riding down the centre, but apart from that great video but i also don't like seeing people on bikes going down the middle especially when there's a car coming towards them as you don't know if any of those drivers have been drinking or not, or if any of them have actually got a bottle or a can of alcohol open whilst they are driving through those lights, and also with you riding down the centre you could have still been hit by any driver as they are not paying full attention to what is on the road in front of them as they are looking at the lights also
It may not look like it, but I was very careful not to ride into oncoming traffic. You can see where I had to turn back inside a few times. The landau drivers are a bit more of a hazard if you ask me.
A BIG BIG THANK YOU!!!!! My husband has been very poorly. Holidays and other treats have been canceld. This has been lovely to watch!!!! 😀😁😃
Wonderful, thank you I love the Blackpool lights since a child 🎢🎈🍺
I remember illuminations back in 1980-85 and it’s was much nicer, one way traffic on all sides, only way in was Squires Gate. Still nice but a mir shadow. I think from the Imperial down is the nice run now, with the picture board lights like the old days. Thanks for a lovely tour brought back fond moments. To far from Australia now to view them but one day I would like to do it one more time with cod and chips at the end best Fish and chips is UK.
The lights were much better them
From Burnley, love Blackpool, did a season there when I was19 in a cafeteria ,loved it. Still go 3 or 4 times a year. I really enjoy your Videos ,keep em coming. 68 now
For those of us that are not able to get to Blackpool this is a real treat. Thankyou for this.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I did especially for those who could not get up to see them for real.
Wow this is amazing nice and in full and a long vlog thanks 4 sharing X . Nice to see that the lights have been extended until JAN 2021
Thanks! I haven't seen the Blackpool Illuminations for nearly 40 years. They have improved a lot!
Fantastic, lovely clear lights, thank you
Brilliant and well done for not spoiling the authentic sounds with dubbed music or lame commentary. Hope you enjoyed your fish 'n' chips you earned them 👍
Nice to get a full tour of the lights as they are today. Sadly though, I prefer the vintage lights from the 80's. They tended to have more themed sections of famous characters of the time. They were set in much bigger and more frequent light boxes and on bigger boards. Lighting features were also running up the lamp posts. It felt much more creative, animated and magical. The old bulbs were much more chunky too and more appropriate for this kind of light show. Most of what I have seen here are timid looking string LED lights. Such a shame.
I know this comment is a bit old now but totally agree... gone are all the funky colours and huge variety in the themed lights. I miss the flying saucers lol, the old lights that I remember from the 90s were like something from a fever dream. They were very trippy, animated, weird and fun to look at. I also remember a lit up train and a rocket tram.
I have a little knowledge of commercial Christmas lights and there are a few factors at play. Old school lights use far more energy than LED lights. To power the lights they have to take power from the lampposts which costs a lot and goes directly to the power companies. The lights need to be built and then stored away each year. I’m guessing they need to be put up and then taken down. The cost for a normal sized town is mind blowing. We are talking hundreds of thousands of pounds with installation starting around September and the lights being taken down around February/March. I dread to think what poor old Blackpool’s bill is each year.
There is now a whole industry built upon installing and maintaining Christmas lights. People need full time wages. The scale of Blackpool illuminations takes months of work and while LED lights do have more potential for mind blowing creativity and colours I don’t think you can beat a good old fashioned creative mind and ingenuity. I used to love the Blackpool lights with big bright designs on boards and themes that you know were made in someone’s garden over the summer and became a permanent fixture. It was exciting to see so much light and all the characters and themes not knowing who or what you’d see next. Unfortunately, it’s just too expensive and time consuming now and many smaller and more prosperous towns have incredible displays that will rival Blackpool so the demand is probably less and less each year.
I’m guessing it doesn’t cost to see the Blackpool Illuminations so I’m not sure how they will generate their return on investment and unfortunately that’s what the lights have become, a huge cost on the spreadsheet that doesn’t return much to the council (or whoever is responsible for the funding - it might be local business responsibility - again, tough times for any business in Blackpool). I hope the lottery or something will fund a large part of it as I believe it’s heritage and an experience that needs to stay. I’m guessing hotels will have bookings as a result but does that money filter back to the council? Once the council starts having to dig deep into their coffers… and with Blackpool struggling at the best of times and in dire need of any finances it can get, it’s sad to see that it’s not what it used to be… but at least they are still trying and I hope they continue to.
The best thing we can do to help out is to simply go and visit, book into a hotel, eat some fish and chips, visit the theme park… and have some fun.
Thankyou for the tour Blackpool lights very colourful and beautiful along the sea front so pretty 😀
Thankyou so much for the tour. I can't get out too far at the moment so this was great to watch. Brought back lots of nice memories.
Love your videos keep up the good work.
Excellent video taking in the whole strip . Great work .
Brilliant video, partner was happy to see Harts Amusements arcade (Redbank Rd) still going. He has good memories from his childhood there in 1970 onward xx
This was a real treat for me to watch. Thanks for your time sharing this. Hope you enjoyed your well earned fish and chips.
hi steve ime enjoying this ride on your bike quite relaxing seeing all the lights like this and im not out of breath ..thank you mate...lol...john south shore...
Thanks John 👍
am enjoying your videos. they are awesome. they are so lovely to watch. am on lock down too and cannot get out so these are so so beautiful to see. thank you so so much..x
Great to catch up as the last time I saw it was 1976...it does look a bit skinny now compared to the photos, however thank you for your time and commentary. 👍At the time it was one way only double lane north to south ending at the funfair with superb fish and chips...🤗the horse and carriage was amazing.
Cheers. Reminded me of our half term visits back in the day. Used to stay at palm court next to the miners home and spent to much time in harts at the top of red bank rd and ate so many chips. Then off to cavendish rd for the tram into the centre or the pleasure beach. Palm court long gone these days and I now live in Brighton rather than Newcastle, so it’s a long way to come. But your videos bring it all back. ( mid 70’s to early 90’s)
This video is brilliant. I haven't seen the Illuminations for some years and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love all your videos, keep it up
Thank you Frances.
Excellent video👍
Wow what an awesome sight thanks for sharing, good bike skills
fabulous video, thanks for sharing. We were lucky enough to get to Blackpool for a week in early September, absolutely love the place
Brilliant work once again Stephen . Thank you for sharing
Best view of the illuminations I have seen on you tube
Thank you.
I`m 71 lived in Bolton all my life but Blackpool still has that little bit of magic as it was when I was a kid.
me and my mum was watching the video tonight momorys from my mum and brother and sister before I was born exciting to see again we will all go back one day
Thanks for the tour, hopefully up to Blackpool mid October, glad the lights shine on despite these crazy lockdowns! 😀👍
Thanks tried to join at squires gate tonight but just to much queuing and valuable drinking time getting eaten up. This video saved me adding to queues.
Great video, quality of the coverage excellent thank you.
Great 👍 stuff sir loved it keep them coming
Very good really enjoyed. Thank you.
Absolutely brilliant. Thank you for your time
Very nice video. Brings back a lot of memories. Sad though to see it so quiet from being such a bustling place
Great video thx for sharing is a lot of the lights missing this year there dont seem to be as many unless i went through them faster at other times
What can I say that was brilliant thanks for the trip 👏👏👍
Not a patch on what they used to be like.😢
Yes. I was just thinking that,
Loved it. Thankyou for sharing. ❤️
I wanted to go see the lights But hubby's only just passed his driving test,and was a bit worried about driving on the motorway Lol 😂Thanks for sharing your video.
Can’t wait to come over to Blackpool again really wish I cud move there Blackpool is like 2nd home I try come over as much as I can miss Blackpool so much hate town am in now
Love the videos keep them coming realy like to watch.we visit regular cant come now holidays been cancelled November hope to be able to come back December booked for then regular at langwood bispham stay safe see you back on next time
Brilliant video.
Absolutely fabulous. Thank you. :)
First class... enjoyed that.
Hi Stephen, was there Thursday until Saturday. Didnt see you but enjoy your videos.
Excellent Stephen, looks great.....you deserve a lie down after that!!
Thank you very much absolutely brilliant xx
A great video. Can you share Bispham with us next?
I will do something up Bispham some time. This is as close as I've got for now.
This looks a brilliant video.
Ahh there they were before the end, and the chippys, great video will you do one of the lights this year maybe ?
Good tour of the illuminations
Plenty to take In - all looking great and spectacular
Are you on a bike? You didn't get stuck in traffic
Plenty of people around alao
You can see everything, all the lights look brilliant
Love all the colours and the lights are very bright and sparkling
Better than being on a tram - especially when you are sitting at home and can't get to see them any other way
So thanks again for the long video of illuminations really good to see
Music and no commentary is making the video good to watch and take I
Until your next one
Karen in belfast
KAREN QUINN Thanks Karen. I did do the whole trip on my bike, but with additional side footage using a camera in my van. I wanted to make the most complete illuminations experience for anyone not able to get here to see them, so this was the most natural way to do it.
Are you thick on a tram
@@villaviv are you thick
Cheeky skitter
What are you talking about
@@villaviv come on - scaredy
Give us your answer
Probably don't have one because you know you are wrong
@@karenquinn1143 anyone can see he is on a bike
Really enjoyed this tour and the guy who jumped a bit at 17:00 made me chuckle because that's the same thing I do when something makes me jump.
Thanks for video - I feel sorry for the kids of today, these lights aren't a patch on what we experienced in the 70's and 80's. All today's technology and it looks like they were just thrown up with no thought or theme and very sparse. However as i said thanks for the video good job - stay safe.
Great video again, covid must of hit everywhere. The illuminations are the worst I've seen for years. Hope you've got you're breath back lol👍
Had to have a lie down after this lol.
@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool 🤣😂👍
Wonderful 😀
This is fantastic thank you
....a pleasant ride through the Lucynations - but WHY can't they be like they were in the 70's ...and even early 1980's again ? These mostly look like the l.e.d strings you can buy in Aldi and Lidl during their Christmas stock period - which will probably start in late October !
I think they have started already!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The story is all the lighting crews, lighting installers are now out of work...just a skeleton crew to replace bulbs. The smell: fish and chips . I don't understand why is like malt vinegar on battered fish...I'm only a tartar sauce individual.
Thanks Mike, the workers are all full time. They will do other things the rest of the year. In fact, a lot of work to maintain the illuminations goes on all year.
Grest to hear Ps Are they still got Illumination s in Sunderland ?
Very good thanks
Great to see. Wonder what Blackpool's leccy bill is.
Are you on a bicycle? Very brave and healthy of you lol
Mooch TV Yes I did the whole run on my bike 🚲 and I needed a good lie down afterwards!
Different to when I was a child, they used to have like billboards with animated scenes on
I’m thinking of coming up for the 2022 illuminations as can’t do it this year is there any good hotels/ b&bs willing too let me put my bike in a storage area or keep it in the room I book don’t fancy leaving a £2000 bike on the streets over night
Bloody hell! £2000 for a bike?
I be to black pool for 30 year and I like the light beam stick on
I feel sorry for those poor horses having to pull those coaches ,I wanted to go in one but when I looked at the animals I would sooner walk ,I hope vets inspect them
It’s absolutely barbaric and cruel. Trams all the way!
Missing All of The Coaches Its Not The Same At All
I never even noticed there were no coaches. Did they ban them?
@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool They must have done I saw the protest in August with the fleet of coaches in Blackpool and they must be losing lots of money if they have banned them it is not right and it is down to Heartless Boris and this Government I've got no time for them and don't trust them at all And Blackpool need day-trippers from coaches Hope that you agree?
What does the white zig zag lines on the street mean?
They are probably for the zebra crossings. That is the only place zig zag lines are on our roads.
Where are all the lights gone in the 80's I'm sure they was lots more
Thought taking the Mrs in a Frozen carriage might be something a bit different. Turns out they all got the same idea now. 😂
Thank you I Blackpool aiir
Still not as good as they used to be it's great that they are on this year through the pandemic.I'm 21 go to see them every year a little family tradition but seems that they have had a little revamp with the neon led tubing and flashing sequence type lights just me ?
They always have something new. Laurence Llewelyn Bowen is the artistic director for the Illuminations.
Illuminations were better in the early 90s when i was a kid
👍
I live where reg
Very like Atlantic City, but not a patch on Las Vegas, however you have something that is genuine - Blackpool Tower(518 feet tall) - not like Las Vegas which has a copy of the Eiffel Tower at 550 feet tall.
your asking to be hit by a car weaving in and out and it won't be the drivers fault especially when your going out in to the middle of the road, and if there's one thing the police don't like is people on bikes riding down the centre, but apart from that great video but i also don't like seeing people on bikes going down the middle especially when there's a car coming towards them as you don't know if any of those drivers have been drinking or not, or if any of them have actually got a bottle or a can of alcohol open whilst they are driving through those lights, and also with you riding down the centre you could have still been hit by any driver as they are not paying full attention to what is on the road in front of them as they are looking at the lights also
It may not look like it, but I was very careful not to ride into oncoming traffic. You can see where I had to turn back inside a few times. The landau drivers are a bit more of a hazard if you ask me.
❤
Thank you but must say years ago was a lot better very poor show now used to be lots of things lit up along the side with moving figures
17.01 🤣
The Parle's Gaming Had to leave that in lol