Totally Local Lancaster

By Paul Cusimano, Joseph Clothing, Lancaster

Lancaster is pretty central with in the North West of England. It’s approximately one hour from Manchester, Liverpool and Carlisle, with the North Yorkshire border half an hour away.

Morecambe Bay - The Romantic Bay

For years I have waxed lyrically about Lancaster’s culture, history, architecture, retail, hospitality and Events. But there is another facet to Lancaster that I haven’t mentioned thus far. Morecambe. Morecambe Bay, to be more exact.

The ‘City of Lancaster’ actually covers a wider area than just Lancaster itself. It includes Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth, many rural villages and a section of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. In total, over two hundred and twenty square miles, with a population of nearly one hundred and fifty thousand people.

Morecambe Bay - A View Over The Bay To The South Lakes

Given the positive reaction to our ‘Totally Local Lancaster’ group, nine days later, we launched ‘Totally Local Morecambe Bay’. Our objectives were the same, we just doubled our workload. Despite the four mile distance, I was not as familiar with the coastline as I was Lancaster.

That said, if asked to describe Morecambe Bay, I would probably quote famous travel writer and author, Bill Bryson, who believes it “may be the most beautiful bay in Britain”. Tom Bloxam headlined his article in the ‘Architects Journal’ (15th September 2005), “Morecambe doesn’t need any more attractions. It’s got a fantastic attraction and it’s called Morecambe Bay”.

Whereas Lancaster is a Georgian City, Morecambe is a Victorian Town, but as you would expect, both date back to Roman times with the later being referenced by them as, the fourth inlet north of Wales. It was this inlet that serviced their settlement at Lancaster. However, Morecambe came into being as a town and seaside resort in the mid eighteen hundreds, following the building of the harbour by the then newly formed ‘Morecambe Harbour Railway Company’.

Being built as a seaside resort, the town flourished and become home to the largest Pontin’s resort in the UK and was home to the ‘Miss Great Britain’ beauty competition between 1956 and 1989. Blackpool predominately attracted visitors from the mill towns of Lancashire whilst Morecambe’s main draw saw visitors from Yorkshire and Scotland.

In the nineteen seventies, I would be shipped off to my grandparents in Carlisle during either the summer or Easter holidays. Whenever I was asked where I lived and said Lancaster, the reply was usually, “that’s near Morecambe”. Morecambe was the reference point for Lancaster. A compliment, given how fondly the stories would be recounted of their happy, often regular, visits to Morecambe.

The eighties, nineties and early noughties saw a decline in many seaside resorts, largely due to the advent of both cheap flights and foreign package holidays that brought easy access to ‘sun’ and new cultures to the masses.

Over the last decade, Morecambe has been experiencing a renaissance, perhaps triggered by the purchase and renovation of the classic Art-Deco ‘Midland Hotel’. This magnificent hotel has been sympathetically restored and offers luxury, fine food and the most incredible views.

Midland Hotel - The Rotunda Bar

Midland Hotel - Many Memorable Photo’s Taken On This Staircase

There has been a great deal of local authority investment and regeneration, but by and large, it’s been local private sector investment that has brought about the upturn in Morecambe’s fortunes. Many of the once almost redundant hotels have been treated to heavy investment for refurbishment with many being converted into beautiful apartments, many of which are available to let though the likes of AirBnB.

It would be remiss of me not to mention another one of the towns famous iconic buildings, the ‘Winter Gardens’. Opened in 1897 as concert hall and variety theatre, it has hosted the Halle Orchestra, Sir Edward Elgar and many others from variety, music and theatre. From Julie Andrews to The Rolling Stones, Chung Ling Soo to Lawrence Olivier, the venue’s history is a real who’s who of entertainment.

Morecambe Winter Gardens - An Insight Into The Task They Faced

Morecambe Winter Gardens - Shocking Morecambe Winter Gardens - Tours Are Now Available

Morecambe Winter Gardens - The Stage That Could Tell A Thousand Stories

Morecambe Winter Gardens

The Levellers’ Performing In 2021, A Statement Of Intent,

As The Venue Will Only Be Used Host Music Events

Its two thousand five hundred capacity was one of the largest in the North West and it quickly became known as the Albert Hall of the North, due to its lavish interiors and stunning architectural features. During the seventies, and as the resort fell into decline, the decision to close the theatre was made. The Winter Gardens was eventually sold and many of its beautiful fixtures and features were either removed and sold, or were ruined in the years of neglect and abandonment.

The end of the Winter Gardens. No. Thankfully a group of dedicated people formed the ‘Friends of the Winter Gardens’ and they have worked tirelessly together since then with one aim, to reopen this magnificent building that was the heart of Morecambe both architecturally, and as a centre for culture and entertainment.

With the formation of the Preservation Trust in 2006, ownership of the Winter Gardens was transferred to the charitable body who have spent years cleaning, restoring, and fundraising to continue this aim. Now under new governance, headed by Professor Vanessa Toulmin, the Preservation Trust with the help of their restoration volunteers and the Friends of the Winter Gardens, are a step closer to those finally restoring this remarkable Grade II building.

This great iconic building, which once could have quite easily found itself named on a demolition order like many others, even nationally, have. It’s not, instead, edging closer to reopening. Its fortunes mirror perfectly that of the town it proudly stands in, a real phoenix from the ashes story.

Once again, this building will help create more memories that people will talk and write about. Not just about the hundreds of volunteers that have helped with their time and expertise, or the millions raised, or the searching to find the original seats that were taken out, or the moulding and features that have had to be skilfully replicated, or even the structural works that have been required to keep the building water tight. No, memories created by human interactions, performances or the experience of seeing such a building in all its splendour.

Now, this isn’t a story just about one building; it’s a story about people, a community but also about the place. The place that has been the back drop for films and television drama’s including ‘The Entertainers’ (1960), ‘Double Sin’ (episode of Poirot, 1990), 3 Series of ‘The Bay’ (2019,2021 & 2022) and ‘Stay Close’ (2021). The place that has miles of beautiful promenade long which you can take in the breathe taking views, whatever the weather, time of day or time of year.

But Morecambe has so much more to give. Because of the unique water in the bay, ‘Eden Project’ has submitted planning applications to build ‘Eden Project North’. This stunning attraction will be as entertaining as it will be educational. The excitement this has generated has already attracted a massive amount of investment in anticipation of its arrival and the economic benefits it will bring to the town and district.

These are truly exciting times for this incredible seaside resort. Morecambe’s motto during its tourism heyday was ‘Beauty Surrounds and Health Abounds’, and I would argue that is as relevant today, as it ever has been.

The City of Lancaster is not a place you can experience, or even begin to appreciate, in one day. Lancaster and Morecambe are very different places, despite being only four miles apart. Very different, yet they totally complement each other. Is it any wonder the locals don’t want you to know about it.

Eden Project North Vision - Midland Hotel In The Bottom Left Corner