Blackpool: Civic trust's blue plaque promise to honour more stars

More blue plaques could be put in place around a seaside resort next year to celebrate its culture and history.

During 2023 five were added to the collection in Blackpool, with around 60 now in place.

Singing family The Nolans were among those recently honoured along with best-selling thriller writer Desmond Bagley.

Joan Humble, chair of the trust which oversees the scheme, said it had a "high bar" for nominees.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Blue plaques remind people of buildings that might have been on a site but are no longer there and which are part of the development of Blackpool.

"We also look at individuals who worked hard and made Blackpool what it is now.

"We have a high bar that needs to be reached and look carefully at any submissions, and are very proud of our blue plaque scheme as it reflects the history of Blackpool."

She said whenever a new plaque was unveiled her "phone starts ringing" with people telling her about someone who deserves the honour but she said the trust had to make sure "whatever they have done is extra special".

Plaques put up in 2023 honoured a variety of nominees.

The first was Swallow Sidecars on 10 January at the Armfield Club on Bloomfield Road - the site of the original 1922 factory which went onto become Jaguar Cars.

Audrey Mosson, who was the 10th Railway Queen of Great Britain at age 15, had a plaque unveiled on 20 May in Lonsdale Road.

Girl band The Nolan Sisters were honoured at the Cliffs Hotel on 16 October.

The venue is where a London agent saw their show on Christmas Day 1973 setting in motion a journey which saw a string of hits and performances with Frank Sinatra in Vegas.

Novelist Desmond Bagley was honoured at his childhood home in Lord Street in the centenary year of the best-selling thriller writer who published 17 books before his death in 1983, aged 59, from a stroke.

Finally, a replacement plaque was unveiled at Blackpool War Memorial earlier this month marking the 100th anniversary of the memorial with the new plaque reflecting Historic England's upgrading of the war memorial's listing.

Visitors can follow a blue plaque trail around the resort.

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