RE: Grand Days Out in Blackpool - '♪Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside! I do like to be beside the sea.♪'

The one this side of Preston near Samlesbury Hall? It's closed down, but was the only one around in the old days.

That's the one, I didn't know it had shut down, that's a real shame, lot's of memories of that place.

The local chippies are not half bad, I would go there and not Harry's. I used to love Harry's but its got a bit shit lately. The main one in Yorkshire was always good but that's closed down.

It's a quirky place Blackpool, we used to frequent 'The Mermaid' a small Café near Bonny Street Market, we went in once and it stunk of wet dog, not just a little, but the whole Café. But the food was good and cheap, all 4 of us could get a spicy stage for 20 quid with drinks all round.

When that wasn't open we would go to 'The Galleon' which was just up the road, there was no need for entertainment, the staff sorted that out for free.

Again the food was good, I had a broccoli cheese bake and it was amazing, I do feel that sometimes we aren't happy unless it's perfect, but who remembers the perfect meals, I tend to remember the drama, maybe I'm a bit weird like that, but imperfection makes life interesting.

Sadly we haven't seen either of these two eateries open since Covid, so they too could have closed down.

We've also been to a large Café near 'Saints and Sinners' (it's the massive building with blacked out windows that's a SEX shop, but don't tell anyone). Apparently the owner of the Café originates from the town I now call home, (I found that out this Saturday), the food is good there too and reasonably priced.

I have lots of memories of Blackpool, my Dad and his mate Garvey (now both passed) were going to a Cage Bird Show in Blackpool and Mum had asked them to take me. I got the impression I was a bit of a third wheel.
Garvey smoked like 60 fags a day. Sat in the back of the car it was a warm day and Garvey was making like a chimney with the windows down. A piece of ash flew off his fag and landed on my shirt, burning through it and onto my skin, it didn't leave a mark but it flippin' hurt. I exclaimed and got a right rollocking off my Dad and told to sit still and keep quiet.
Garvey was BIG in the Canary community and had won the UK National (like Crufts but for birds) with one of his Canaries, they sold for £400 each, so he was a bit of a celebrity in the Cage Bird community.

Ah, '♫those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end♫'