History of Blackpool South Pier

Today, it’s home to fairground rides and white knuckle thrills, but it wasn’t always like that. Have a look back to the past and into the history of Blackpool South Pier! Originally known as Victoria Pier, it was the third of our famous piers to be built on Blackpool seafront.

History of Blackpool South Pier

Work began in 1892 and it cost £50,000 – a lot of money at the time. Construction workers had it completed in time for an opening ceremony at the start of the season, Good Friday, 31 March 1893.

A little while later, on 20 May 1893, the Grand Pavilion opened at the seaward end of the Pier. You can see it on this old postcard –

Thanks go to Nick Moore and his History of Blackpool for information used in this page. Thanks to Nick’s work we know that “The new Grand Pavilion was topped with distinctive and grand-looking minarets”. It also boasted the Floral Hall, capable of holding 1,000 people. It reopened as the Victoria Cinema de Luxe on the 28th of May 191, later renamed the Grand Theatre and then the Rainbow Theatre.

This pier is 488 feet and 10 inches long, which makes it the shortest of the three Blackpool piers. But it’s also the widest, a deliberate move by the designers, to include extra space for pavilions.

Don’t miss a thing. Get VFC newsletters direct to your inbox.

Sign up to receive interesting information, news & events every week

  By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms, conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Whitsuntide at South Pier

This wonderful clip of Blackpool Victoria Pier is part of the Mitchell and Kenyon Collection, from the British Film Institute, filmed at Whitsuntide in May 1904. Watch the holiday makers promenading in their Sunday Best – not just to enjoy the bracing sea air, but also for the camera. Photography was a very new invention and a big novelty at the time.

An Upmarket Pier

Did you know? In its early days, ‘Victoria Pier’ was considered to be more ‘upmarket’ than it’s neighbours. A place to promenade and enjoy the views, similar to North Pier, without much entertainment.

When did Victoria Pier become South Pier?

First built was North Pier, followed by what we call Central Pier but originally named South Pier. So Blackpool’s third pier was to be named ‘Victoria Pier’, after Queen Victoria, but in 1930 renamed South Pier.

All change at South Pier

Like most Blackpool venues and attractions, there have been lots of changes at South Pier. They include:

• The present promenade at South Shore, built in 1902. The pier entrance was pushed back to accommodate it.
• Fast forward to 1938 and a new Pavilion added during the widening of the entrance.
• The Victoria Pavilion, built at the pier entrance in 1911, housed 900 people to watch Pierrot shows and concerts.
• Then the Regal Theatre replaced the Victoria Pavilion, opened on 27 June 1938 seating 1,300 people.
• Some years later, in 1963, yet more change came along. At the entrance to the pier, the Regal Theatre became the Beachcomber Amusement Arcade.

Fires at South Pier

In the past it’s been ravaged by fire, like so many other British seaside piers. Back to Nick Moore’s History of Blackpool –

By 1958 the Grand Pavilion was an amusement arcade. It burned down on the night of the 17 February 1958, destroying not only the pavilion, but the shops and bars it supported. With the arcade building quickly rebuilt, the pier also survived – unlike many others.

But just six years later fire swept through it again, on 6 February 1964, causing extensive damage to the pier itself. Fortunately the Pier managed to survive even though the Pavilion didn’t.

Rising from the ashes

The owners, TH Lane’s Amusements Limited, built a new theatre (renamed the “South Pier Theatre”) within eleven weeks, at a cost of over £90,000. It opened in time for the summer season show with Joe Brown, Johnny Kidd, and the Tornados. This was followed by successful “pop” shows each year. Stars of the day included the likes of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Adam Faith, and Manfred Mann.

South Pier Today

Now, South Pier is home to adrenaline rides – somewhere to be flung high into the air over the sea! Like it’s siblings further North, it also has bars, amusements and entertainment.

Enjoyed this video? Why don’t you subscribe to our Visit Fylde Coast YouTube channel – make sure you don’t miss out!

South Pier Theatre was demolished in January 1998. It was replaced by a steel roller coaster – the Crazy Mouse – and the “Adrenaline Ride Zone”. Their arrival wasn’t without controversy. Because the pier wasn’t listed, operators didn’t need planning permission to demolish the much-loved theatre in 1997. The white-knuckle “Skyscreamer” was installed, and there’s a bar where the theatre was.

Lots more information, all about the current amusements, Bars and much more.