Wednesday 1 August 2007

Blackpool Olympia Funfair

After the photo Margot sent in of the two lion cubs in the Olympia building she wrote:

I dont know what more I can tell you about the Olympia building other than it was all entertainments, like I recall a roundabout in there and side stalls and slot machines. I also recall the Ideal Home exhibition being held there every year.

Yes I remember going in there to play slot machines during the 1960s and then in the late 1970s and early 1980s there was a full funfair in there.

My photo from 1981 shows a late version of it but by then it was usually quite deserted and the funfair disappeared not long afterwards.

At one time I remember a big wheel in there that took you right up into the roof! After the funfair disappeared the space was used for big exhibitions like the Ideal Homes and Travel/Holiday exhibitions and for a while it became a children's adventure playground.

Before the Olympia was built, the site was occupied by the Ferris Wheel or "Big Wheel" that was as famous a sight as the Tower in the 1920s.

With the success of the London Eye, the local paper has reported that there are plans to build a similar wheel on the new widened Promenade.

That's the thing with wheels, you see - they go round in circles...!

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11 comments:

  1. . I was just looking at the Olympia picture and also the comment about it being built on the site of the big wheel and whilt I do not recall the big wheel and there is for certain a plaque on the wall stating this was the site of the big wheel I certainly would not have thought that to be true although I know the big wheel was in that area of Blackpool.Margot

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  2. The photo showing the Wheel has the outside of the Winter Gardens Horseshoe covered walkway around the Pavilion Theatre visible to the right.

    John

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  3. I remember going to the Olympia funfair in the mid 1960s as a small boy on family holidays. I remember the carrousel and Waltzer, and the stalls / slot machines etc. I also remember that they were almost always playing "the clapping song" over the PA. Vague memories now, about forty years later...

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  4. I thought olimpia was at the end of the winter gardens

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  5. Many happy times working in Olympia on Lawrence Silcocks flying saucer big wheel which was novel in the 60s as the base Aldo rotated.

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    1. Hi Izan, Do you have any pictures of it pleaase.Its rare and I have a vague recollection of it being in "Weekend" magazine once? I own one(Ex Southsea) and am doing research into them.

      Kind regards,

      Richard Ryan

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  6. Loved it here in the 70s. The yogi bear ride, the trampolines, waltzer etc. Was great when the weather was bad. Also remember a vending machine that sold chips. Took ages from when you put your money in the slot to actually getting the chips and they were awful but it was the novelty of it. Also remember a shooting gallery that was set up like the beverly hillbilly. You could shoot a range to open toilet door on a hillbilly or get one to kick the bucket. There was also a skunk that sprayed lol

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    1. Hi, yes I remember those rifle ranges - there were a few of those in Blackpool arcades at the time. John

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    2. Thanks for your reply

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  7. I loved going here as a child in the 1970’s and early ‘80’s. We usually stayed in Albert Road or Charnley Road, so it was close by. We always entered at the turret entrance. There was a kiosk here that sold sweets. The first ride at that entrance was The Yogi Bear ride, which I loved. I also liked the trampolines upstairs and the stalls, like ‘hook a duck’. I have photos of me about age 2 and age 3 on Trigger, the horse. Brilliant memories of Blackpool, especially Olympia, Pleasure Beach and Stanley Park. Have been more times than I can remember and still enjoy going to the Pleasure Beach.

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