Blackpool

Embrace your inner child with a wander around the attractions of the historic seaside town

- BECKY AMBURY

1 PLEASURE BEACH

It doesn’t take much to be transported back to childhood during a visit to Blackpool, even if you have been drawn there for matters of business. Perhaps the most renowned attraction of the northwest coastal resort is the Pleasure Beach. The amusement park was created by William George Bean in 1896 “to make adults feel like children again and inspire gaiety of a primarily innocent character”. It’s home to the oldest ride in Europe, Sir Hiram Maxim’s Captive Flying Machines (created by the eponymous inventor of the world’s first portable machine gun), in operation since 1904. Other highlights include four wooden rollercoasters, the Big One (the tallest rollercoaster in the country) and the latest hair-raiser, the Icon, a wonderfully smooth ride that offers the same acceleration as that experienced by a Formula One driver. You could easily spend a day here, but if time is short, pay £10 for entry-only and purchase individual ride tickets. The upmarket Boulevard hotel, located on the edge of the park, has been newly built by the Pleasure Beach group. It’s reviewed at businesstraveller.com/tried-andtested. blackpoolpleasurebeach.com

2 NOTARIANNI ICE