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THE VOICE OF BLACKPOOL
PRIDE IN BLACKPOOL Appreciation loss. Like a picture on a wall, after we’ve seen it every day for a few months, gradually we stop seeing it as it blends into our lives.
WATERLOO ROAD Waterloo, the very name should swell an Englishman’s heart with pride. Nothing to do with Abba and everything to do with honour death and glory. For in June 1815, it was at Waterloo that the Anglo-allied army, under the command of the Duke of Wellington finally brought the brilliant Emperor Bonaparte to his knees, putting an end to his empire. Both sides had a virtually equal number of troops, although the French had far more battle experience. The decisive battle ended wars in Europe for the next half a century until the Crimean War (Oct 1853 to Feb 1856). Napoleon Bonaparte spent the rest of his years in exile on the Isle of Elba, dying in 1821.
From the sea front in the South Shore all the way up to Whitegate Drive where it meets the A583 (Preston New Road), is Waterloo Road. Here though, is featured the short section that is traffic controlled for the benefit of the shopper, running from the junction of Lytham Road down to the sea front and South Pier. If you like Fish & Chips, you must pop in and see Peter Wrigley of Harrold Rigby’s at number 50. As a Fish & Chip connoisseur, I can vouch for this F&C restaurant and take-away with it’s crunchy batter (secret ingredient) as serving one of the most enjoyable meals on the Fylde (meaning ‘field’). I’d travel across town just to eat there. If you’re lucky, you might get a free parking bay right outside the shop, which is good for at least an hour. Oh dear, now I fancy a plate full of fish and chips. This part of Waterloo Road is a great place to bring the family, a great place to shop, and eat. There are four cafes if you need to sit with a brew (cup of tea or coffee), as well as Hampsons and The County Barbecue for warm takeaway snacks. If you need to shop for frozen food, there’s Iceland. Ladies can be pampered at Pamper Time while the men might like to wonder into Cash Converters, or one of the two alternative similar traders. There are sweet shops, Opticians, newspaper shops and a place to gamble on one-arm bandits. The Barnado’s charity shop is here along with four other charity shops. At numbers 25 and 35, there are two Indoor Markets. A rarity these days is a Post Office, found at number 40. A favourite for supplies of cheap (really cheap) food is All Sorts Discount and Bargains. They stack high and sell cheap, individually or by the box (some are almost, or are passed their sell-by date), so for a family having to make their money go further it is a god-send. (Example: Packs of noodles at 10p each. McVities Digestive biscuits, three for £1). Down toward the sea front end (the ice-cream end) there is the Hartes store, who specialise in Christmas items, although they also sell lots of other goods. The pubs are at this end, being The Bull, and the family orientated Dalton Arms (Sky Sports and WiFi too). Cheap shoes can be found at the Shoemarket. Rock City and Ice-Cream shop is down at this end. Just across the road there’s Luigi Notarianni’s Ice Cream Parlour, and possibly the best ice-cream around. The family originated in Italy and settled in Blackpool in 1928, opening this branch in 1937. In this small parade in Waterloo Road, there are a variety of handy shops that make a visit well worthwhile. It was Napoleon that said: "L'Angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers." Translation: "England is a nation of shopkeepers", which he swore wasn’t meant as a derogatory remark. Maybe once we may have been, but we are now definitely a nation that shops. Go see Waterloo Road.