former Lifeboat Station, Blackpool

I see in the March 25th editon of the Blackpool Gazette the 1937 former lifeboat station on the Promenade has been demolished by the local Council. Apparantly it was in the way of their new sea defences and couldn't be saved.

I photographed it in 2001 when it appeared to be empty. By that stage the lifeboat crew had a new station further along the shore.

Since then, though, this building has been used as a beachside kiosk selling buckets and sapdes, ice creams and, no doubt, Blackpool Rock as can be seen in Mike Key's 2006 photo on flickr.

I had a glimpse inside through the dusty windows and to me it looked magical illuminated by shafts of sunlight.

The stepped decoration of the white tiles against the blue on the mezzazine level are pure deco and you can just make out more decoration with narrow orange tiles.

Anyway, it's all gone now.

Music Hall Tavern, Blackpool

This is an interesting building in the seaside English town of Blackpool.

These photos were taken in 2001 when it was called the Music Hall Tavern but also bore signage on the upper floors reading Buddy's.

I think it is interesting because of the curved front and entrance with the rest of the building taking on a more standard rectangular form with stepping in both the roofline and the marquee.

www.JoeLongthorneFans.com lists that in 2001 singer Joe Longthorne is signed to "Ritz Music Group" and becomes inovlved [sic] in his own club "Joe Longthornes Music Hall Tavern", however the venture is short lived oweing [sic] to yet more financial strife.

From the For Sale sign on the building, I wonder if this picture has caught that moment in time.

Blueberries, Blackpool

The signs on the upper storey of one of these buildings in Blackpool read Blueberries which I believe is a menswear store. I don't know if they were the original occupants in the same way that Burton's the Tailors adopted the deco style for may of their buildings.

The surface is completed in a cream faience or terra cotta finish with a bright blue design just below the roofline.

In a similar manner to the Ahlwyn flats in South Yarra, the central decorated sections stand out from the red bricks of the rest of the structure.

The shops are obviously a pair but with a with differences.

For instance, the near building has inset columns on the corners with simple deco capitals sitting up against the blue Blackpool sky. Even the seagull seems to be admiring their charm.