Southport Pleasureland was a buzzing amusement park with great rides and many side stalls during my youth. Best of all was the amazing Cyclone, a proper wooden rollercoaster unique in the UK. The other highlight was the Fun House, which remained open in the Winter and featured a huge revolving turntable, the Joy Wheel aka Social Mixer, which threw people off as it gathered speed. It involved a right scrum to be the winner, you had to be the last person standing as the rock n roll music blared out. Sadly the fairground was closed in 2006 and many of the rides were destroyed, though some were taken either to Blackpool Pleasure Beach or Dreamland in Margate. Apparently the site, after many problems, has now re-opened.

Southport Pier was built in 1860 and is the second longest in the UK. Unfortunately, due to changing tidal patterns, it no longer reaches the sea. The entrance pavilion was once a celebrated theatre and then dance venue. During the 80s this was rebuilt as Funland, featuring Darrel Jay’s progressive music show on the right hand side. At the end of the pier there was a pub and cafe, along with an assortment of historic slot machines. However the pier fell into disrepair and, despite being a listed structure, was saved from demolition by a single council vote in 1990. After being closed for several years the pier was refurbished and re-opened with a new cafe in 2002.

These photographs were taken principally in the 80s on a variety of SLR cameras, some were taken on colour negatives and transparencies, they have been rendered in monochrome for this project. Watch out for some mirror lens photos and assembled panoramas, then have an ice cream.