Blackpool Aloud have an exclusive interview with the Marketing Director of the forthcoming and much anticipated Sands venue in Blackpool’s neglected Palatine building.
(If you’ve already seen it in the RSS feed above, feel free to switch off now!)
Tom Davis was able to confirm that the £1.2m renovation of the former Palace nightclub is well under way and on schedule to open on the 6th of August. The first stage of the development to be opened will be a 240-seat restaurant with a VIP champagne bar with sea views to follow at the start of 2011.
“Visitors can look forward to the feel of the forties and fifties eras with starlit ceiling, candlelit tables and stylish décor. The Sands Venue’s aims to takes you back to those wonderful variety nights so prevalent in the forties, fifties and sixties complete with outstanding service and exquisite food prepared by our top international chef.”
To accompany the excellent food, there also promises to be the best in Northern Soul, motown and jazz music with top tribute bands and comedy artists as well.
Apparently almost 100 jobs will be created at the Sands and the owner, Peter Swann, wants to establish the ‘best entertainment destination in Blackpool’.
Marketing boffin Tom Davis goes on to use words such as “world class” which quite frankly freaks me the hell out. World class in Blackpool?
You can be the judge of that yourself: you can make advance bookings on 01253 625262.
As a slight negative (oh no!) the pictures of the current Sands venue in Gainsborough look like a cross between an American diner and a school assembly hall, and the big screen on the wall isn’t really screaming world class sophistication at me. Check it out:
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I am looking forward to this, from what I have read the target age range seems a wee bit older than my age range but I’ll still give it a try It will be nice to have an upmarket fine dining establishment in Blackpool, there is a lack of venues of such calibre. But most of all it is great to see something finally being done with the derelict eyesore that is the Palatine Buildings. I hope this will stimulate other high quality investment across the town centre.
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I was thinking it would be more of a jazz club type thing to be honest. I am a bit disappointed it’s a booking-only restaurant and that there isn’t a lounge area.
But as you say, if it uplifts the quality of the area, hopefully it will inspire other places to become more upmarket.
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That’s what I am hoping, when I read the original article about The Sands it said there will be a late-night fine dining restaurant and jazz club and there will be chill-out areas and a seafood bar.
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Here it is from the original Gazette press release
“A seated entertainment and restaurant area with space for between 240 and 300 people will replace the main dance area at the former superclub.
There will be two smaller dance floors, a large bar and chill out lounge areas, along with a seafood bistro, champagne bar and a VIP area seating a further 150 guests.
There will be also be space for standing tickets”
Sounds great and best of all work is already underway, none of this opening 2015/2020 stuff we are so used to. Thanks to Blackpool Aloud for that excellent interview too.
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Fair enough, I hope they do implement that. I hope there isn’t an obscene door charge either, because you already know the drink prices will be stratospheric.
Says on their site that the champagne bar will only be for local celebrities and “stars”, so us mere mortals may never partake in free bottles of Krug.
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that pic looks like a fucking bingo hall
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It does now you mention it, I am just hoping our Sands Venue will be a bit more modern. Bingo halls are so old school yet the pro-smoking brigade on the Gasjet are blaming the smoking ban yet again. Bingo halls are dying out because nobody goes to them anymore they are out of date. I don’t know anyone young or old who goes to a bingo hall.
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looking at there website for their gaff in gainsborough most nights its 8 to 15 pound just to get in and thats without food,”local celeberities” whos that then frank carson and that muppet of “catchphrase” classy! bet the opening nite will be full of freeloading councillers
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Ah right. Well perhaps I wont be going there then. I refuse to pay to be ripped off.
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To be fair it’s about the same price to pay to get in to Legends on the Central Pier and that is packed most nights. It will be interesting to see how it works but they are obviously doing something right at their Gainsborough site, so I’m pretty confident they know what they are doing.
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Should work well – good reports from Gainsborough from acts that have performed there.
Same format as Jamm House Edinburgh/Birmingham – they are a great night out.
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This venue is absoloutely terrible – what a let down!
The food was standard microwave fayre, service appalling, the glitter covered wall was incredibly tacky, the entertainment was average at best and the venue was halfd empty.
This place is best turned into a decent club, not this tacky, unclassy, carbuncle that must be costing the owners a fortune. The outside looks like a multi-storey car park and the inside looks like it has been designed by liberace on acid – Definately one to avoid at £35 per person with no drink included!
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