Reliving resort's greatest days

WHENEVER I visit New Brighton, I stand at the bottom of Victoria Road - opposite what was once the ferry landing stage - and reflect on the 21 years of change and challenge that endangered the very future of Merseyside's most famous resort.

- Ken Rogers

It all began with a devastating fire in April 1969 that destroyed the historic Tower Ballroom, also leading to the loss of the much-loved open air funfair.

The resort suffered further blows, not least in 1971 when the last ferry sailed between Liverpool and New Brighton. This brought on the demise of the pier and its ultimate demolition in the late 1970s.

When the semicircular Art Deco open-air lido further along the prom closed in 1990 after a major storm caused irreparable damage, it seemed that the seaside gods had deserted New Brighton. The lido had opened in 1934, boasting the largest open-air swimming pool in the world. It survived intense World War Two German bombing of the nearby docks, but began to seriously deteriorate, winter storms proving to be its biggest enemy.

The fact that New Brighton has survived and prospered is truly remarkable. While it may never regain its preeminence, it continues to draw in the crowds. The indoor fair is still going strong further along what was originally known as the Ham & Egg Parade. The town now has modern eateries and an excellent cinema.