It’s a place to dance Northern Soul, skate and most of all, laugh. 13 years after the unveiling of the Comedy Carpet, designer Gordon Young reflects on how it’s bedded into the community.
In 2005 The Blackpool Seafront Initiative began with a budget exceeding £80 million allocated for the redevelopment of the Promenade. Enhancements to the region encompassed the construction of a state-of-the-art tram system operating every 10 minutes, a newly established wedding chapel and a premier dining establishment, the Great Promenade Exhibition – showcasing contemporary art installations along the South Promenade – and an expansive outdoor venue capable of accommodating 20,000 attendees that would include the Comedy Carpet.
The £2.6 million Comedy Carpet was awarded to Blackpool Council as a component of the extensive regeneration of the coastal area, which included essential sea protection projects. It received financial support from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment through its Sea Change initiative.
Gordon Young was the artist behind the installation which, 13 years after its unveiling, still provides endless entertainment to tourists and locals.
“In the early 2000s Blackpool Council set up Re Blackpool, an Urban Regeneration Company whose major job was to create the new sea front,” explains Young. “There was a competition for a design team and landscapers LDA won it. They asked me to look at the new tower headland, and I came up with the concept a Comedy Carpet.
“A celebration of the place and homage to those who had made the nation laugh, it was well received by the client and public,” he remembers.
“We had to research it and tailor it to the space collaborating on the graphic element with Why Not associates. We looked at the changing humour and graphic style of the theatre posters over the decades. We researched the comic content, so it’s a serious confection, an artwork of many elements on an enormous scale.”
The Comedy Carpet is a grand showcase of humour on an immense scale. It features the work of over 1,000 comedians and comedy writers, bringing to life a collection of jokes, songs, and memorable phrases that span from the early years of variety shows to today.
We had to gather consents and blessings to use material and we saw a wide range of interconnected friendships and networks kick into action.
Located in front of Blackpool Tower, this massive work of art, spanning 2,200 square meters, is adorned with over 160,000 granite letters set into concrete, pushing the limits of public art and typography. It stands as a tribute to those who have brought joy to the nation through laughter and serves as a platform for popular entertainment that honours the spirit of entertainment itself.
Representing 850 writers and comedians, the Comedy Carpet boasts letters of various sizes, from a few centimetres to nearly a meter tall, ensuring that the humour can be enjoyed from every angle, both up close and from a distance – namely the top of the Tower.
Inspired by the classic music-hall style playbill, it lays as a fitting tribute to the rich history of Blackpool’s entertainment stars.
“We were fortunate that some years earlier we’d designed the Eric Morecambe area and Mrs Bartholomew, Eric’s widow, became a helpful champion, as did Charlie Higson of the Fast Show – another generation,” says Young. “We had to gather consents and blessings to use material and in truth a lot of people had amazing good will towards the project, we saw a wide range of interconnected friendships and networks kick into action.”
On October 10 2011, comedian Ken Dodd unveiled the Comedy Carpet, which showcases memorable catchphrases from renowned local comedians. The heart of the cross-shaped carpet is dedicated to five comedians: Ken Dodd, Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise, Frankie Howard, and Tommy Cooper, each occupying a separate section.
“It was wet,” remembers Young of the unveiling. “The carpet looked well and Ken celebrated it. I’d seen him in a sellout end of tour night at the Grand not long before the opening. He loved the place and the town had played a big part in his career, he was the right person to do it. I recall conversations with the Krankies and Chuckle Brothers – there were plenty of smiles about on a grey day.”
Near its perimeter, there’s a roster of comic entertainers and authors spanning the era of music hall and variety shows to present-day talent. In 2012, a portion of the area’s flooring was removed – the Council’s deeming it too near the tram lines. The plaque commemorating Ken Dodd has disappeared as well. The headland was intended for public gatherings, with the inaugural event being a concert by Elton John on June 16 2012, which was abruptly ended by strong winds, affecting a subsequent two events as well.
“I had no notice that parts of the installation were to be removed or how, it was a big surprise,” says Young. “Health and safety agreements were changed. I think quite a number of people were upset. The slabs had then younger comedian’s names on them, hence for example no John Richardson or Sarah Millican… I would have preferred to lifted them out but ancient history now.
“I have been pleased with how its been adopted into the locals lives, for example as a gathering point,” says Young in reflection. “Blackpool football fans have used it, Northern Soul dancers and charity fund raisers. I have enjoyed seeing it settle into the local culture.”
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