Lisa Bower

Christmas shopping can get pretty difficult when you just can’t decide what to buy for your nearest and dearest. You know, those times when socks are just too samey. When mass produced homewares or ‘Keep Calm’ canvases just won’t do the trick. Then shopping madness becomes all consuming and everything seems to turn into reindeer ornaments or multi-packs of inedible candy canes. If this description has brought you out in cold sweats, do not fear! Everyone’s favourite relative, Aunty Social, has got your back this year. Blott Studios, Charabanc Shop, Colette Halstead Glass, the Grundy Art Gallery, the Old Rock…

A community project is turning fingers green with the introduction of gardening classes for local residents. Located at St. Peter’s Church on Lytham Road, the project aims to clean up the church garden.  Herbs and vegetables will be grown in to help provide fresh food in the community as part of a wider drop-in session which takes place at the church every Friday afternoon. Hosted by the church, the council and Bay Housing Association, local residents in the area to access up to date information and advice on issues such as housing and jobs as well computers to support weekly…

What do you get when you put a load of young Jeff Kinney fans in the magnificent Blackpool Tower Ballroom with the man himself? A flipping good night actually! For anyone who hasn’t got children, or has only been dragged into the movie iterations of his work, Jeff Kinney is the cartoonist and author responsible for one of the most popular pre-teen book series in the world: Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The newly released Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down is the eleventh book in the phenomenally successful children’s collection. In this instalment, the pressure's really piling up…

The Marine Hall in Fleetwood drew crowds on Sunday morning as they opened their doors for the Fylde Coast Food and Drink Festival.  Stalls lined the walls proffering tasty treats, free samples and demonstrations. With stalls ranging from the tastiest in Gurkha curries, smoked meats and delicious pork sausages to cake making, handmade Belgian chocolate treats and a lemonade stand, the variety was fantastic. We were treated to live cooking demonstrations by the head chefs of Twelve Restaurant who made a delicious pork belly and scallop starter and continued to prepare other courses throughout the day and the ladies from…

Blackpool’s most established comedy club The Comedy Station is opening its doors every Friday throughout the season.  The popular events, now based in Viva Cabaret Showbar's Round Room, host a range of comedic talent compered by long-standing resident extraordinaire, and local celebrity, Ryan Gleeson. A comedian and compere since 1997, Ryan has been in his current role with the Comedy Station for 11 years. When asked what sort of comedian he is, his answer "a hilarious one" pretty much sums him up.  He puts his own uncanny spin on the evening's events. Visiting the show on Friday, we were unsure…

It was another warm evening on Thursday, but it reached a new level of scorching inside the Grand Theatre for the opening night of Ooh La La!  The new summer spectacular from SKS Productions promises steamy French Burlesque in a jam-packed evening hosted by Blackpool favourites, Cannon and Ball. With seductive vocals from Katie Shepherd and stunningly executed dance moves from the All Star Dancers, the show keeps you entertained from start to finish.  Despite the close relationship between the Parisian style Burlesque dancing and Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, the show is utterly original and unpredictable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Lv6dKumCQ Keep a special…