Blackpool Nostalgia in 1982: Video rentals, Morecambe Bay gas fields and a plea for the Poppy Appeal

Library dilema over video rental idea

Libraries were to cash in on the video cassette boom and were considering extending their lending service to videos.

But at a meeting of the county council’s Libraries and Leisure Committee, councillors were split over whether to stock popular films or stick to educational cassettes.

Committee vice-chairman Coun Margaret Lyons urged the use of entertainment and feature films to combat the pornography peddled by video dealers.

“At least we can give the people good, clean, decent, honest films rather than the pornography that’s on open sale in the shops,” she said.

“These dealers don’t care how old people are or who will see them. We should provide family viewing. Other members wanted libraries to stick only educational cassettes. Coun Rev Edward Bland though it would be a foolish investment as video cassettes would soon become obsolete and be replaced by new innovations.

Committee chairman Percy Hall said: “This should be limited to educational provisions only. Entertainment should be left to the private salesman.

Profitable industry in gas for Fleetwood

Fleetwood was ideally placed to win lucrative contracts in the offshore gas industry.

Visitors to an exhibition of welding equipment and cutting gear at the North Euston Hotel learned that not only was the technical apparatus available locally but so was the necessary training for its application.

Blackpool and Fylde College was one of the few in the country offering a wide range of courses in a construction and engineering faculty, particularly in the field of fabrication and welding.

Students came from all over the British Isles and 97 per cent were successful in finding work - many of them on the continent and in the Far East.

Mr Neil Hendery, Philips’ technical applications manager, explained: “The arrival in Morecambe Bay of the rigs and modules can provide tremendous opportunities for local contractors.

Poulton’s raw deal as it lagged behind in youth officer support

Poulton’s beleagured young people, without a meeting place, were getting a raw deal compared to other areas in Wyre District.

This was revealed in figured which were given to a meeting of the district’s youth committee.

The figures showed that Poulton fared worst in terms of the amount of time it received from paid youth officers than any other part of the district.

Only recently, the town had five different youth clubs. It lost its only remaining meeting place the previous month.

One in ten of Poulton’s 18,000 population fitted into the 14-21 age category. And it is believed that at least 500 of the 1,000 youngsters might have wanted to join a youth club.

Despite efforts by members of various groups, the young people had nowhere to go.

A youth ‘drop in’ centre in the old library in Queens Square was closed the previous month.

And Poulton, for all it s populatiion had only one paid youth worker for two sessions a week totalling six hours.

In contrast, Fleetwood with a 28,400 population had the services a full time grant aided worker at teh Church Army Youth Club plus half the work of a full timer and six part time sessions. Other Wyre towns also fared better.

Appeal for more Poppy collectors

A plea for more helpers for the Poppy Appeal in Blackpool was made by the national chairman.

Colonel Jimmy Hughes was on tour of the North to boost the 1982 appeal.

He said that last year the people of Lancashire raised 6.66p per head of population while the national average is 9.7p.

“The great problem is that there are large conurbations in Lancashire, when it is a lot easier to collect in villages,” said Colonel Hughes.

However, in Ribble Valley they collected 17.2p per head of population while in Blackpool the amount was 5.15p

“I am quite satisfied that if there were more people collecting there would be far more money in the tins,” he added. He appealed for anyone willing to help to get in touch.