Winter Gardens Complex

The Winter Gardens is a vast entertainments complex containing a number of individual entertainment venues and components built round a pre-existing house (still just discernible) over a long period between 1875 and 1939. The first part opened was an outdoor skating rink in July 1875. Grand opening of the complex was in July 1878. The Winter Gardens, together with the Tower established Blackpool as the premier seaside resort.

The complex has three main theatrical components: the 3,000 seat Opera House which can host major large touring shows, the 1,500 seat Pavilion Theatre and the 3,000 standing capacity Empress Ballroom which has a stage and is capable of hosting small performances. The complex also has several other public spaces including the Olympia Hall and the Spanish Hall which all have the possibility of hosting theatrical performance.