Blackpool 1980s – 1990s

Abstract

Blackpool 1980s - 1990s was published by Café Royal Books in an edition of 250 in February 2023. It was edited by Craig Atkinson, founder of Café Royal Books. Clarke photographed Blackpool seafront and Pleasure Beach fairground throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This extensive collection of images is part of his larger archive of photographs of the British seaside. The CRB photobook includes a number of key leisure features of Blackpool Pleasure Beach including the roller coaster rides ‘The Grand National’ and The Big One’. Also pictured in this CRB publication is the now defunct monorail that was a ride at the Pleasure Beach.

The photobook is composed of 20 black&white photographs taken in the 1980s and 1990s. It is included in a box set of 100 Café Royal Books titled Archive Six and is in the collection of major institutions. The photobook Blackpool 1980s – 1990s was exhibited at Stills: Centre for Photography, Edinburgh as part of the exhibition titled Café Royal Books (10 November 2023 – 10 February 2024); The Photographers’ Gallery, London (23 February - 02 June 2024); and Impressions Gallery, Bradford (12 September - 30 November 2024).