About us

Fun for all the family at the Blackpool Grand Theatre.

An extravaganza of song, dance & comedy. Fun for all the family, a true variety show.

Our next show, back at the Grand Theatre Blackpool from 30th Janaury until 1st February 2025.

Blackpool Gang Show is all about the young people and volunteers of Scouting and Guiding in Blackpool putting on a show each year for an amazing audience. A true variety show for all the family with lots of singing, dancing and comedy sketches. Not seen Gang Show before? Why not come down and experience the night of nights, Blackpool Gang Show and Blackpool Lights.

We have been producing great family entertainment since 1962 and have performed in various theatres around the town including the Grand Theatre as well as the Opera House and The Globe Theatre, Pleasure Beach. The show now takes place at the Blackpool Grand Theatre.

Our History

The start of the Blackpool Show began with a visit by a few Scouting friends to the 3 Counties Gang Show in October of 1961. Tony Guy, Les Illingworth and Ron Chattington were on the way back from the Show when they, along with their mates, Geoff Bunn, Bill Gossop, Wally Tyres and Bert Bradshaw decide that Blackpool could do a show just like the one they had seen. And that is how, roughly 12 months later, the first Blackpool Gang Show took to the stage.

1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

1960s

1962 – First Show at Dean Street Memorial Hall.

1964 – Move to larger Jubilee Theatre above the Co-op. Model of a plane flown onto stage.

1966 – Pennants are given out as a souvenir to the Gang for the first time.

1967 – John Rowland becomes Director of the Show

1968 – Large fleur-de-lys type programme adopted.

1969 – Change of venue to the Royal Pavilion Theatre.

1970s

1970 – Change again to E.M.I. Winter Gardens, large theatre on a tight budget.

1972 – We move, yet again to the Grand Theatre for one year only.

1973 – Back to the Winter Gardens and we stay a while…7 years!

1975 – The song “Blackpool” is written especially for the Show by Ralph Reader C.B.E. and he visits the Show.

1977 – The organist changes to Mr Paul Greenwood.

1980s

1980 – We move to a new theatre, the ABC.

1981 – The ABC closes! And we step up to the mighty Opera House and 3000 seats to occupy! Anne Hornby becomes our general secretary.

1982 – 21st anniversary Show and we are filling the Opera House Friday and Saturday nights!

1986 – Silver Jubilee Gang Show watched by the Chief Scout. The Gang Show reaches its pinnacle!!

1988 – Gang are back at the Grand Theatre.

1990s

1991 -Drummer changes twice in a year and ends up with Phil Wheatley.

1992 – We return, again to the Winter Gardens.

1995 – The gang pays tribute to our Director John Rowland who, sadly passed away, he’s the first to be remembered on the Gang Show Pennant.

1999 – It’s quite a crisis year for the Show and we put a “Review” on at Bispham High School but we’re still going!

2000s

2000 – Things improve but we put the Show on at Collegiate High School.

2001 – Back to the Winter Gardens where we pay tribute to Anne Hornby who, sadly passed away and we have a trophy in her memory, the second name to go on our Pennant.

2005 – We move to our present Theatre, The Globe at the Pleasure beach, a challenging stage for the cast!

2007 – The Centenary of Scouting produces the 3D Gang Show where Scouting and Guiding people from Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde districts join up to put on this show.

2010s

2011 – We are poised for our 50th Show let’s make it a memorable one!

2012 – We say thank you and goodbye to Joan Swan as Director.

2013 – We welcome Darrell Shuck as our new Director!

2014 – A new trophy is donated to us by the family of Ron Chattington, a founding member of Blackpool Gang Show, for the Junior Gang.

2015 – 10 years at the Globe Theatre!

2018 – The show moves back to the Grand Theatre after 27 years!

2020s

2020 – We regrettably postponed the show due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2021 – Unfortunately, we had to postpone the show again due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

2022 – We returned to the Grand Theatre bigger than ever for our 60th Anniversary. We had members from over the past 60 years of Blackpool Gang Show join us on stage for the finale.

2023 – We said a huge thank you and goodbye to Darrell, our director, and Steve, business manager, for their amazing dedication, hard work and service over the past 10 years.

2024