Throughout the week I have visited two archives and I have discovered the beautiful side to fairgrounds, but also the ugly side to them too. Blackpool Pleasure Beach allows people to escape reality for the day and is a magical place for all the family. There are bright lights, thrills and entertainment for everyone.
Belle Vue was magical at the start; an escape from reality after the war, seeing live animals and being able to dance in the ballrooms. However, dig deeper and the problems behind it were enormous. Belle Vue could be a dark place. The animals being mistreated and the sheer disregard for safety and public health are extremely worrying factors behind the masterpiece that was Belle Vue.
This made me think of other reasons why fairgrounds could be dark places. The Chernobyl disaster happened on 26th April 1986 and was a catastrophic nuclear disaster that released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere. This killed thousands of people and the effects afterwards could not be imagined. Many people became deformed due to the radioactive material in the atmosphere. There is a Ferris Wheel still there today that was part of a fairground due to open on 1st May 1986, (5 days after the disaster), in Pripyat, a city near where the power plant exploded.
The images are shocking and demonstrate how abandoned the scene became. A place that was supposed to be fun instantly became very scarce and lifeless.
The images are shocking and demonstrate how abandoned the scene became. A place that was supposed to be fun instantly became very scarce and lifeless.
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