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Great British Holiday

Alex Jennings

Great British Holiday: Episode 3: Blackpool

Blackpool

Episode 3

Episode 3: Blackpool

BBC Four - Great British Holiday, Blackpool

Documentary focusing on Blackpool's bid to host the UK's first super-casino.

Documentary series about the leisure and tourism industry looks at Blackpool's bid to host the UK's first super-casino, as it battled London and several other cities.

It was one of the most keenly fought battles in modern Britain- who could land the super casino. In the Blue corner, the Dome- backed by reclusive billionaire Philip Anschutz. In the red corner, Blackpool, the tatterdemalion home of the modern holiday.

With exclusive access to Blackpool's bare knuckle fight to take the casino North, and save the town in the process, award-winning director Patrick Forbes continues his voyage into the British national obsession with time off work.

It’s a fight in which billions are at stake, ministers are derided, partners fall out and transvestites have a key role.

Multi-millionaire Basil Newby is pretty much Blackpool's last hope - casino aside. He is the boss of transvestite revue, 'Funny Girls'- two years at the Command Performance- and he’s pulling the punters in their thousands to his clubs, bars and theatres. The other big businesses of Blackpool are failing- every year half a million fewer of us visit.

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