Theatre D’Amour attraction looks set for Upside Down House replacement

As one of Blackpool’s seafront attractions is set to disappear, another is lined up to replace it, if plans get the go ahead.

The Theatre D’Amour, located close to South Pier, was first unveiled in 2011 by its designer, Laurence Llewelyn‑Bowen.

With animated ballerinas, waterfalls, a rotating moon, swans, water fountains and lighting effects, the Victorian-style tableau was created as part of Blackpool’s famous Illuminations.

Its designer envisaged that the attraction would encourage visitors to get out of their cars and experience it on foot.

However, in recent years the Theatre D’Amour appears to have fallen out of use and has been shuttered up. Recently, a notice of demolition appeared on the structure.

Meanwhile, in December there was a re-application for a very different attraction on the same spot – the Upside Down House.

The Upside-Down House is a two-storey structure designed to appear upside down on its roof with a slight angle, creating novel scenarios with selfie opportunities inside, such as a bed appearing to be on the ceiling.

The attraction is already proving popular in different locations across the country, with a new one opening in Bristol last year.

The applicants are hoping to set the attraction up close to South Pier, on a site currently occupied by the closed-up Theatre D’Amour.

As part of the latest application to Blackpool Council, a heritage statement said: “It is considered that the planning application for a new visitor attraction in the form of the Upside Down along with a ticket office will result in minimal impact on the character, setting or significance of the locally listed structure (The South Pier).

“ In the recent past, planning guidance has recognised that change to historic buildings and their settings is part of their history and that buildings are not and should not be fossilised.”

The applicants added that the Upside Down would become a popular visitor attraction for Blackpool.