The Star (formerly the Star Inn), 525 New Promenade, South Shore, Blackpool

As part of the widening of the promenade from South Pier to Starr Gate, Catterall and Swarbrick’s Brewery agreed with the Corporation in April 1928 to sell or exchange the land on which the Star Inn stood for land nearer and in line with the new promenade. As part of the agreement the Corporation stipulated that expenditure on the new building was not to be less than £12,000 in order to ensure that the appearance was of the standard the Corporation desired for the new frontage. The new Star Hotel was designed by Halstead Best and opened in May 1932. It had revolving doors leading into the lounge, at the back of which is the big island mahogany bar. There was a saloon bar and a billiard room next to the public bar and a smoke room. The new hotel also included a novel 'kiddies' retreat' where children could be left in safe hands for a while. It was purchased by the Pleasure Beach in 1994 and the glass canopy to the west facing elevations was added by the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Co. in 2003. It changed its name to the Apple and Parrot in 2014 but reopened in 2016 as The Star. It has a large stage for live music in the main lounge with ornate plasterwork ceilings and rear games room.

NOVEL FEATURE OF NEW BLACKPOOL HOTEL - A "kiddies retreat " is to be a feature of a new hotel built on modern lines which is to be erected on the South Promenade at Blackpool. ….. The hotel was to replace the existing Stur Inn, which had stood for more than a century at South Shore and had one of the valuable anti-I869 licences. The hotel was still open. The moment the hotel was built, however, the licence ci the Star Inn be surrendered. Tehe whole scheme of building a new hotel resulted from the progress and development of the Corporation scheme in relation the South Shore promenade. The hotel was rendered necessary by this new scheme, and the proposed building would be in keeping with the artistic and aesthetic character of the promenade extension at South Shore. The hotel would cost £12,500 and plans for the building had been submitted to the Corporation and the Licensing Bench and had been approved. 

For the first time in the erection of a licensed house, provision had been made in the plans for the construction of what was to be termed a "kiddies' retreat." Children, of course, would not be allowed to enter the licensed portion of the house. Parents did sometimes leave their children outside a licensed house, which gave rise to some little unpleasantness at times, and certainly left the children at a disadvantage. In this case, a complete room has been provided for children to be accommodated whilst parents were taking refreshments. There would be provision for such refreshments as children usually required and someone would be in attendance to look after them. This will be a far better arrangement than the days when children were allowed to hang round the doors of licensed houses. The idea has already commended itself to the Licensing Committee, also the municipal authorities and the police. [Lancashire Evening Post 30 March 1931 page 6]

A FAMOUS FYLDE INN - The old Star Inn, for many years a beach landmark among the sandhills of South Shore, and now facing the new Promenade, is to go. In its place, though not on the same site, is to rise - if the plans are approved - a sumptuous new hotel. For well over a hundred years winter seas have thundered within a few yards of the Star Inn. and summer suns shone upon its slated roof. The old inn is probably familiar to millions of Blackpool visitors. Plans have been prepared for an imposing and finely appointed new hotel and if these receive sanction at Blackpool Brewster Sessions next month work will begin in the spring. The site of the old building, which was in being long before the motor car, will be used a parking ground. [Fleetwood Chronicle 23 January 1931 page 2]

Reference    Lancashire Evening Post 30 March 1931 page 6
Reference    Fleetwood Chronicle 23 January 1931 page 2
Reference           Builder 13 February 1931 Page 341
Image        © Copyright Gerald England and licensed for reuse under a cc-by-sa/2.0 Creative Commons Licence. cropped