Upstairs in the Winter Gardens are three ornate function rooms created in the early 30s and generally only open to the public for private bookings. The first is the Renaissance Room, comparatively restrained after the sailing ship hold themed bar you pass on the way up. It is square, light and airy with a blue and cream colour scheme embellished in gold.This was reputedly very popular with Harold Wilson during those heady beer & sandwiches days of smoke filled rooms in post-war Labour Party Conferences.
The second room is rectangular and themed as a baronial hall with a large fireplace at one end and a bar the other. Ceremonial flags are affixed to hammer beams and much in here looks like seasoned oak but is probably fibrous plaster. The photos look stark as it was under working lights rather than the decorative lighting but this has to be a fun place for a Medieval Banquet.
The third and biggest room upstairs is the Spanish Hall. This has an arched roof and nestles inside the structure behind the west entrance above street level, the stage end being the one which has WINTER GARDENS in large friendly letters on the outside. This room is themed as an Andalusian Village and Andalusia is the southern-most community area in Spain so you can’t get more Med than that.
The Spanish Hall was designed by Andrew Mazzei who was a celebrated film designer and later art director. He was also responsible for the reconstruction of the Tower Ballroom after the fire of 1956, presumably coming out of retirement to do so..
There are large skylights in the glazed roof and judging from the number of ceiling fans up aloft it can get very warm in here. Apparently it looks splendid at night, with lights in the village windows. I think the clouds look a bit painted on hardboard though.
This is why Hitler would not let his airforce bomb Blackpool,
Someone did tell me that Hitler had an obsession with Whiteleys Department Store.