End of an era as Basil Newby makes life-changing decision over future of Blackpool's Funny Girls
Basil Newby MBE, the founder and long-time owner of Blackpool’s iconic Funny Girls cabaret venue, has announced his retirement and confirmed the venue is being put up for sale.
After decades at the heart of Blackpool’s nightlife, Mr Newby has revealed that he is putting the celebrated Dickson Road venue up for sale.
Funny Girls, famed for its dazzling drag performances and art deco glamour, opened in 1994 and quickly became a landmark attraction, drawing audiences from across the UK and beyond.
Under Mr Newby’s stewardship, the venue flourished, blending high-camp entertainment with professional production values.
He said the decision to sell the Grade II-listed building came after “a lot of soul-searching and many sleepless nights.”
“It’s an incredibly emotional moment for me to take the decision to retire now, having bought my one and only beloved Flamingo in 1979 and then opened Funny Girls 31 years ago,” he said in an emotional statement.
“Next year, I will be 75, and after a lot of soul-searching and many sleepless nights, I know now is the time for me to bow out gracefully and retire.
Mr Newby cited personal reasons, including the health of close family members and the desire to spend more time with his partner of over 40 years, Ian.
“He wants time to enjoy the animals and travel, just like myself,” he said. “So I need to think about him too.”
Reflecting on his plans for retirement, Mr Newby said it was time for “some Baz time” after decades spent dedicated to running his venues.
Among the things he still wants to see, he said, are the Redwood Forests in California and the Northern Lights. “And many more things before I’m too old,” he added.
The business, which Mr Newby said would officially go on the market from Wednesday, is being listed with Christie & Co, specialists in the leisure sector.
“I want the new owner to cherish this uniqueness and carry it forward into a new era,” he said.
Although the venue is now for sale, Mr Newby emphasised it remains “business as usual” in the short term.
“It could be three months or even three years before the right person comes along, someone I feel I can trust to take it over that rainbow I dreamed of so many years ago.”
He praised the current team, including Operations Director Dean Bennett, General Manager Chi Chi Sharpe and DJ Carmen, expressing full confidence that they would continue to take Funny Girls “to a different level moving forward.”
Thanking the audiences and supporters who’ve helped shape Funny Girls’ legacy, Mr Newby said he would “always cherish the memories” made over the years, and paid tribute to Blackpool itself.
He said: “I love Blackpool and all the great people who help make the town buzz like the Las Vegas of the UK,” he said.
Describing Funny Girls as a unique blend of “Moulin Rouge, Broadway, and West End shows,” Mr Newby said the right buyer would need to understand both its cultural importance and its future potential.
“It’s important to carry the legacy into a new era, while recognising that it holds a very special place in both Blackpool’s entertainment history and its future.”
Mr Newby was awarded an MBE in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List for services to business and to the LGBT+ community.
His influence on the resort’s nightlife over more than four decades earned him the affectionate local nickname “Basilpool.”