Leaving Funny Girls is emotional - but I'm proud of my legacy and it's time for someone new in Blackpool
As he prepares to step back, Basil Newby reflects on four decades in Blackpool nightlife, his LGBTQ+ legacy and the future of Funny Girls.
Basil Newby has been a leading figure in Blackpool's nightlife for more than 45 years, first making his mark in 1979 with the opening of the Flamingo club.
In 1994, he launched the iconic Funny Girls, a venue that quickly became a cornerstone of the town’s LGBTQ+ culture.
In recognition of his services to business and the LGBTQ+ community, Mr Newby was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in 2014.
Now, as he approaches his 75th birthday, Mr Newby has confirmed that Funny Girls is being put up for sale, stating he wants to spend more time with family and his partner, Ian.
Speaking to the Gazette, he said: “A couple of my family members have dementia, and I just need to be with them.
“I also haven’t spent enough time with Ian. He wants to enjoy the animals and travel, just like me, so I need to think about him too.”
However, he has reassured fans that it will be “business as usual” until the right successor is found.
“I want to find another Basil. Someone who has the inspiration I had all those years ago and who wants Funny Girls to carry on - not just with new blood, but also with the amazing management team I have now,” he said.
Mr Newby praised his current team, including Operations Director Dean Bennett, General Manager Chi Chi Sharpe and DJ Carmen, expressing full confidence in their ability to keep the venue thriving.
“I’m sure if someone came along who could work with them, they could take Funny Girls to new heights,” he added.
“It needs to stay, more importantly than anything, as Funny Girls.”
Mr Newby first opened Flamingo on Talbot Road in 1979 - Blackpool’s first gay nightclub.
The venue was demolished in 2007 and its former dancefloor now sits beneath aisle 22 of the Sainsbury’s supermarket that opened in 2014.
Funny Girls, now based in the former Odeon Cinema on Dickson Road, is still going strong and celebrated its 30th anniversary last year.
The showbar originally launched in a converted corner shop on Queen Street where it was an instant success.
In 2002, the venue moved into the historic Grade II-listed Odeon building, with none other than Joan Collins officiating its grand reopening.
Reflecting on that transition, Mr Newby said: “We outgrew the building on Queen Street. Funny Girls took off so phenomenally that I bought the premises next door.
“Then, out of the blue, the council issued a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on Flamingo and also bought the old Odeon which was empty at the time.
“At the same time, Walkabout approached me to buy the Funny Girls building.”
Initially, he felt the Odeon was too large for Flamingo alone, but the idea of combining his venues soon took hold.
He said: “I thought I could put Funny Girls on the ground floor and Flamingo upstairs.
“I also had a bar called Basil's on the Strand and wanted to incorporate that too.”
Despite the challenges of working within a listed building, Mr Newby credited the council and British Heritage for their support in restoring many of its original Art Deco features.
Opened in 1939 with more than 3,000 seats, the Odeon was the largest cinema of its kind at the time.
Today, it stands as a town landmark and a testament to Mr Newby’s vision.
“It’s unique to Blackpool. Wherever I go, people know Funny Girls,” he said.
“It’s a big tourist attraction and something I’m incredibly proud of. That’s why it has to be a special person who takes it over and continues my legacy.”
The building also holds a special place in his heart.
“My sisters used to bring me here when I was five years old to watch the Bugs Bunny Show on Saturday afternoons,” he added.
“I never dreamed that one day I’d own this magnificent building.”
Looking back on the venue’s role in the LGBTQ+ community, Mr Newby spoke about the challenges he faced in the early days.
He said: “I was the first gay licensee in Blackpool, and I was classed as an unfit and improper person to hold a license because I was gay.
“My solicitor told me not to let the police know because they’d take my license off me. But Flamingo became a massive success.
“It was the capital gay capital of the North.”
Over the years, the venue welcomed stars such as Take That, Grace Jones and Divine.
But success didn’t come without struggle.
“Then in the late ’80s and ’90s, the AIDS epidemic hit. We couldn’t get anyone to fix the boilers or anything,” he said.
“It was hard times, but the gay community continued to support the venue. They loved it and felt safe there.”
That period helped shape his inclusive vision for Funny Girls.
“As the AIDS epidemic passed, I thought, ‘I want to open somewhere that’s welcoming to everyone, no matter their sexuality, creed or colour.’ So I opened Funny Girls,” he added.
As he prepares to hand over the reins, Mr Newby reflected on the legacy he’s leaving behind.
He said: “I’m really proud of the 46 years I’ve done. I brought tourism to the town and the pink pound has been so strong.
“All these gay hotels have opened up, the rainbow zebra crossings, and I feel like I’ve been a big part of that.
“But I’m 74 now. I feel like I’ve done my bit and should hand my legacy over to somebody else.”
The business is officially going on the market today and is being listed with Christie & Co, specialists in the leisure sector.
Following the announcement, messages of love and appreciation poured in from the community - something Mr Newby has not taken lightly.
“I’ve read every message and taken them to my heart,” he said.
“It was a wonderful outpouring of love, affection and sadness. But I don’t want people to be sad for me, because I’ve had a wonderful life and experience.”
As for whether he has any regrets?
“I would one million per cent do it all again. There have been ups and downs in my career, but you get that all the time,” Mr Newby said.
“The people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made and the wonderful staff, it’s just been an amazing run.”