Britain can once again go to the "top of the tower"

THE ICONIC BLACKPOOL TOWER RELAUNCHES ON 1 SEPTEMBER WITH ALL-NEW, WORLD CLASS, VISITOR EXPERIENCES CEMENTING ITS FUTURE AS A MUST SEE ATTRACTION

The world famous Blackpool Tower, a symbol of the great British seaside resort, re-opens fully to the public on September 1st 2011. Much of The Tower has been closed to the public since the structure was sensationally bought by the Town Council, bringing it into public ownership for the first time in its 118 year history. Since then the Council has been working in partnership with global visitor attractions operator, Merlin Entertainments to transform the iconic Tower and buildings into a must-see family tourist experience reminiscent of its glory days.

Entertainment giant Merlin, the company that owns Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, The London Eye and Chessington World of Adventures is bringing its globally recognized attractions to the town including the first UK Madame Tussauds outside London and SEA LIFE. With the addition of two brand new experiences launching on 1st September, The Blackpool Tower Eye and the Blackpool Tower Dungeon, the Merlin portfolio in Blackpool will total eight attractions, representing the global entertainment leader's highest concentration of attractions in any one location around the world - a real show of commitment and belief in the new Blackpool. Merlin believes that the much loved seaside town has the potential, and the vision, to once again become one of Europe's leading family holiday destinations.

The observation platform at the top of the Tower opens as The Blackpool Tower Eye, a sensational new viewing experience. A 4.15 tonne glass floor and new floor to ceiling glass observation platform will run along an entire side of the Tower Eye, providing magnificent views out to the Irish sea. From here visitors can spot The Isle of Man, Manchester, and the hills of the Lake District, Scotland and Pennines. And, for those that are brave enough for the new glass SkyWalk, the reward will be a spectacular, never seen before, birds eye view of the famous Blackpool Promenade and coastline 518 feet below.

Before ascending to the Tower Eye, visitors will experience Blackpool's first ever 4D Cinema experience. Merlin were the first company to introduce visitors to 4D cinema, creating a unique experience for The London Eye and the new movie made exclusively for the Blackpool attraction will not disappoint. The film takes a trip down memory lane to see history in the making, starting with Mayor John Bickerstaffe's construction of the Tower, watched through the amazed eyes of a young boy. The emotive film is bought to life with sensory effects, dubbed 'the fourth dimension', to bring all things 'Blackpool' to life (visitors are guaranteed to experience everything from the spray of the Irish Sea to the smell of the famous beach donkeys - up close and personal!)

The second new attraction for The Tower is the grisly Blackpool Tower Dungeon, rumbling around deep in the belly of The Blackpool Tower. This famous brand of Merlin mischief uses the perfect blend of fun and fright mixed with a local relevance to give a truly memorable experience. Here visitors will delve into the North West's most blood-curdling history including Cromwell's exploits and the Pendle Witch trials. Live actors will transport guests back to bleak bygone times and finish them off with the exciting new drop ride - Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom.

Additionally, from September 1st, access to The Blackpool Tower, will be completely free, with all visitors able to enjoy the beautiful building, and only paying for those attractions that they want to visit.

The Grade 1 Listed building, which first opened to the public on 14 May 1894 and shares the same prestigious status as St Paul's Cathedral, will firmly put Blackpool back on the map as a popular family destination. For more than 200 years Blackpool has been synonymous with fun, seaside frivolities and fond childhood memories and now there are three exciting new reasons to take a trip to Blackpool.

The opening of the two new attractions marks the end of phase one of the project, the Tower itself is also enjoying a shiny new facelift that will include a fully restored retractable Ballroom roof including glass ceiling which will allow visitors to dance under the stars, a wonderful new entrance and refurbished common areas with much improved signage and access.

The project team is part way through a seven year clean and paint project that will see every single piece of the steel structure repainted to its former original red glory. To compliment the return to the Towers traditional appearance and add a modern twist, 3,500 LED lights will brighten up the Tower Eye, and being capable of 16 million different colours, visitors can expect to see spectacular displays.

There’s truly something for everyone at The Blackpool Tower, from Dungeon thrills to Circus skills. Discover things to do in Blackpool