Abbott’s Travel Centre, Blackpool 1988

This authentic 1980s colour photograph, captured in 1988, features a vibrant display of traditional hand-painted excursion boards at Abbott’s Travel Centre in Blackpool, Lancashire. The archival image documents a series of white rectangular signs mounted on a red-brick wall, each advertising different day trips and coach tours typical of the late 1980s British seaside holiday experience. The signs feature varied typography and colourful illustrations, including “Monday Preston Market,” “Tuesday & Thursday Llandudno,” “Tuesday Liverpool,” and “Wednesday Emmerdale Farm Country.” Several boards promote the popular “5 Lakes Tour” to Keswick and Windermere in the Lake District. Smaller posters for “Isle of Man” travel are visible in the window above the display. The graphic style of the boards highlights the artisanal nature of local travel advertising before the widespread use of digital printing. This factual record preserves the heritage of northern English coach tourism and the visual character of Blackpool’s travel industry as it appeared in 1988.