Smash hit Mamma Mia! is huge success for Blackpool

Mamma Mia! has been declared a smash hit for Blackpool with ticket sales totalling more than £3.2m.

The international tour of the global phenomenon ended a 12 week summer season at the Opera House last night and today it can be revealed that more than 100,000 people visited Blackpool to see the show.

Blackpool Council cabinet member for tourism and leisure, Cllr Graham Cain, said it has been a great summer for the theatre and Blackpool as a whole.

Cllr Cain said: “We are thrilled with the success of Mamma Mia!

“This was our first full summer season for more than 10 years and we are delighted to be a in a position today to reveal just how successful it has been.

“When we first announced that the international tour of Mamma Mia! was coming to Blackpool last year there was some trepidation as to whether such a long run would be the success we hoped for.

“But I am happy to say, yes it was and we look forward to welcoming similar shows in the future.”

The Blackpool Opera House run of Mamma Mia! was the only place people in the UK could see the show outside London for 2014.

A national multi-media campaign was used to promote the Blackpool show with extensive TV, radio, newspaper and social media advertising.

Just six weeks into the show it was revealed that it had broken Box Office records in Blackpool with ticket sales of £2m. And now with more than £3.2m of tickets being sold over the 12 weeks that equates to more than 100,000 people visiting the Opera House to see it.

Cllr Cain added: “There is no doubt Mamma Mia! has been a hit for the whole of Blackpool.

“There has been a great buzz around the town firstly for the fact that we’ve brought back the Opera House’s full summer season and secondly because it is such a feel-good show that entertains the whole family and appeals to such a wide audience.

“To attract in excess of 100,000 people to a show is fantastic news for Blackpool because not only were those people coming to watch the show, they were also dining out in Blackpool, making a weekend of it and spending money in the town. That is a huge benefit to everyone.

“This has been a huge summer for all the Winter Gardens staff who have had to ensure the Opera House and the whole Winter Gardens’ complex was ready to welcome thousands of people every day.

“But there has also been a lot of work and commitment from people throughout Blackpool to ensure the show’s success and I would like to extend thanks to the many businesses who have supported Mamma Mia! from the beginning and done their utmost to promote the show to their customers and guests.”

Winter Gardens Managing Director Michael Williams added: “We are thrilled with the success of Mamma Mia!

“It was a huge announcement for us to make last year and there has been a tremendous amount of work involved to ensure its success but I am happy to say, it’s been great and we look forward to welcoming similar shows in the future.”