In 1889 the villages of Bare, Poulton-le-Sands and Torrisholme collectively became known as Morecambe, and those areas of Morecambe are still known by their original names.

Morecambe had a proud history as a thriving seaside resort in the mid-twentieth century. Whilst the nearby resort of Blackpool attracted holiday-makers predominantly from the Lancashire mill towns, Morecambe had more visitors from Yorkshire and Scotland. Between 1956 and 1989 it was the home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest.

Morecambe suffered from decline for a number of years following a series of incidents that affected its tourism and local economy. Tourism suffered after losing two piers: Central Pier was struck by fire in 1933 but survived until 1992, and West End Pier was washed away in a storm in 1978. In 1994, The World of Crinkley Bottom attraction in Happy Mount Park closed only 13 weeks after its opening. The ensuing 'Blobbygate' scandal led to a legal battle between Lancaster City Council and TV star Noel Edmonds. The closures of Bubbles, Morecambe's indoor waterworld, and Frontierland, its Pleasure Beach, soon followed.

However, Morecambe has benefited from strong regeneration policies, lead by the investing in the West End area. This resulted in house prices rising in the area. Both The Times and the Daily Telegraph ran two-page features on Morecambe's revival around Easter 2006. After falling into abeyance in the mid-1980s, the Miss Morecambe beauty contest was revived in 2006 by Margee Ltd., a local fashion store, founded in 1933 - the same year that the Midland Hotel opened its doors.

Morecambe was selected by the RNLI as the location for their first operational hovercraft (Griffon 470SAR) H-002 "The Hurley Flyer" which was made operational on 23 December 2002. Despite this fact the 5 February 2004 saw a major loss of life in Morecambe Bay when Chinese immigrant shellfish harvesters were inundated by incoming tides, resulting in multiple fatalities.

The "Morecambe Budget"

Enoch Powell made a speech in Morecambe on 11 October 1968 on the economy, setting out alternative, radical free-market policies which would later be called the 'Morecambe Budget'. Powell used the financial year of 1968-9 to show how income tax could be halved from 8s 3d to 4s 3d in the pound (basic rate cut from 41% to 21%) and how capital gains tax and selective employment tax could be abolished without reducing expenditure on defence or the social services. These tax cuts required a saving of £2,855 million, and this would be funded by eradicating losses in the nationalised industries and denationalising the profit-making state concerns; ending all housing subsidies except for those who could not afford their own housing; ending all foreign aid; ending all grants and subsidies in agriculture; ending all assistance to development areas; ending all investment grants; abolishing the National Economic Development Council and abolishing the Prices and Incomes Board The cuts in taxation would also allow the state to borrow from the public to spend on capital projects such as hospitals and roads and on the firm and humane treatment of criminals.

Economy

Morecambe's main central shopping area stretches from Central Drive Retail Park to the Arndale Shopping Centre. This area also incorporates two markets - The Festival Market & The Morecambe Sunday Market - and the Apollo Cinema complex.

Morecambe's manufacturing and industrial businesses are largely located in the White Lund Industrial Estate.

Morecambe is primarily a seaside resort with a large proportion of the local economy based on tourism, hopsitality and catering located along the seafront. It is also situated at the foot of the Lake District National Park.

Legal and other professional services are concentrated on Northumberland Street.

Cuisine

Morecambe Bay potted shrimps is a famous local delicacy.

Landmarks