Cool Place of the Day: The Comedy Carpet, Blackpool

Every day, a new place to discover or explore in the UK, from coolplaces.co.uk

The Comedy Carpet: Everybody from Tommy Cooper to Victoria Wood

UK humour in all its glorious hilarity, profundity and downright battiness is celebrated at what is arguably Blackpool's best-known piece of public art – and indeed one of the largest pieces of civic art in the country, completed 5 years ago at a cost of some £2.6 million. Over two thousand square metres of seafront promenade opposite Blackpool’s famous Tower is given over to the jokes, lyrics, catchphrases and routines of a thousand writers, comedians and performers, and presented in a Walk of Fame-style all-weather "carpet" that mimics the playbills of old.

Designed in the shape of a cross, and linking the Tower to Blackpool’s impressive beach, it was unveiled in 2011 by the inimitable master of mirth Ken Dodd; and he and everyone else you can think of is here, from vintage music-hall artists to sitcom stars, and including everyone from Tommy Cooper to Eddie izzard and course the late Victoria Wood. You can read it from various distances – close up and even from the top of the Tower – and if you can't find something to make you smile, you're probably not British.

The most po-faced may even have the great Doddy himself after them – as he says, "If you don't laugh at the jokes I'll follow you home and shout through the letterbox".

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