Plaque plea for Morecambe to be commemorated as birthplace of Miss Great Britain contest

As the Miss Great Britain pageant prepares to celebrate its 80th birthday in 2025, official historian and head judge Sally-Ann Fawcett thinks it's about time the town had some sort of permanent marker in honour of the contest.

Miss Great Britain was the joint brainchild of Morecambe Council and The Sunday Despatch newspaper back in 1945, organised to boost morale among the returning troops, and was staged annually at the Super Swimming Stadium before moving inside in 1970 to the Winter Gardens. Today it remains the biggest and oldest beauty pageant in the UK.

With the site of the swimming pool now ready to become the Eden Project, and the Winter Gardens currently undergoing renovation, Sally-Ann believes the 80th anniversary would be the perfect time to unveil a plaque in the pageant's honour.

"Morecambe is so rightly proud of Miss Great Britain," said Sally-Ann, who traced the history of the contest in her book, Miss Great Britain 1945-2020: The Official History, published in 2020.

"Morecambe BID sponsored the publication of my book, the Midland Hotel has a display of Miss Great Britain items in the foyer, and the Morecambe Heritage Centre is packed to the rafters with the most fabulous and lovingly curated memorabilia going back decades.

"It would be wonderful to find a space or a venue in which to display a plaque in honour of the contest, or even a gold-painted star on the promenade next to the old site of the Super Swimming Stadium."

Sally-Ann believes the project would be warmly supported by the people of Morecambe.

"I made the suggestion on several Morecambe Facebook pages and those who responded loved the idea," she said.

She would, she says, be very happy to raise the funding for the project and make all the arrangements. "I am in touch with many former Miss Great Britain winners from the 60s onwards and they would be delighted to come along for the unveiling ceremony,” said Sally.

"We could even commission a local sculptor to create a small statue for the promenade."

If any society, hotel or venue would like to host the commemoration, please contact Sally-Ann on [email protected]