In 2017 Pleasure Beach Resort deputy managing director Nick Thompson became BALPPA’s first ever third generation chairman, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who had both held the prestigious position. 

Thompson’s great-grandfather William Bean opened Blackpool Pleasure Beach in 1897, and the business remains family over a century on: with Thompson having been born in Blackpool and starting work at the attraction when still just a school boy. 

He has held his present position at Pleasure Beach since 2004, and has told BALPPA membership that throughout that time he has remained “keen for Pleasure Beach to get involved as much as possible.” 

As a young man Thompson said he travelled around the world “experiencing different aspects of the leisure and tourism industry,” but returned to Blackpool in 1993 where he took up the role of catering manager in the family business. In 1994 he added the feather of retail director to his cap. At present Thompson also holds the post of head of Pleasure Beach’s sponsorship committee, which involves negotiating with high profile companies. In this guise he attended the IAPPA business course at Cornell University, USA.

He has cited the wide range of new attractions at Pleasure Beach throughout the past 20 years as representing some of his career highlights.

“From ICON to Nickelodeon Land & Wallace & Gromit,” he said. “Working on these initial ideas from inception through to opening days are some of my proudest achievements.”