A blue plaque commemorating one of the United Kingdom’s most successful girl bands has been unveiled at the very venue where their remarkable journey began.
The Nolans, who skyrocketed from performing at social clubs to sharing stages with global superstars, were first discovered while playing at a Blackpool hotel. On Christmas Day in 1973, the sisters Anne, Denise, Linda, Maureen, and the late Bernie delivered a captivating performance at Cliffs Hotel, catching the eye of a London club owner who promptly signed them up.
This momentous occasion, where the surviving sisters gathered for the blue plaque unveiling, took place on Tuesday. Joan Humble, the chair of the Blackpool Civic Trust, which approved the plaque, remarked, “We are highly selective in choosing our honorees, and the Nolans achieved immense success not only in the UK but also on the global stage.”
The effort to fund the plaque was spearheaded by Jake Roche, a singer and actor and the son of Coleen Nolan. He successfully raised £600 for the plaque through a crowdfunding website. Roche expressed his surprise that, despite living in London and seeing blue plaques everywhere, there was none in Blackpool commemorating The Nolans. He said, “I’ve now reached an age where I truly appreciate the incredible careers my mum and aunts have had, from chart-topping success to appearances on ‘Top of the Pops,’ and even sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder.”
Maureen Nolan expressed her delight at being recognized in the town where they grew up, stating, “We rarely performed around Christmas, and our lives changed on that day.” The Nolan family had relocated from Dublin to Blackpool in 1962. Maureen reminisced, “In those days, we were known as The Singing Nolans and were billed as Blackpool’s equivalent of the Von Trapp family. We transitioned from performing at working men’s clubs to touring with Frank Sinatra.”
Following their performance at Cliffs Hotel, the Nolans’ late father, Tommy Nolan, was approached by businessman Joe Lewis, who proposed that the girls move to London’s West End. He offered them the opportunity to sing at his club, the London Rooms, located above the New London Theatre on Drury Lane. The entire family relocated to London, and they rebranded themselves as The Nolans, becoming the resident guests on Cliff Richard’s.
Their ascent was rapid, and they embarked on a European tour with Frank Sinatra. Their chart-topping hits included the 1979 disco anthem “I’m In The Mood For Dancing.” Released on the Epic label, the same as Abba, Meat Loaf, and The Clash, the single reached number three on the UK charts and secured the number one spot in Japan, a rarity for Western acts. Additionally, the sisters served as backing singers for a rock supergroup that included Motorhead frontman Lemmy and two members of Whitesnake.
Subsequently, Bernie, Linda, and Maureen ventured into acting, while Coleen became a regular panelist on ITV’s “Loose Women.”
Conclusion:
The Nolans, popular pop legends, have been honored with a blue plaque at the Blackpool hotel where they began their successful career.
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