1Party plans for Susan Boyle’s beloved Blackburn

Party plans for Susan Boyle’s beloved Blackburn

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By Cara Sulieman

BLACKBURN will become the party capital of Scotland tomorrow (sat) as the whole town prepares to roar their most famous daughter to victory.

Neighbours have already strung bunting across the street and are hoping to have a giant TV screen installed in time for a massive street party.

And at the nearby community centre dozens of friends and colleagues are readying to celebrate long into the night  if she can pull off her once impossible dream.

On Yule Terrace, where the singing sensation lives, neighbours are hoping to dance the night away at their very own street party.
Gary Barkhouse lives across the road from and has been organising the knees-up like a military operation.

He said: “There are a few of us on the road who think it would be nice to get together and celebrate her success with a street party.

“If the weather is nice, then we’ll all gather outside and have a drink or two so that we have a bit of a tingle before the show starts.

“My partner is trying to source a big screen TV for the night and if she manages we’ll watch it outside. But if it rains, then we’ll either watch it in somebody’s house or head over to the community centre.”

Over at the centre itself plans are already well under way.

Ralph Bell, 47, is the manager and has been planning the event for days.

He said: “We are going to have to get a lot of things put in place. We are borrowing a stage and a phone system and it’s all going to be brought in the next day or so.

“We’ve even planned some entertainment for when the voting is happening.

“One of them is a local guy called Paul Malloy, who used to sing at the same karaoke as Susan.

“We are expecting four or five hundred people to turn up and have had to move the party from the smaller hall to the basketball courts and have also had to get a risk assessment done.

“It’s a family event and we want everyone to enjoy themselves. Hopefully we’ll have a homecoming party for her as well.”

And if that wasn’t enough there’s a third party in town on Saturday with the Happy Valley Hotel getting in on the act.

Barmaid Kellie Brown, 24, said: “We are having a party from 7pm until 1am so we can watch the show and then celebrate afterwards once she has won.

“We’re expecting the pub to be full.

“Everyone in the community is well behind her and we expect to see a lot of folk on Saturday night.

“She’s been the topic of conversation here for quite a few weeks now. It’s put Blackburn on the map.”

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