The Grand was designed by the famous Victorian theatre architect Frank Matcham and was opened in 1894 after a construction period of about nine months. The project was conceived and financed by local theatre manager Thomas Sergenson who had been using the site of the Grand for several years to stage a circus. Sergenson's successful directorship of the theatre ended in 1909 when he sold the operation to the Blackpool Tower Company for a considerable profit.

The Grand was able to stay open during the Second World War but the post-war rise in the popularity of television was probably the cause of the theatre's dwindling popularity toward the 1960s. Incredibly, plans were filed for the demolition of the historic site in 1972 but the Grand's status as a Grade II* listed building prevented this from taking place. An agreement was reached with the Grand's owners, EMI, that a refurbishment of the the now-unused building would take place if it could be used as a bingo hall. After three years of this use, a group called the Friends of the Grand with the support of Blackpool Borough Council negotiated to lease and eventually buy the theatre back from EMI over a period of a few years. The purchase was complete by 1 October 1980 and a refurbishment, achieved partly through voluntary effort, was begun. Finally, on 23 March 1981 the Grand re-opened as a theatre once again to stage an Old Vic performance of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice featuring the distinguished British actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales. The theatre's return was further confirmed in May of the same year when a Royal Variety Performance was staged in the presence of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.

For details of all the events and shows at The Grand click on the link to their website. www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk