The Fylde Gallery in Booths' Lytham store was opened in 2008. What a wonderful idea was conceived and created by this family. It must be the only supermarket in the country to incorporate an art gallery in their building and what a beautiful gallery it is too. Twice a year, usually June/July and Decmber/January, a selection of pictures from the Lytham St Annes Art Collection is displayed and the rest of the time the Gallery is available for use by other organisations. We are so fortunate to have here in Lytham St Annes the most important collection of his work in the world. He was a very successful and accomplished Victorian artist and Royal Academician and these paintings are an extremely valuable part of our collection. In 1925 John Booth started it all when he presented St Annes Town Council with one of his paintings, 'The Herd Lassie', hence the connection between the Booths family and the Art Collection. As he gave the picture he apologised for not being able to give an art gallery to the town as well but hoped that someone else might be able to in the future - little did he know!

For further details of the Friends of the Lytham St Annes Art Collection contact Tourist Information on 01253 725610 or touristinformation@fylde.gov.uk.
The next opportunity to see a selection of works from the Collection will be an Exhibition entitled :
“Treasures of the Lytham St Annes Art Collection” - May 31 – July 25 at the Fylde Gallery, Booths, Lytham, which promises to be the most exciting and varied exhibition of the Collection yet. As well as paintings there will be some sculpture and a selection of Chinese ivories on view. The largest and most valuable painting to be on show will be “The Vision of Catherine of Aragon” by Henry Fuseli, R.A. a Swiss-born artist who came to reside in England in 1763. It depicts a scene from Act IV of Shakespeare’s King Henry VIII with Queen Catherine dreaming, attended by Patience, her handmaiden, and Griffith, her gentleman usher. Oil on canvas, the painting measures 58 x 83 inches.
The exhibition at the Fylde Gallery is admission free.