Latest news with #BlackpoolCouncil
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Counterfeit Labubu dolls seized in Blackpool shop raids
Counterfeit Labubu-style dolls have been seized after being found in shops in dolls pose "significant safety risks", including detachable parts that could be a choking hazard to children, the town's trading standards team council said it had seen a rise in counterfeit versions of the popular toy, which can also pose a potential exposure to harmful collectible dolls, from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart, have become hugely popular with children and teenagers in recent years, after launching in 2015. Blackpool Council warned that such counterfeit items circumvent product safety standards making them "unsafe and potentially dangerous".If the price seems unusually low, "it could be a red flag", it warned. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'Rundown' UK seaside town dealt major blow as iconic attraction goes up for sale
An iconic seaside town that has grappled with its reputation for years has suffered a huge blow after one of its most popular attractions has unexpectedly hit the market A 'rundown' seaside town has been thrown into the limelight as one of its most historic landmarks has gone on the market. Once referred to as the 'King' of the UK coast, Blackpool' s reputation has plummeted into the gutter in recent years - with holidaymakers branding the area 'scruffy' and 'untidy'. On TripAdvisor, visitors have critiqued the town's 'tired' seafront, boarded-up shops, and 'drunken gangs' loitering in the streets. Last month, Blackpool came sixth-to-last in Which?' s league tables* for the best seaside towns in the country, scoring a measly 48 per cent overall destination score. Members of the consumer brand gave the town just one star for its 'scenery' and shopping options, while its beach, seafront/ pier, and food and drink offerings received a still-poor two-star rating. In another huge blow to the resort, its renowned North Pier - located just a stone's throw from the iconic Blackpool Tower - has gone up for sale. The Grade II-listed structure, which opened back in 1863, was bought in 2011 by the Sedgwick family, who also own the town's other two piers. However, the owners have decided with a 'heavy heart' that they are choosing to 'focus' their attention on their wider portfolio, and are looking for 'sensible offers' for the Victorian pier. "It retains its Victorian grandeur and traditionally characterised construction with a wooden deck above a substructure of cast iron girders, cross members and screw piles, providing a significant footprint of circa 13,500 m2," said Avison Young, the estate agents selling the pier. "The pier's promenade deck is lined with wooden benches with ornamental cast iron backs. At intervals along the pier are hexagonal kiosks built around 1900 in wood and glass with minaret roofs topped with decorative finials." All of the equipment and machines, including an arcade, theatre and bar, are included with the sale. It is believed the pier generates a total income of around £2.3 million per year. Despite Blackpool's struggling reputation, it's clear the resort is still a firm favourite amongst Brits. 2023 figures showing the town attracted a whopping 21.5 million tourists, a six per cent spike compared to the year before. As previously reported, Blackpool is also undergoing a huge regeneration thanks to a long-term initiative called the Talbot Gateway Development. The £350 million fund, led by Blackpool Council and Muse, aims to redevelop the area around Blackpool North train station in order to bring over 8,000 workers and students into Blackpool town centre and create more jobs and opportunities for local people. You can learn more about the investment here. *Which?'s results are based on an online survey of 8,952 experiences from 3,872 Which? Connect panel members conducted between January and March, 2025.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Blackpool business hub to open in revamped Art Deco building
An Art Deco building in Blackpool is to reopen as a small business hub following a £7.5m Buildings, which was built in 1935, has been refurbished as one of seven projects in Blackpool Council's £40m Town Deal began on the green and cream-tiled locally listed building in February 2024 and was originally due to be completed in the site will open in August, and a council spokesperson said the refurbishment would "secure the long-term use of the building and safeguard it for future generations of entrepreneurs". The council spent £2.8m on the Town Deal projects, with £4.5m in government funding and £200,000 coming from the UK Shared Prosperity building, which was originally designed by 1930s borough architect, John Charles Robinson, is located between Caunce Street, Church Street and Cookson Street.A council spokesperson said the business hub at the building would be named The Robinson in honour of the renowned also designed former civic landmarks including Derby Baths and South Shore Open Air building has been converted into 44 offices and meeting rooms, with a co-working space on the ground has also included facade repairs, a new roof, new windows and eighteen new long-established shops in the building, Records and Relics, Mankind Designer Menswear and Hermosa Boutique, are to remain on the Church Street side of the property. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blackpool's traditional holiday sector 'in crisis'
Blackpool's traditional holiday accommodation sector is "in crisis", one of the resort's hospitality industry leaders has said. Ian White from StayBlackpool said some of the town's streets have become "shadowlands" blighted by anti-social behaviour and run down, dilapidated buildings. He' said he was calling for more to be done to help smaller hotels and bed and breakfasts to rebuild the overnight trade in the resort. Blackpool Council said £2bn had been spent on regeneration the town, which it described as a "work in progress". But Mr White said areas like Coronation Street, Bond Street and Waterloo Road had become "lost". He said: "The council really needs to get back to grips with the traditional holiday areas, which have been forgotten and left to go to rack and ruin." Alan Cavill, the director of regeneration at Blackpool Council, said the regeneration of the resort was a "work in progress". Speaking about Coronation Street, he said: "We've spent an awful lot of money putting an IMAX cinema on there and completely changing the face of the Houndshill. "We're going to spend £90m on improving housing. So I'm not saying the job's finished, but it's really well in progress." Paul Gregory-Ward, owner of the Corona Hotel in Clifton Drive, said the lack of regulation within the industry was also taking its toll, and that he thought hoteliers should have to have a licence to trade. He said: "Any new business or existing business, whether it be an Airbnb or the traditional bed and breakfast... they've never required a licence to trade. "It's just buy a business and get on with it. The owners don't need any experience, there are no standards. It's up to the hotelier to decide what their standard is." He said he recognised that Blackpool Council was trying to improve things, but that there needed to be more consideration for smaller businesses. He said: "There's a lot of importance put on the big investments, but not the smaller companies like us that are the backbone of Blackpool, we do get forgotten." Mr Cavill said the council was "changing the face of the resort", but said it could not all be done at once. He said: "It's pointless having really wonderful hotels if there's no reason to visit the place, so we focus very much on that and developing the products and working with partners like Merlin and the Pleasure Beach to really give new reasons to visit the town, then working on the areas immediately surrounding that and trying to make those better and more improved."
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Blackpool's traditional holiday sector is in 'crisis'
Blackpool's traditional holiday accommodation sector is "in crisis", one of the resort's hospitality industry leaders has White from StayBlackpool said some of the town's streets have become "shadowlands" blighted by anti-social behaviour and run down, dilapidated said he was calling for more to be done to help smaller hotels and bed and breakfasts to rebuild the overnight trade in the Council said £2bn had been spent on regeneration the town, which it described as a "work in progress". But Mr White said areas like Coronation Street, Bond Street and Waterloo Road had become "lost".He said: "The council really needs to get back to grips with the traditional holiday areas, which have been forgotten and left to go to rack and ruin." Alan Cavill, the director of regeneration at Blackpool Council, said the regeneration of the resort was a "work in progress".Speaking about Coronation Street, he said: "We've spent an awful lot of money putting an IMAX cinema on there and completely changing the face of the Houndshill."We're going to spend £90m on improving housing. So I'm not saying the job's finished, but it's really well in progress." Paul Gregory-Ward, owner of the Corona Hotel in Clifton Drive, said the lack of regulation within the industry was also taking its toll, and that he thought hoteliers should have to have a licence to said: "Any new business or existing business, whether it be an Airbnb or the traditional bed and breakfast... they've never required a licence to trade."It's just buy a business and get on with it. The owners don't need any experience, there are no standards. It's up to the hotelier to decide what their standard is."He said he recognised that Blackpool Council was trying to improve things, but that there needed to be more consideration for smaller said: "There's a lot of importance put on the big investments, but not the smaller companies like us that are the backbone of Blackpool, we do get forgotten." Mr Cavill said the council was "changing the face of the resort", but said it could not all be done at said: "It's pointless having really wonderful hotels if there's no reason to visit the place, so we focus very much on that and developing the products and working with partners like Merlin and the Pleasure Beach to really give new reasons to visit the town, then working on the areas immediately surrounding that and trying to make those better and more improved."
