Blackpool to bid for regeneration investment

By Tim Aldred

13 Jul 2020

Blackpool is preparing to pitch for £25m of investment from the government to rejuvenate its town centre.

The seaside town was one of 100 towns selected to apply for the Future High Streets Fund, which has a pot of £1bn to share across the  UK.

Now the council has earmarked 11 projects to improve access to the resort, upgrade infrastructure and convert empty properties. They are:

  1. Houndshill Extension: To create a new multiscreen Imax-style cinema, two restaurants and a relocated Wilko.
  2. Redevelopment of the Old Post Office: To secure the refurbishment and re-use of this prominent vacant building for a private sector hotel development.
  3. Abingdon Street Market: To secure the rejuvenation of the Abingdon Street Market to make it more appealing to a wider resident and visitor base.
  4. Property acquisition on King Street: Ensuring availability for a potential major office development.
  5. Creative Business Incubation: To acquire and refurbish three vacant units in the town centre to create new retail/maker units for small businesses including pop ups and art and culture businesses.
  6. Adelaide St Transport Hub & Access Improvements: To improve public and other transport access including bus shelters, taxi, cycle and pedestrian access facilities.
  7. Developing an Innovation Partnership: Working with a retail consumer specialist, investment and innovation firm using their expertise and contacts to pilot innovative digital retail technologies in high street businesses, improving businesses’ understanding of their customers.
  8. Digital Infrastructure: To provide the high street businesses and shoppers access to better broadband and the substantial digital infrastructure available to Blackpool.
  9. Customer Analytics: To develop and design a monitoring system to more clearly understand visitor footfall, how people move around, the places they visit and the time they spend, to help support businesses adapt to change, and identify new opportunities to enhance the visitor experience.
  10. Fylde Coast Rail Study: This is a technical feasibility study and outline business case to support an extension of the current Blackpool-Fleetwood line to increase frequency and improve connectivity across the Fylde Coast.
  11. Application Technology for Marketing & Promotion: Involving the introduction of a town centre gift card and loyalty programme to stimulate economic activity through increased footfall and local spend.

The bid development has been overseen by the Future High Streets Fund Board, chaired by independent chair Peter Cole the former chief investment officer of Hammerson, and comprising Blackpool business and community partners.

Peter said: "The town centre is at the heart of our community and we need to ensure it remains an attractive place where people want to be, to enjoy, to shop, to work and in the future live, ensuring businesses grow and thrive. Our plans are ambitious but ambition and innovation is what keeps Blackpool strong, resilient and willing to evolve.

The additional funding and help from government is desperately needed for our high street, now more than ever, as we start to recover from the current pandemic. If we are successful in securing funding then with the involvement of the community considerable more work is required to deliver these, but we are confident that the proposals will attract new business, boost local growth and create new jobs, and combined with the other major projects underway, secure the long term prosperity of the town."

The final bid for Blackpool will be submitted this month and a decision is anticipated this autumn.

The council has also submitted its Houndshill Phase 2 and Abingdon Street Market plans as the government is separately seeking 'shovel-ready' schemes which could be accelerated and through the Local Enterprise Partnership.

  • For further Lancashire business news, advice and analysis subscribe to Lancashire Business View or join the LBV Hub from just £2.50 per month. Click here to subscribe now.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Tim Aldred

Latest news

1

Partner promotions at WNJ Stuart Mercer, left, and Matthew Johnson

Partner promotions at WNJ

21 May 2025

2

Accrington-made Vita Advanced Mattress wins prestigious 'Best of the Best' Award at Interzum 2025 Dr. Emily Schweissinger - Evonik, Dr. Roland Hubel - Evonik, Dr Mike Murray - The Vita Group, Natalie Watson - The Vita Group, Chris Hupfeld - Coverstro, Dr. Annegret Terheiden - Evonik and Dennis Wagner - Covestro

Accrington-made Vita Advanced Mattress wins prestigious 'Best of the Best' Award at Interzum 2025

21 May 2025

3

Napthens advises Calico Homes on land acquisition for £23m Dovestone Gardens extra care facility in Burnley Paul Hardy

Napthens advises Calico Homes on land acquisition for £23m Dovestone Gardens extra care facility in Burnley

21 May 2025

4

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway Alan McBride Muse Will Town Defence Infrastructure Organisation Jennifer Chard Defence Business Services Cllr Lynn Williams Blackpool Council Garry Bowker Vinci

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway

20 May 2025

5

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities Skiddle cheque presentation to Alder Hey Hospital

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities

20 May 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May
Freelancer Meet-Up May.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May

society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar
LBV Hub Seminars
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar

Cottons Hotel & Spa , Knutsford, WA16 0SU

16:00 - 18:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Liverpool Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-881365363-4862066883-1-original.20241023-085714.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
23 May 2025 - 23 May 2025

Liverpool Business Expo 2025

Aintree Racecourse , Liverpool , L9 5AS

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29
Artboard 15.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
29 May 2025 - 29 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin