Cash meant to transform Abingdon Street Post Office now used for patch jobs

A site once earmarked for development continues to sit empty after development costs became too much

Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.

Plans to turn the Abingdon Street Post Office into a shiny four-star hotel collapsed in 2025 after the Indigo Hotel group pulled out.

It meant a high-profile regeneration project was left in ruin after £1m had already been spent.

Now, we look at how government cash intended to transform the site into the hotel is being spent.

We are, at least, relieved to not have to debunk rumours that it’s turning into a site for asylum seekers.

Blackpool briefing

🏰 Norbreck Castle will not be used to house asylum seekers, despite the usual rumours currently doing the rounds. One person, citing ‘inside knowledge’ said that rooms are already being set aside. But the government is now moving away from using hotels and it is expected that the majority of people still in the Metropole will have their claims heard before it closes in July. Britannia Hotels themselves have now added their voice to that, stating that the hotel is not being used for any housing programme. We’ll see you next week for more nonsense rumours.

🕳️ Some 21 residential roads in Blackpool – including many with the worst potholes – have been resurfaced as part of council investment in extra road maintenance. In the past 12 weeks over 44,000m2 of road has been repaired, improving journeys where people live. Blackpool Council’s road maintenance budget has increased by £6m this year, targeted at resurfacing and restoring key routes, as well as improving the condition of residential roads across the town. With potholes seen as a major nationwide issue, Blackpool Council has been recognised as one of the stronger performers in the UK at addressing potholes across its network.

🔃 A new attraction for Blackpool is taking shape. The Upside Down House, which was given planning approval by Blackpool Council last month, is being built on the site previously occupied by the Theatre D’amour, just to north the South Pier, following the demolition of the puppet theatre in December. The attraction is a two-storey structure which is designed to appear to be upside down on its roof with a slight angle, creating novel scenarios with selfie opportunities inside, such as a bed appearing to be on the ceiling. A first-time novelty for Blackpool, the Upside Down House has already proved a success across the UK and Europe.

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Cash meant to transform Abingdon Street Post Office now used for patch jobs

The former Post Office building

By Michael Holmes

Government cash earmarked to transform Blackpool’s crumbling post office into a four-star hotel is now being used to patch up the decaying building.

Plans to convert the prominent Grade II-listed building into a £26m Indigo Hotel collapsed last September - after £1m had already been spent - when the developer realised the scheme would be too expensive to pull off.

The three-storey building, designed by architect Walter Pott and opened between Abingdon Street and Edward Street in 1910, has fallen into disrepair since closing in 2007.

Reportedly owned by Fylde-based businessman Joe Thompson, it was due to be sold to developer Ashall Hospitality, part of Cheshire-based Ashall Property, using £8m of government funding and then transforming into an “upscale” hotspot for visitors.

But the grant cash was later used by town hall bosses to buy the building “to secure and safeguard its future”, the council said last year.

And now The Blackpool Lead can reveal that a litany of works have been and are being carried out in order to protect the building, which had become a magnet for bored teenagers and so-called urban explorers, from further deterioration.

The building has long been run down, with leaks and rats inside and youngsters occasionally spotted on its roof.

Rick Dewhurst, a development project manager at the local authority, said money from the Local Regeneration Fund will be used to repair the roof to “minimise” leaks and “preserve the … building and limit further damage until a full renovation/development … is carried out”.

And, while scaffolding is up, there will be an opportunity to fix other problems, including brickwork, windows and lintels.