Back to the drawing board for Blackpool Pier Company after appeal thrown out by government
Not the outcome Blackpool Pier Company were looking for.
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Today we report on the outcome of an appeal made by Blackpool Pier Company in response to Blackpool Council’s refusal to allow them to build new rides at the entrance.
You may remember that we first reported on this back in July - when Jamie was the only reporter who was present. That meant we were able to hear in real time the arguments from both parties.
Blackpool Pier Company said the rides would allow them to better fund repairs. The council said they aren’t spending the amount that is quoted on repairs in the first place.
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Blackpool briefing
🛎️ New plans for a luxurious hotel on Blackpool seafront has sparked renewed interest in another hotel project already granted planning permission – but still not built after two years.
On Friday ambitious proposals were announced for a stylish four/five star hotel, designed by noted architect Joseph Boniface, which was still going through the planning process. The hotel has been earmarked for a seafront site whose location has yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, another ambitious four-star hotel scheme for a £30m hotel on Blackpool Promenade was given the go-ahead by town hall planners back in April 2024.
At that time, the developers pledged to start work as soon as possible on the 143-bedroom hotel on a Promenade site previously occupied by the demolished St Chad’s Hotel.
The applicant was the Singapore-based hotel chain Fragrance Group, which owns some of Blackpool’s most prominent hotels, specifically The Imperial Hotel and the Lyndene Hotel.
Alistair Shepherd, representing the Fragrance Group, told the planning meeting in April 2024 that if the scheme was approved, work would begin on site straight away.
🎥 Proposals to use part of the former Odeon Cinema building in Blackpool as a storage facility have been lodged with planners.
The former Odeon multiplex on Rigby Road permanently closed on June 5, 2023, after its lease expired. However, in June this year more than half of the building was re-opened as a major entertainment complex by operator Tenpin.
The Tenpin site includes 24 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, an immersive 4D laser tag arena for high-energy group battles, Houdini’s escape rooms, private karaoke rooms, a games arcade, modern darts, a children’ play area and a bar with light bites.
In spite of this, there is still considerable space left in the other side of the building which currently lies vacant. The building’s owners, Preston-based developer Austringer Capital, which operates locally as AIM Land Ltd, have been advised by property agents that only two uses would be deemed appropriate to fill the premises – either cinema use or storage.
A planning application for a nine-screen cinema has also been submitted, as a separate proposal.
🍺 Blackpool is to get a vibrant, new Irish bar which is set take over the premises of the former resort mainstay Brannigans Bar.
The new venue, to be called Nelly Mulligans, is being launched at the Market Street site by the operators of Ma Kelly’s, who have established a string of popular outlets in the town. Brannigans Bar, which for many years was one of Blackpool’s busiest weekend venues, closed earlier this year.
Nelly Mulligans will be offering live music seven days a week, live screenings of all major sports, multiple giant screens, drinks offers and bar snacks. Andy Johnston, marketing manager for the project, said the new venue would be different from Blackpool’s existing Irish bars by being a predominantly live music venue, which will also screen major live sports events.
He said: “It’s a live music venue which will include single performers, live bands, Irish acts and commercial acts as well.
“We’ll be screening plenty of live sports and there’ll be lots of Irish drinks, including excellent Guinness, proper Irish Tayto crisps and some really good merchandise. This will be the place to go for an out-and-out good time in Blackpool.”
No opening date has been confirmed yet.
Back to the drawing board for Blackpool Pier Company after appeal thrown out by government
By Jamie Lopez
The company responsible for South Pier has said it will consider how to refine its plans after a planning inspector agreed with Blackpool Council’s decision to refuse permission for new rides.
Blackpool Pier Company, which also owns Central Pier, wanted to operate a Star Flyer and Log Flume either side of South Pier for six months each year but was refused planning permission by the council.
In rejecting the applications, the local authority concluded the plans would harm the character and appearance of the area; constitute piecemeal development; harm the heritage assets of the pier and Blackpool Tower; and go against its own development plan for the Promenade.
Following a three-day public hearing in Marton, government planning inspector Paul Freer agreed with the council’s decision and rejected an appeal.
In a statement shared with The Blackpool Lead, the company said it was disappointed with the decision but welcomed recognition of the financial challenges it faces in maintaining the historic structures.
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