Illuminations row escalates as cost of Llewelyn-Bowen designs to taxpayer set out

Llewelyn-Bowen's contributions to the Illuminations have come under fire from the Conservative leader of the opposition

Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.

If you didn’t read our preview of the by-election in Bispham this week, it’s worth looking at irrespective of where you live. It serves as a snapshot of what campaign notes candidates for each party will look to hit. You can read it here.

Today we look at the row between Illuminations designer (and other things) Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Conservative leader at Blackpool Council Paul Galley. It’d be fair to conclude that this has turned a bit spicy over the last few days.

We did what we do and dug into Blackpool Council’s spending over the last two years (so you don’t have to) so we can even tell you how much this has all cost the taxpayer. You get to decide if it’s worthwhile.

In December, we are offering 20% off the price of a subscription if you make it as a gift to somebody else. You can read about our special Christmas offer here. Not sorted Christmas yet? Give the rare gift of being properly informed.

Blackpool briefing

🍺 Fresh proposals to build a completely new version of the former Yates Bar on Blackpool’s South Shore promenade have been lodged with planners. The original plans to extensively revamp the locally-listed, Art Deco pub drastically changed after the whole building had to be demolished. The ambitious multi-million pound regeneration of the former Yates Wine Lodge, at 407-411 Promenade in South Shore, was expected to see much of the original building, which had fallen into disrepair, retained. But the condition of the property was much worse than originally believed. Chronic deterioration of the concrete and steel structure of the building meant that the original infrastructure could not be made safe.

⬇️ Plans for an attraction called the Upside Down House are back in the pipeline for Blackpool. A new application has been submitted to Blackpool Council’s planners after earlier proposals were withdrawn in October. The Upside-Down House 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. The applicants are still hoping to set the attraction up close to South Pier, but at a different location to their previous plans, switching the proposals from a site previously occupied by Karting 2000 to a spot north of the pier, previously used by the former Theatre D’amour.

🛎️ A prominent St Annes hotel in need of significant renovation looks set to be replaced by a high quality apartments development, if plans get the go ahead. The Monterey Beach Hotel, on North Promenade, was snapped up this year after being offered for £2.2m by agents Christie and Co. It had been run by the same family for more than 30 years but was sold due to their impending retirement.

---

Illuminations row escalates as cost of Llewelyn-Bowen designs to taxpayer set out

One of the new Illuminations designs for 2025. Credit: Blackpool Council

By Luke Beardsworth and Richard Hunt

A Blackpool councillor has hit back at TV personality and Illuminations designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in an ongoing row over the town’s famous lights display.

In a new attack on Llewelyn-Bowen’s designs, he takes particular umbrage at the Lusch Puppy design which features dogs wearing dresses.

In October, Cllr Paul Galley, leader of Blackpool’s Conservative Group, criticised the designer’s work on the Illuminations and said the town deserved better.

He said that money, which in the 2025 calendar equates to around £25,000 according to data seen by The Blackpool Lead, should have been used to bring colour, energy and excitement back to the world-famous Illuminations had instead been ‘squandered on a vanity project’.

One of the councillor’s targets was Llewelyn-Bowen’s 2025 addition, Lusch Puppy, a canine-themed feature. The designer also created some smoke-breathing dragons this year.

The comments prompted a response from Llewelyn-Bowen last week, in which he called the councillor “out of touch”.

The designer, who became nationally known through the TV programme Changing Rooms and has been the Creative Director of the Illuminations since 2010, said the councillor wanted to keep looking backwards.

Llewelyn-Bowen told the BBC: “I’ve always ensured that we keep the heritage as part of the display. I think that’s a very important commitment to the legacy, but I love the idea of moving forward.

“We are different people now and I think it’s funny that he (Mr Galley) thinks we should keep the clock turned back.

“I’ve strived right the way through my tenure to make sure we are embracing modern technology and I absolutely think the illuminations should always reflect the fact that all of us have different tastes.”

But this week, Cllr Galley said: “Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen says I’m ‘out of touch’ for questioning his illuminations. If standing up for Blackpool residents and visitors makes me out of touch, I’ll wear that badge proudly, unlike dogs in dresses, which many feel belong on a fashion catwalk, not the Promenade.