Inside the 24-page document that shines a light on Blackpool's battle with crime
PLUS: The latest on the Multiversity project and our recommendations on what to do for the week ahead
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Today we report on a 24-page document that shines a light in factual terms on the town’s battle with crime, what’s being done to tackle the big problems and where is most affected.
It ranges from sexual offences and child exploitation through to anti-social behaviour and petty crimes but this article is undoubtedly the most in-depth reporting done on crime in Blackpool for years.
We also report on the very latest on the Multiversity project.
Blackpool battles surge in sex attacks and petty crime, report reveals
By Michael Holmes
Blackpool is grappling with a surge in sex attacks and petty crime, a new report has revealed, with a resort MP calling for more police officers on the streets and a top councillor appealing for an inquiry into child exploitation.
A 24-page document freshly compiled by town hall chiefs has shone a light on some of the resort’s murkiest corners - revealing a string of serious concerns.
They include:
A 10% rise in all sexual offences in 2024, with an 18% increase in reported rapes;
More children being exploited by criminals, including drugs gangs, with reports up 64% year-on-year;
A 4% hike in reports of anti-social behaviour made to police;
The 24/7 McDonald’s in Bank Hey Street in the town centre being a potential crime hotspot, with 51 anti-social behaviour incidents reported last year;
The town’s worst known shoplifter - whose name has not been revealed - escaping a prison sentence despite being charged with 15 offences;
A 12% increase in residential burglaries;
“High levels” of beggars and street drinkers;
Corner shops selling illegal tobacco and dodgy vapes; and
So-called ‘bandos’ - the climbing of empty and tall buildings, including the old post office in Abingdon Street and the magistrates’ court in Bonny Street, by youngsters.
Chris Webb, Labour’s MP for Blackpool South, told The Blackpool Lead: “The rise in certain types of crime, including anti-social behaviour and exploitation, comes down to a range of factors.
“Firstly, there’s a rise in reporting, as Lancashire Constabulary has made itself more accessible.
“It’s clear we also need more police on the streets - particularly in the town centre - and this is something I am pushing for.
“Undoubtedly, after 14 years of austerity and cuts to local services, the deprivation and other socio-economic challenges faced by our communities have a huge part to play.”
Webb added: “The government recognises the urgent need to tackle these challenges directly. It is actively working to ensure local police forces are adequately funded and staffed.
“We are also investing in local youth services, education and community engagement programmes, which are crucial in preventing crime and aiding rehabilitation.
“Tackling the root causes of crime, such as poverty and lack of opportunity, is a priority.”
The council paper, which looks at the performance of Blackpool’s Community Safety Partnership, also tells of the action resort bosses will take to get to grips with the crimewave.
There will be “increased lighting” and four new CCTV columns will go up - in Dickson Road, Springfield Road, Bloomfield Road and Lytham Road.
Twenty new radios have been handed out in the town centre to help the Business Improvement District communicate better.
The ten most prolific street beggars and drinkers are being targeted, with community orders sought to put a stop to their behaviour.
And shops caught dealing in illicit tobacco and vapes will be shut down.
Cllr Paul Galley, leader of the Conservative opposition at the town hall, said he was “shocked” at the statistics revealed in the report, including around child exploitation and rape.
He said: “Blackpool has a serious problem with sex-based crimes. How many more victims will it take before we get real action? We need an inquiry now - not more excuses.”
Today, The Blackpool Lead delves deeper into the new report, whose purpose was to “consider the performance of Blackpool’s Community Safety Partnership”, and asks questions of the authorities involved in tackling crime on our doorsteps.
The Community Safety Partnership - dubbed BSafe Blackpool - is a partnership between the council, police, fire service, probation service and others; it is required to protect the community from crime and help people feel safer.
There are no crimes that fall outside the partnership’s remit but every three years it is given priority areas by the police after a public consultation.
The current priorities are violence and serious violence, sexual offences, rape and prostitution, domestic abuse, anti-social behaviour, child sexual and criminal exploitation, burglary, road safety, serious and organised crime, counter-terrorism and domestic homicide.
Sex attacks
The number of sex offences has risen 10%, with 87 more attacks reported in 2024. There were 54 more rapes reported, a rise of 18%, while there were 33 more “other sexual offences”, a rise of 5%, the report says.
There was a 19% increase in historic rapes (historic meaning the rapes happened at least 12 months before being reported), which is said to be down to “successful high-profile convictions (being publicised) in the media over the past few years”.
There was a 23% drop - and 19 fewer reports - in historic “other sexual offences”.
Domestic Abuse
Training is being developed on non-fatal strangulation so it can be rolled out in schools across Blackpool. It comes after the offence was “highlighted as an issue whilst training at Blackpool and The Fylde College with young people who think this is ‘normal’ and acceptable”.
A fourth cohort of domestic abuse champions, who know how to help victims properly, will be trained in May, adding to the 40 volunteers already at the council.
And a new Women’s Safety Group is meeting bi-monthly and aims to “work with partners around taking a zero-tolerance approach to violence and abuse of women and girls”.
There was a 3% drop in domestic abuse incidents (111 fewer) in 2024, though the number of domestic abuse crimes rose 7%, with 287 more reported.
Domestic abuse incidents are disturbances where no laws have been broken but have been reported - such as a heated argument between two brothers.
Domestic abuse crimes are disturbances where a law has been broken - like when a heated argument descends into physical violence.
Blackpool and The Fylde College was contacted for a comment.
Anti-social behaviour
The Talbot, Bloomfield and Claremont wards are the worst for anti-social behaviour (ASB), according to the report, accounting for 42.4% of all ASB in the town.
In total, ASB incidents increased by 4% to 8,733 in March 2024 to February 2025.
Talbot
Church Street is at the centre of concerns, with 95 incidents (8.5% of ASB in the Talbot ward). Some 13 incidents reported in the street had no business or location reported. But Costa Coffee had 10 and Marks & Spencer had nine.
Costa and M&S were approached for a comment.
Bank Hey Street, home of the Tower, had 84 reports, with McDonald’s the “stand-out repeat location” with 51 incidents.
It comes after several high-profile incidents at the branch in recent years.
In October, a man was stabbed at the open-all-hours fast food restaurant, with another man, in his 20s, arrested on suspicion of wounding, common assault and having a knife and drugs. A video uploaded to the internet showed tables in the eatery covered in blood.
Two years ago, a man was charged with murder after Daniel Allsop, 38, was beaten before collapsing at the branch.
And in 2016, a 35-year-old man from St Annes was jailed for nine months after trying to film up schoolgirls’ skirts as they queued for food.
Cllr Galley said: “Anti-social behaviour is spiralling out of control, with Talbot Road and McDonald’s on Bank Hey Street identified as crime hotspots. Retailers are suffering, residents feel unsafe and criminals are mocking a justice system that fails to hold them accountable.”
McDonald’s told The Blackpool Lead the figures are not necessarily an accurate indication of crimes happening at its restaurants because some people use them simply as reference points when calling 999.
A spokesperson said the fast food giant takes a “zero-tolerance approach to violence towards our employees and customers”.
They added: “We work closely with the police and community leaders to help ensure our restaurants are a welcoming and safe environment for all.”
Bloomfield
Almost 20% of all ASB in the area happened in Lytham Road, with Tesco Express having 13 incidents and Ma Kelly’s having nine. The report says: “The remaining incidents are spread between various hotels, bars, stores and food outlets on the street.”
Claremont
Ma Kelly’s in Talbot Road had 36 reports in 2024 (3.7% of all ASB in the ward), followed by Blackpool North railway station (33 reports), the Trilogy nightclub (21) and the Garlands pub (14).
Dickson Road had 93 reports (9.6% of ASB in Claremont). The report says: “ASB on Dickson Road is not necessarily down to one or two repeat locations. Many businesses, many of which are licensed premises, are the location for the 93 reported ASB incidents.”
A council spokesperson said: “(Council enforcement) officers would much rather work with a business to address any crime or anti-social behaviour taking place on or near to their premises by working in partnership, rather than enforce in the first instance, but this depends on the severity of the nuisance.
“Officers would expect any business to take reasonable steps to mitigate any issues at their premises.
“A good example of partnership working with a local business was with Ma Kelly’s on Talbot Road. There was a huge problem with begging and street drinking outside the premises. A survey of the area was carried out by a community safety officer who saw that the open smoking area was providing a shelter for beggars to easily approach patrons of the night-time economy walking past and going into and out of the premises.
“The officer secured funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund and joint-funded the cost with Ma Kelly’s’ owner, which meant anyone using the area didn’t get approached by aggressive beggars. It also made it easier for door staff to monitor.
“If a business isn’t willing to work with the council to address anti-social behaviour or crime happening at their premises, then officers can take enforcement action using various powers.”
Types of anti-social behaviour
Domestic abuse is the number one reason for ASB reports made to the council, with 300 recorded in the past 12 months, followed by “open to access” (118), “other ASB” (108), drug use (104) and neighbour disputes (94). Other ASB includes begging/vagrancy (86 reports), drug dealing (67), rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour (57) and drug cultivation (51).
“Open to access” means an empty property has become accessible to the general public and poses a health and safety risk.
Action taken to tackle anti-social behaviour
The council’s public protection officers handed out 227 community protection warnings and 22 community protection notices between February 2024 and February 2025. There were 14 successful civil injunction applications, with five for aggressive begging and rough sleeping, seven for exploitation with the power or arrest and ban from a defined area, and two for high-risk domestic abuse.
There was one extension to a criminal behaviour order for aggressive begging.
Criminal behaviour orders, which replaced antisocial behaviour orders - commonly known by their acronym Asbos - can order people to stay away from a certain place, to stop spending time with certain people, to improve their behaviour, including by going to a support group, and to fix damage they caused to someone’s property.
The orders last from 12 months to three years for children or up to indefinitely for adults, though they are reviewed every year. Breaching them can result in up to five years in prison.
One home, at 142 Spencer Court, was slapped with a partial closure order - where the people living there can stay but others are banned from entering.
And two shops were shut down for “selling illicit tobacco, underage sales and/or illegal vapes”. They are listed as 116 Caunce Street and “Town Centre Kiosk”.
Meanwhile, police have issued 29 community protection warnings, four community protection notices, 18 criminal behaviour orders and one closure order.
Operation Centurion, a police campaign to tackle ASB across Lancashire, focused on Brunswick. The area is now “bigger and extends from Central Pier to the Gynn roundabout”.
The number of ASB incidents reported to police has halved since 2019 because of “close partnership working, exceptional problem solving and use of civil tools and powers”, the report says.
And the council said: “It is prudent to highlight that the figures are at a 10-year low. This year’s figures have been compared with last year’s figures.
“The police and local authority always see a rise in anti-social behaviour incidents coming into and during (the) season, when the town has more visitors and footfall.”
Youth anti-social behaviour
A working group has been focusing on tackling anti-social behaviour involving children and has helped cut youth ASB in Brunswick, where more than four in 10 ASB incidents were child-related, the document says.
It adds: “Using money secured through the (police and crime commissioner, public protection) officers have been conducting disruption and support visits to tackle ASB, environmental issues, substandard housing and problematic businesses.
“As of January 2024, youth ASB has reduced by 45% in Brunswick (a hotspot area) and 12% reductions across the town.
“Youth ASB is currently at a five-year low.”
Overall, youth ASB rates dropped 9% last year, figures show.
Shoplifting
Lancashire Police launched Operation Vulture in a response to a surge in shoplifting. From December 1 to March 3 across the whole of Blackpool, 30 arrests had been made and 18 criminal behaviour orders had been made.
In Blackpool South, there were 16 arrests of voluntary attendances at a police station, six breaches of criminal behaviour orders, and six criminal behaviour order applications.
In Blackpool North, there was a “large reduction in … repeat offences due to prison sentences handed down at the start of January 2025. From this point, named offenders drop to one or two per offender”, the report says.
But the biggest offender was only given a community order after being charged with 15 offences.
Another, responsible for five offences, was jailed for six months in January for 20 thefts.
Another, charged with three offences, was bailed until this month.
None were named.
In central Blackpool, shoplifting has fallen recently, thanks to a number of criminal behaviour orders being dished out and five people being jailed.
The Blackpool Business Improvement District (BID) was contacted for a comment.
Cllr Galley said: “Shoplifters, thugs and repeat offenders know they can get away with it. People are sick of seeing the same criminals terrorising our town. I feel sorry for the police, who are forced to deal with the same offenders time and time again.”
He called for tougher sentencing and the introduction of a ‘One Blackpool’ policy to “invest in better housing in all of the town’s poorest wards, ensuring fewer properties are available for ex-offenders and individuals with drug dependencies relocating” to the resort.
He added: “Enough is enough. We need strong political leadership, more support for our police and real consequences for criminals - before our town becomes completely lawless.”
Child sexual and criminal exploitation
Blackpool’s response to child exploitation was recently described by the education watchdog Ofsted as “outstanding”, the report says.
While child criminal exploitation (CCE), where children and young people are manipulated and coerced into committing crimes, and child sexual exploitation (CSE) are not specific crime categories that data from police systems can be extracted from, figures show a 64% rise in reports of CCE (78 more investigations in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24) but a 12.5% drop in CSE reports (21 fewer investigations).
“Of note, we have seen a shift from predominantly CSE to CCE,” the report says.
A town hall spokesperson said: “Most cases of CCE in Blackpool are when young people are manipulated by gangs and criminals into committing crimes, like holding on to or selling drugs, carrying weapons and committing theft or burglary.
“County lines is the most common type of activity, where young people are recruited to distribute drugs into cities into smaller towns like Blackpool and rural areas.
“Blackpool is experiencing cuckooing of addresses, where drug dealers are taking over a person’s property and exploiting them financially and sometimes sexually. These dealers will use young people to make drug collections and sales from the address.”
Cllr Galley said: “Organised criminals are thriving while victims suffer, yet Blackpool Labour disgracefully voted against an inquiry into child grooming and county lines gangs just two months ago.”
Burglary
It has been difficult to get a “formalised working group up and running” to tackle break-ins, the report says, describing the need for improvement.
“The purpose is to bring together key partners to problem-solve burglary as a whole using the ‘victim, offender, location’ methodology and to assist police in regards to prevention and detection,” it adds.
“The Burglary Working Group aims to tackle domestic and commercial burglary and emerging challenges.”
The number of burglaries in total rose 3% in 2024/25 compared to the year before, with 26 more break-ins reported. Residential burglaries went up by 12%, with 61 more reports, though commercial and community burglaries decreased by 9%, with 42 fewer reports.
Road safety
Parents parking on red route lines - which have replaced the traditional yellow zig-zag lines - outside Armfield Academy in South Shore have sparked concern.
While the yellow zig-zags ban stopping between 8am and 5pm, red lines are enforceable at all times, which, it is hoped, will help keep children attending after-school clubs safe from inconsiderate motorists.
Traffic wardens continue to target drivers stopping on the red lines - with the council “looking at other ways of enforcing outside of schools”.
The report says: “Some scoping work has been done on the viability of a camera enforcement car and at this time there are no plans to use an enforcement car.
“Civil enforcement officers still have the option to issue penalty charge notices through the mail in the event of a driver driving off before the (officer) is able to attach a PCN to their vehicle.”
John Topping, community relations and estates boss at the Fylde Coast Academy Trust, which runs Armfield, said teachers were “delighted” with the decision to enforce red lines.
He said: “Being a new school to the area, we certainly needed a series of measures to help curb the unexpected poor motoring practices of a significant minority of parents/carers and local residents.
“This group of motorists on a daily basis compromise the safety of pedestrians walking to school with prams and younger children by their persistent efforts to stop/park their vehicles as close to the school gates as is possible or drive with great speed along Arnold Avenue.”
Topping said a mounted camera would be a “significant advantage in clamping down on this minority of parents/carers who flout the red route line”.
Counter terrorism
The threat level is ‘serious’ after the Southport murders last year, which led to disorder in Blackpool, with Blackpool a priority area within Lancashire.
Performance data is classified and cannot be shared but there has been an independent review of the anti-terror programme Prevent by the Home Office, the document says.
Some 55 trauma kits have been distributed in publicly accessible locations in the town centre - a move that followed the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.
“The hope is that should there be an incident, members of the public/trained personnel can keep people alive using these kits until an ambulance arrives,” the report says.
Serious organised crime
There has been a fall in the number of known crime gangs in Blackpool, the report says, though details are scant. It comes after a crackdown by authorities.
Lighting
Work to upgrade the street lighting in Lytham Road, South Shore, will be carried out imminently, the report says and should be finished by the end of the year.
The Strand is “another area which has been of concern”. The report adds: “This area will also see an improvement in lighting, resulting in four columns being upgraded to LED lights, with the aim to enhance CCTV visibility.”
Ask For Angela
Ask for Angela is a campaign that started in 2016 and is used by licensed premises to keep people safe from sex assaults. Those feeling unsafe or threatened should be able to ask staff for “Angela” - with the code word indicating they need help.
Police carried out a review of pubs and clubs and, from a list of venues that were tested, four did not initiate the ‘ask for Angela’ protocol.
Arson attacks
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has been working with Enveco to get waste removed as quickly as possible - and before firebugs can torch it.
The report says there has been a 38.6% fall in the number of deliberate fires, a 36% drop in deliberate primary fires and 39.5% drop in deliberate secondary fires, though no timescale was given.
Primary fires and generally more serious fires that harm people or damage property, while secondary fires are usually small outdoor fires not involving people or property.
The next 12 months
The report says: “The town centre of Blackpool is currently experiencing high levels of ASB committed by individuals who are begging and street drinking. We are currently targeting the top 10 prolific beggars and street drinkers, seeking community behaviour orders for each individual.
“Blackpool is currently experiencing challenges around faux convenience shops selling illicit/illegal tobacco and non-compliance vapes. Community Safety is currently working in partnership with Trading Standards using closure powers to close premises of concern.”
A council spokesperson added: “Blackpool Trading Standards is committed to continuing the fight against illicit tobacco and will not relent in its intelligence-led approach to disrupting the market, thereby increasing the cost of illicit products and bringing the worst and most persistent offenders to justice.”
Youngsters climbing on rooftops
Youths climbing on the roofs of high buildings and urban exploring in abandoned buildings - known as Bandos - is a “concerning threat emerging in Blackpool”, the report says.
It adds: “It is not an easy task to safeguard against and is a significant challenge given the amount of empty properties in and around Blackpool. Public Protection is looking at applying for civil injunctions for buildings of concern, such as the old post office and Bonny Street courts in an attempt to dissuade youths from climbing up onto them.”
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Final plans for Multiversity set for approval
By Shelagh Parkinson
Final plans for the construction of Blackpool’s £65m Multiversity are due to go before councillors who are being recommending to support the scheme.
As well as delivering a state-of-the-art education campus, the development will see the creation of a new public plaza landscaped with trees.
Outline planning permission for the Multiversity was granted last year but reserved matters for the first phase, submitted last October, are due to go before the council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday April 1.
Members are being recommended to support the application and delegate final approval to the council’s head of development management subject to conditions being met.
Details before the committee include the closure of George Street in order to create a public plaza linking the Multiversity and the council offices at Bickerstaffe House.
The mainly five-storey building is set to fill a wedge-shaped footprint narrowing towards Cookson Street facing onto the proposed public plaza. To the rear of the building, a parking and servicing area would be created on what is now Charles Street.
An assessment of the application due to be considered by the committee says: “The creation of a pedestrianised, landscaped plaza, allowing for emergency vehicle access only, would be a positive aspect of the development.
“Such a plaza would link into the public realm currently being created to the west, and the existing green space to the north. It would provide an attractive civic space and some much needed green infrastructure within the town centre. It is therefore a welcomed aspect of the proposal.”
We will dive straight into our recommendations for the week ahead as we know this has been a big issue!
Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoy what’s left of your Sunday.
Luke, Mike, Ed, Jamie, Sophie and the team.
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