'Let us help halt the disgusting decline of Blackpool's sea water'
Plus: Calls for Blackpool to have a major arena, and Chris Webb MP is mugged in London
Year-round testing of Blackpool’s sea water is needed to properly assess the impact of pollution levels.
That was the verdict from both Dr Barbara Kneale, chair of Fylde Coast Against Sewage and Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, after a protest at the Comedy Carpet.
Both Fleetwood Town Council and Fylde Council have provided funding for Fylde Coast Against Sewage to undertake water testing at Marine Beach and St Annes North Beach respectively - but the wait for Blackpool Council to match this commitment continues.
The protest saw dozens gather at the Comedy Carpet on Sunday (3 November) with an overriding message of ‘species, not faeces’ and a call for more stricter measures on water companies that cannot effectively keep our water clean.
We caught up with Dr. Kneale at Sunday’s protest about the push for safer, cleaner, swimmable seawater in Blackpool. Paid subscribers can listen here.
The demonstration in Blackpool mirrored one taking place in London which saw thousands march in blue for clean, safe water.
Kneale told The Blackpool Lead at the protest on Sunday: “As somebody of an age that can remember the sea when it was dirty, and then how proud we were when we got our Blue Flag, it’s disgusting that it’s been allowed to slip back into dirtiness again.
“If the bathing water has got pollution then you can’t swim in the water, you’re advised not to paddle in the water. I wouldn’t advise that your children play in the sand, because the water mixes with the sand.”
A Blackpool Council spokesperson told The Blackpool Lead: “We have met with representatives from Fylde Coast Against Sewage. We are always keen to work with organisations who share of our aim of improving the quality of our bathing waters.
“Following our meeting we are looking at what support they can offer and where it could have the greatest impact.”
Chris Webb told The Blackpool Lead: “Last week I wrote to Blackpool Council in support of Fylde Coast Against Sewage and its efforts to fill the gaps in the Environment Agency’s water quality testing along our coastline.”
He added: “In a meeting with council representatives this summer, I urged representatives to work with FCAS to extend their testing to Blackpool. I am pleased to hear that the group has since met with the council’s head of coastal and environmental partnership investments but is awaiting further instructions on whether the council will fund its testing – it only requires a relatively small pot of money.
“In my letter, I urged the council again to allow FCAS to begin this important work as soon as possible. It is vital that we gain a better understanding of the state of our sea so we can hold those who continue to pollute it to account.”
Pollution, particularly from sewage, impacts residents and visitors alike in Blackpool. Blackpool Council estimated that more than 20 million people visited in 2022.
But while the testing from the Environment Agency means that we know that Blackpool’s sea water was unsafe for visitors for at least 59 days this year, testing only took place for a 153-day period between May and September. It is this gap that Fylde Coast Against Sewage wants to work with Blackpool Council to fix.
Kneale said: “We have many swimming groups along the coast who swim not just between May and September [when the water is tested] but all year round. They haven’t been able to go out swimming. The brave ones that have, have ended up being poorly with diarrhoeal illness so it has a big impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and it spoils people’s holiday.
“Fleetwood Town Council funded us to do water testing up at Marine Beach and Fylde Council funded us to do water testing at St Annes North Beach - this is good.
“We are trying to get Blackpool Council to give us some funding to do some testing at Blackpool - although that’s been a little bit harder. Although I have to say Chris Webb is supporting us there in lobbying the council.”
Welcome to The Blackpool Lead on a Wednesday!
The Blackpool Lead has been sent once per week, every Thursday, since we began in January.
This made a lot of sense when we were getting started and finding our feet but over the last month, it’s become apparent that we’re writing more news than should realistically be contained in one weekly email.
And Blackpool is definitely not some sleepy town in the hills where pretty much anything can make the news.
So from today, we will be emailing on you a Wednesday and Sunday, offering more for our paying subscribers in the form of additional content and recommendations, and generally doing more for our readers whether you’re a paid or a free subscriber.
We rely on your support to keep this going and welcome any contribution from a share among friends to a monthly subscription.
Today we look at the plans for an arena in Blackpool to perhaps rival anything in Liverpool and Manchester, and an assault on the MP for Blackpool South.
Paying supporters also gain access to our sit-down interview with Dr Barbara Kneale of Fylde Coast Against Sewage.
In the coming weeks we will be attending every single day of the Multiversity public inquiry to best give a voice to residents struggling through that situation.
Chris Webb 'attacked and mugged' by masked group in London
A Blackpool MP was the victim of an assault in London by a ‘group of masked youths’.
Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, was returning to his London-based flat yesterday evening (4 November) when he was ‘attacked and mugged by a group of individuals’.
Webb praised the efforts of officers from the Metropolitan Police who provided him with support after the incident.
He said that he did not suffer any injuries as a result of the attack but has been left without his phone.
Webb told The Blackpool Lead: “At 10pm last night, as I was returning to my flat in London from work on foot, I was attacked and mugged by a group of five or six masked youths on bikes.
“They stole my phone but luckily I have no injuries and I am ok.
“I want to thank the Metropolitan Police Service for their swift response and support. The officers who assisted me went above and beyond and are a remarkable credit to the force.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told The Blackpool Lead: “Officers were called at 21:55hrs on Monday, 4 November following reports of a robbery in Lambeth.
“The victim was approached by a group of men who stole his phone from his hand.
“Enquiries remain ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD7685/4 November.
“You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Blackpool could support 'state-of-the-art' indoor arena to rival Manchester and Liverpool
Blackpool should follow in the footsteps of Manchester to build an indoor concert arena, according to one of the town’s MPs.
Blackpool South MP Chris Webb says he is supporting the idea after it received backing from many residents on social media follow the apparent collapse of plans for a £300m leisure complex on the Central Station site.
The scheme to redevelop the 17 acre site with theme parks and hotels was dealt a massive blow when it was revealed last month developer Nikal Ltd had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.
Previous visions for the site – including to build a super-casino – have also failed. However buildings including the former police station and magistrates court remain on track to be demolished meaning the site will soon be fully cleared.
A 1,306 space multi-storey car park opened on the land in May this year.
Mr Webb raised the uncertainty facing the development at Business Questions on Thursday (October 31) in the House of Commons, and said he also hoped to hold talks with Culture, Media and Sport minister Lisa Nandy.
He said: “There is a big push from residents who would like to see a state-of-the-art arena built in Blackpool, and I want to explore how the government could work with the private sector.
“We have seen how transformative the Co-op Arena has been in Manchester and everyone I have spoken to has raised the idea of having an indoor arena in Blackpool.
“It would be something on that site that doesn’t compete with other tourism offers, there is parking there already and road links straight in from Yeadon Way. The demolition of the police station and magistrates courts is still going ahead.
“However it is going to need a bit of public investment and I am looking at how the Co-op Arena was funded.”
A cordon was established and a controlled explosion carried out after potentially explosive chemicals were unexpectedly discovered at a property.
The chemicals, some of which were not explosive, were found during a house clearance at Nutter Road in Thornton-Cleveleys on Monday (November 4) and reported to police just after midday.
A cordon around the property was established by police - who called in disposal teams to assist with the incident.
A controlled explosion was then carried out on Cleveleys beach. Police said that they believed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery of the chemicals.
One of Blackpool’s oldest pubs was in danger of collapse after its historic frontage was found to be crumbling away.
Restorers discovered the alarming situation at The Lifeboat Inn on Foxhall Road after work began to repair the building earlier this year.
Planning permission was already in place for the renovation, but Blackpool Council then agreed emergency work could be carried out to demolish and reinstate a new wall after it was discovered pebbles from the beach had been used as part of the frontage.
The restoration must include replacement of the pub’s original features including doors, sash windows and reinstatement of Corinthian capitals and replacement of decorative architectural details.
Plans for the scheme have now been formally approved, with a council planning report saying the damage had been covered up by plaster and was partly due to the building’s exposed location near the seafront.
Detailed designs for what will be Blackpool’s newest hotel have been unveiled and look set to get the go ahead from town hall planners.
The scheme would see a five-storey apart-hotel with 266 bedrooms built by applicants C1 Capital Partners Ltd and Mottrom Estates, whose current brands include Hilton London Olympia and a Mercure hotel in Northampton.
Permission has already been granted for the development opposite the Winter Gardens, but reserved matters including detailed designs inspired by Blackpool’s Art Deco heritage are now going before the council’s Planning Committee.
Architects Studio Moren says in a design statement it has used strong facade geometry to “achieve a contemporary building of its time and place” including a corner feature on the junctions of Adelaide Street with Leopold Grove, and Adelaide Street with Alfred Street.
Thank you for reading the first ever Wednesday send of The Blackpool Lead.
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Luke & Ed