Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Today we report on the sentencing of Ryan Ferguson, a man from outside of the town who has repeatedly appeared to lead and help organise protests.
In two high-profile instances this year, his behaviour prompted strong responses from the communities he specifically targeted but Lancashire Constabulary deemed legal action was not viable.
But Merseyside Police dragged him to Magistrates’ Court this week, and such a high profile return to Blackpool now seems significantly more unlikely.
Blackpool briefing
💷 Almost £1m has been secured to protect heritage in Blackpool with the former Post Office on Abingdon Street and Church of the Sacred Heart benefitting.
£850,000 will be invested, thanks to government funding, to bring the Post Office to life as a community-led cultural and creative hub.
And £145,866 has been allocated to the church from the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.
Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, said: “As we bid to be UK City of Culture 2029, this funding lays important foundations. Our heritage isn’t a souvenir, it’s the foundation for what comes next.
“It’s time to change the narrative of our town and show Blackpool in a new light.”
🌲 A new innovative food destination for Blackpool is to be launched next month in the form of a vibrant Christmas Market.
The ambitious Southbeach Street Food project features 19 converted shipping containers on a site directly opposite the Sandcastle water park on South Shore seafront.
It was originally hoped the scheme, which will include food concessions ranging from Thai and Mexican to Spanish tapas and Italian food, would open in Easter this year, with the date then put back to June.
But the physical preparations needed for the groundwork have taken longer than anticipated and now it will launch with its special winter programme – the Christmas Market.
A major step forward in Blackpool’s most ambitious development proposals – the £300 million Blackpool Central project – looks set to finally be revealed in the New Year.
That is when the chosen developer is set to be unveiled, followed by some of the major project ideas expected to follow.
The Blackpool Central scheme has been referred to as the perfect blank canvas on which to develop exciting leisure-led proposals, on land ready-made for development near the seafront of the UK’s top holiday resort.
Blackpool Council has had to bounce back from the huge setback of the original developer, Nikal, collapsing into administration in 2024.
Before that happened, a number of exciting project were being considered, including a flying theatre and an indoor theme park.
However, since nikal collapsed, the council has pushed on, appointing leading marketing consultants Newmark HDH and theleisureway in October 2025, who have been working with the council to promote the development potential both nationally and internationally.
Persistent protestor Ryan Ferguson, who repeatedly cited Adolf Hitler, appears in court for sentencing
By Luke Beardsworth
When Ryan Ferguson came to Blackpool in January, he posted a video to say ‘no blacks’ would be welcome at the protest.
That video was reported to Lancashire Constabulary but police declared that they considered the remarks to be legal.
In August, Ferguson turned counter-protestor and appeared to cite Adolf Hitler before saying trans people ‘need slaughtering’.
Lancashire Constabulary said that the contents of the video shared did not meet the threshold to be classed as a criminal offence. That decision was strongly criticised.
But at South Sefton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (13 October), it was decided that if he engages in such hateful behaviour in future, he will be sent to jail.
Ryan Ferguson, 26, of Barberry Crescent in Netherton, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing to be sent by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter, contrary to section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.
The court heard that between 12-15 January, on 6 April and on 14 April, Ferguson posted ‘grossly offensive’ stories on Instagram - they included a Swastika and inflammatory and offensive imagery of Adolf Hitler.
He was also convicted of intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission of a summary offence (battery) relating to a post in which he promoted the assault of police.
He was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, meaning if he behaves there will be no time behind bars. Ferguson will also be made to wear a GPS tag for the next six months.
But a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) will run until 3 August 2030 and means that any repeat of the behaviour seen in Blackpool is likely to land him in jail.