Shipping container street food hub to draw objections
PLUS: Woman enjoying holiday left with life-changing injuries in Prom crash
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Today we report on plans for a new street food hub to come to Blackpool.
Similar to Abingdon Street Market in concept - but not the same - the plans are set to draw objections from United Utilities and public health bosses.
As ever, we’ve gone under the skin of those plans by carefully scrutinising the public documents.
We also have a report on a man - from Cheshire - who has been jailed after leaving a woman with lifechanging injuries in Blackpool.
Street food hub plan for Blackpool to come under the microscope
By Michael Holmes
A new trendy food hub could be given the go ahead on the Prom in South Shore this week - but water firm United Utilities and public health bosses worried about obesity levels both hope to throw a spanner in the works.
Developers want to use 19 shipping containers - both single and double-storey - to build Southbeach Streetfood on part of the council-owned Flagstaff Gardens.
Councillors originally gave the thumbs up last year but work has yet to start and now revised plans, which outline a number of changes, have been submitted.
But the bid will have to be discussed at a local authority meeting on Tuesday because of three objections by neighbours and one from United Utilities, which said “proposed features are directly over critical … wastewater network infrastructure”, including a pumping station, sewer mains and associated large sewers.
It added: “The amended layout proposes features (that) are still being sited over existing assets, including manholes which will restrict United Utilities’ access to our infrastructure.
“This is a legal requirement for general maintenance but also for access to the site in the event of an emergency.”
An email from United Utilities planner Adam Brennan to planners said there are also fears over the smell of stagnant sewage, with seating proposed directly over manholes.
The council’s public health team has also objected, saying plans to serve dishes from across the globe, including Mexico, Spain, Italy, India, Korea, China and Thailand, “may not come to fruition and the spaces would end up offering the same traditional high fat, sugar and salt food that is already available in the town”.
“To help support the health of the residents, Public Health want to see the transition of food outlets across Blackpool from the majority of unhealthy deep-fried foods to more wholesome global street food offerings and want to work with new businesses to review menu content, food quality, sourcing and cooking methods in order to offer healthier choices,” documents said.
“This is not evident within this proposal and therefore Public Health object…”
Citing the area’s problem with obesity, they said “a further 10 food outlets would be detrimental to the health of the Blackpool population”.
They added: “It is appreciated that this is located on the Promenade and aimed at the tourist population, but we have to acknowledge that this would also attract the local residents.
“On reviewing the area, there are sufficient pubs/cafes/fish and chips/Indians etc in the immediate vicinity and so there are already plenty of food offers available.”
Three residents at 1A Simpson Street and 377 Lytham Road also voiced their concerns, arguing that Flagstaff Gardens is one of the last open green spaces on the Prom.
They instead want a site between South Pier and an adjacent casino to be used.
And they argue that, with parking a struggle nearby, nothing should open unless neighbours are given permits.
Nevertheless, planners have recommended that councillors on the planning committee approve the development - on the condition that a report is put together to explain how access to United Utilities’ infrastructure will be maintained and how it will be protected against building work.
Directors at the proposed attraction, Nick Lowe, Jamie Willacy and Andrew Bradshaw, have responded to the objections.
They said the site has been “generally unused by the public”, with the grassy part “only used as a dog toilet”.
“Our initial presentation was that, although this is public open land, it is unused and the benefits of the development would far outweigh the loss of an unused and unappealing open space,” they wrote in a statement lodged with the council.
They also said that most customers will be tourists and “we are not intending to be a takeaway venue but rather a destination for high quality, authentic street food delivered in an ethical, considerate and sustainable way”.
They added: “We are looking to source as many of our ingredients as we can locally, not only to minimise our carbon footprint but also in an attempt to ensure high quality ingredients (the first step necessary for a healthy food offering) and to boost the local economy.
“We intend to offer portion choice to not only minimise waste but as a healthy option. We will cater for all food tastes with healthy alternatives including vegan, vegetarian and low-sugar, for example.
“It is true to say there are probably a good deal of poor quality, unhealthy food offerings in the area but rather than Southbeach Streetfood adding to that problem, we rather hope it will motivate those with poor offerings to improve their standards and choice of healthy alternatives in the light of increased competition.
“The net result should be better quality, more health and diverse food available.”
The directors also promised to maintain access to the underground water facilities “at all times”.
The new venue, which would be open from 10am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday and 10am to 10pm on Sundays and bank holidays, would sell food from around the world and have seating for hundreds of foodies.
There would also be a stage for music and events, and screens for big sports games.
And there would be roof terraces and a canopy and balconies.
Thirty full-time jobs would be created, documents pledge.
The plans were put forward after town hall bosses asked for ideas for the site, which is between Withnell Road and Osborne Road and once housed Carnesky’s Ghost Train.
A similar street food court opened in the old Abingdon Street Market in the town centre last May and has proved to be a hit.
There are many changes proposed to the plans for Southbeach Streetfood, many of them minor.
They cover fencing and security, with locations plans also amended.
Arguably the biggest change would be to the number of seats, with an extra 104 covers proposed, taking the total to about 525.
The planning committee will meet to make a decision at the town hall at 6pm on Tuesday.
Your reminder that there were no elections in Blackpool on Friday, but there were in neighbouring Lancashire County Council.
That means that areas like Poulton, Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Lytham were all able to elect new county councillors.
Reform UK took control of Lancashire County Council and, frankly, it wasn’t even a tight contest.
In Wyre, Reform UK took seven out of eight seats available with only Poulton-le-Fylde bucking the trend and returning a Conservative.
In Fylde, the Conservatives had a stronger showing and returned four out of the six available seats. Reform UK took the other two.
You can see what that means for neighbouring Lancashire County Council below.
Jaguar driver from Cheshire spends afternoon drinking in Blackpool before mowing down woman
By Luke Beardsworth
A Cheshire man who spent the afternoon boozing before mowing down and seriously injuring a woman on Blackpool prom has been jailed.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Blackpool Lead to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.