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Easter reflection from the editor
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
I decided to use the Easter period to write a reflective issue to our subscribers. It’s not so often that we get to do this - we are typically laser-focused on providing you with news that you won’t be able to read elsewhere.
2025 has been a busy year for us. We have launched our new regular history features, broken exclusive stories on a weekly basis and provided a voice for people on the Fylde Coast that wouldn’t otherwise have one.
Our story about the redundancy plans for Blackpool Heritage Tram workers in January brought to light an issue that was taking place thoroughly in the shadows. When a full meeting of Blackpool Council debated the issue in February - they were able to do so because they had read about it on The Blackpool Lead.
We later did the same with Blackpool’s Showtown museum.
Our most-read news story is not about a celebrity, or a murder, or a crash - it is instead an in-depth look at plans to transform central Blackpool.
Ambitious plans to transform swathes of central Blackpool - one of the country’s poorest areas - to tackle poverty and dilapidation were put under our microscope.
The 32-page document highlighted Blackpool Council’s long-term vision for the area which has “the worst combination of social, economic and demographic deprivation” in the town.
Both of those pieces were written by Michael Holmes. Michael lives in Blackpool, raises his kids in Blackpool and walks his dog in Blackpool. He’s a fantastic, thorough investigative reporter who shares my passion for making sure people in this town are as well-informed as they could be.
He is a former editor at The Blackpool Gazette but left a few years ago, staying in journalism. He’s award-winning for both his writing and his photography and it’s brilliant to be working with him.
A story close to my heart is that of Alistair Taylor, who was found dead in October 2024. We spoke with his family at the time of his death and they didn’t wish to speak at the time or see his name in the news, something we respected in not publishing the tributes shared to social media. Not all news publishers in Blackpool did the same.
But his name came up when The Blackpool Lead was reading over the documents provided for the Multiversity public inquiry and it soon became clear Alistair, before his death, was in a long dispute with the council over the forced sale of his home.
The council believes it behaved properly but the family want to see the authority questioned when an inquest into his death takes place.
Blackpool Council was accused of 'insidious' tactics to force sale of home before young dad's death
Most recently I’ve been working with campaigners in Fleetwood about the impacts of the Jameson Road landfill - a problem nobody with any authority wants to take responsibility for.
While Transwaste, who operates the site, simply refuses to accept there are any health risks caused by odours and gases from the landfill, residents feel differently and do not feel like they are being listened to.
This happens a lot, but the only written report from the meeting held at Fleetwood Town Football Club in April came courtesy of The Blackpool Lead. We are listening to the people of Fleetwood and will continue to do so as long as their fight continues.
These are just a small selection of articles we have written this year that you simply weren’t able to read from the more established news outlets that operate in Blackpool.
We produce this on a platform that is free of annoying ads that bring your phone or computer to a halt, and with headlines that are free of clickbait.
There are fewer journalists than ever plying their trade in Blackpool but we think, thanks to the efforts of reporters like Michael, proper old-school reporting is alive and well at The Blackpool Lead.
We can only keep doing this with your support - so please consider a paid subscription to The Blackpool Lead.
Thanks and we hope you’re having a great long weekend.