Two boys, 13, arrested on suspicion of arson after hotel fire
PLUS: A £400,000 bill for a fishing trawler deemed to have accidentally cut an internet cable running from Ireland to Blackpool
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Today we report on one of those fires. The ones that have the Facebook commenters rushing for “insurance job”. Every town - but especially those in the north - sees this type of fire.
Unfortunately, when buildings lie derelict for years on end, they attract squatters and they attract kids and that’s exactly what happened with the Carlton House Hotel.
It’s little wonder then, that some feel the fire was inevitable.
An investigation will take place and two young teenagers have been arrested.
Elsewhere, the owner of a fishing trawler has been asked to cough up half-a-million by Virgin - who say they took legal action to serve as a deterrent to others. Find out why below the top article.
Fire at long-derelict Blackpool hotel was ‘inevitable’
By Luke Beardsworth
Two boys aged 13 have been arrested as police investigate a fire in Blackpool.
Emergency services flooded the junction of Queen Street and Abingdon Street in Blackpool on Saturday (27 September) after the former Carlton House Hotel building was the scene of a fire.
Crews battled the fire through the night to make the scene safe.
The damage to the building is significant and there was also some lesser damage to the Blackpool Council-owned Allandale House which neighbours the property.
Police confirmed to The Blackpool Lead on Tuesday (30 September) that two boys, aged 13 from Blackpool, had been arrested on suspicion of causing arson with intent and have been bailed pending further enquiries.
The investigation into the fire continues.
The Carlton House Hotel has been derelict for well over a decade and is privately-owned. Despite this, Blackpool Council and Lancashire Constabulary have intervened in the past to remove squatters from the building.
A spokesperson for Blackpool Council said: “The Carlton House Hotel is privately owned. Blackpool Council owns the adjacent property (Allandale Hotel).
“We are currently assessing the damage to the Allandale.”
The row of hotels which includes the Carlton House Hotel and the Allendale has been the site of concern for some years due to their dilapidated state.
Cllr Gerard Walsh, representing the Conservatives for Squires Gate, spoke in 2023 of the impact the site - which is close to Blackpool North Station - has on visitors to the resort.
At the time, Blackpool Council’s leader Cllr Lynn Williams said that she shared the concerns but that plans to redevelop the site had fallen through - not least because of issues relating to ownership.
Cllr Paul Galley, leader of the Conservatives at Blackpool Council, said the fire was inevitable.
He told The Blackpool Lead: "The Carlton House Hotel and the neighbouring Allendale have been like a scar on Blackpool’s face for years. It was almost inevitable that this fire was going to happen. Only last week at Full Council I raised the dire state of the Allendale, which is shamefully owned by Blackpool Council itself.
“This is a perfect example of how, under Blackpool Labour, large parts of our town have been left to rot. The fact the Council owns one of these buildings is a disgrace. With compulsory purchase powers at their fingertips – powers they have used elsewhere – the Council could and should have seized control of the Carlton and regenerated that entire corner plot. Instead, they stood back and let this tragedy unfold.”
The Blackpool Lead contacted Cllr Lynn Williams for her view of the situation but did not receive a response.
Recommended reading this week
💡 The BBC has taken a look at images of the illuminations through the years - including one image taken as far back as 1893 where you can see Blackpool Tower is still under construction. Have a whizz through here.
💷 Whether Levelling Up 2.0, or Pride in Place, Layton and Grange Park are in for up to £20m of government funding as part of plans to renovate pubs, parks and buildings. Josh Halliday from The Guardian went for a mooch around Little Layton. Expect from The Blackpool Lead on this in the neat future.
🚯 How to help your community: Children from three Blackpool nurseries took part in the national Great British Beach Clean Up, collecting litter along St Annes Beach while spotting wildlife and learning how even small hands can make a big difference. Story from The Gazette here.
Owner of fishing boat lumped with £400,000 bill after accidentally cutting underwater cable
By Michael Holmes
A fishing boat trawling for scallops off the Fylde coast accidentally cut an internet cable running from Ireland to Blackpool - with its owners now hit with a hefty repair bill.
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