We fell in love down at the pier
Is Blackpool on the up?
Many years ago when I was working in a marketing agency we pitched for some work on the Blackpool supercasino project. Had Blackpool’s supercasino bid been successful it would have meant the creation of thousands of jobs and, in turn, bring millions into the town coffers.
The supercasino project, however, was ultimately shelved. This was back in 2007, so quite a long time ago, yet at the time I recall the project being seen as something which would save the resort, much in the same way that John Lewis replacing Preston Bus Station was a thing.
Reading the Office of National Statistics latest numbers about the resort, therefore, has been both good and bad.
Figures posted for May 2024 show Blackpool as having a lower employment rate than the rest of the North West…..and yet the unemployment rate was also lower? The number of people claiming unemployment benefits was also lower.
2019 statistics showed that Blackpool was the third most income deprived town in England, with 46 out of its 94 neighbourhoods, constituting 20% of the most income deprived in the country. And walking around it feels like not much has changed in the interim time.
It’s a hard pill to swallow when you look at this week’s report showing how visitor numbers are up.
The problem is that the footfall numbers are based on day trippers. Fewer people are staying over. And it’s heartbreaking when you read that footfall was up 41% in July. That is a huge increase. Visitor insights state that 23 million people visited the Promenade area in 2024.
Blackpool has striven to improve its free events:
The Airshow
The Illuminations Switch-on
The World Fireworks Competition
Christmas by the Sea
And yet despite the greater footfall and the high, positive attendance at these free event, the town still screams “poverty stricken” around every corner.
My assessment was last Friday and we had a great conversation about my intentions and how I really don’t want my work to become all about what’s wrong with Blackpool. I want the joy to shine through and if not the joy, then at least a body of work which projects humour in the face of adversity.
As a consequence I’m now looking at Tripadvisor comments. Whereas my autobiographical self wants to jolly things up with the addition of song lyrics (see every blog post title since day one), I am now fascinated by the notion of introducing people’s reactions to Blackpool. Certain words crop up with depressing frequency; prostitutes, weed, dump, awful, cheap, rubbish, skunk, drugs, theft. The illuminations are described as underwhelming, tired and unimaginative, most of the route is boring, you see better displays in people’s gardens.
On the positive side;
The beach was spotless, the sea clean and warm,
Beautiful place to watch a beautiful sunset,
Blackpool Illuminations, in our opinion a must see at lest once in a lifetime,
Although Blackpool itself is quite run down we still enjoy having a walk round the shops, going in the arcades, getting a chippy and having a look at the illuminations for the day and keep going back,
It is what it is. Love it or loathe it. Yes, most of the illuminations are old and been seen since forever, but on a cold, wet Saturday in November, they were fabulous.
And that’s how Blackpool makes me feel. Sunny, rainy, cloudy, snowy….it is fabulous.
I revisited the David Hockney immersive art show yesterday….and watched it twice over. I still cried…I couldn’t write down his words of wisdom fast enough
“The world is very very beautiful if you look at it but most people don’t look.”
And my favourite, “Colour is joyful, and I want my art to be joyful actually.”
Amen.