plans, bringing further jobs and economic benefit to the local community and wider region.”
As well as investment in visitor attractions, Blackpool’s hotel renaissance also continues to gather pace.
Originally built in 2018 as part of the first phase of Blackpool Council’s regeneration of South Shore, an extension to the Hampton by Hilton, which opened earlier this year, has seen 74 bedrooms added to the original 130.
The hotel group says the new extension “will support Blackpool’s transformation into a quality year-round destination for families and business travellers”.
A Holiday Inn is being developed as part of the £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration of the town centre will open its doors next Easter.
The 144-bedroom hotel sits next to Blackpool North railway station and above a tramway extension connecting the promenade to its rail services.
Singapore-based developer The Fragrance Group has submitted plans for a new £30m hotel to replace the now-demolished St Chads Hotel, Lyric Hotel and Regency Apartments. The group is looking to create a four-star hotel with 184 bedrooms. It already owns The Imperial Hotel and the Lyndene Hotel in Blackpool, and operates across three continents.
Vikki Harris, Visit Lancashire’s director of marketing and partnerships, says: “Investment in hotels is on the rise. The big hotel developments also help position the resort when it comes to conferences in the new Winter Gardens conference centre. It makes for a strong proposition.”
She also points to the large amount of private investment being made, not just in Blackpool but across the Lancashire coast, including £50m being spent by family-owned holiday park operator Partington Group to create a new luxury experience at Windy Harbour in Singleton.
Vikki says: “It is a huge amount and it is brilliant to see businesses investing so much money and showing so much confidence in our coast.
“We have a strong story to tell and a year round offer. A lot of work has gone on in all the towns on the coast to create that.”
The Gruffalo attraction Blackpool Central
across the town. It is going to be a resort to be reckoned with.” Amanda also highlights the importance of the new hotel stock being delivered. Pleasure Beach has played its role in that, creating new standards with its hotel offering.
The acclaimed five-star, 120-room Boulevard Hotel, opened by the business in 2019, has previously been named as one of the best hotels in the world by travel website TripAdvisor.
Amanda believes good quality hotels are important to Blackpool’s renaissance as a convention destination, following the opening of the Winter Gardens conference centre.
One of the things she would love to see is a return of the political party conferences to the resort.
Amanda Thompson BRITISH RESORT
Amanda Thompson doesn’t much like the term ‘seaside resorts’. She points out that people travelling to Marbella don’t say they are “going to the seaside in Spain”.
The chief executive of Blackpool Pleasure Beach adds: “Rather than seaside resorts let’s call them Great British resorts.”
She believes the title has a more modern feel to it and when it comes to Blackpool she emphasises the ‘Great’.
Amanda highlights the private investment coming into Blackpool and says: “Look at everything we are doing, the new hotels which are coming
THE ‘GREAT’
When it comes to accommodation, her business is currently working to try and get council planning permission to convert empty shop units in the shadow of the iconic Big One rollercoaster into short-stay holiday apartments.
These would be managed by the nearby Boulevard Hotel and guests would be able to access its services.
Amanda talks of the continued investment that is being put into the amusement park, which has been named one of the best on the planet. As well as the £4m reopening of Valhalla, this year has seen investment into one of its heritage rides – the 100-year-old Big Dipper rollercoaster.
Aside from adding to its rides, the business has created a Pleasure Beach store with a host of merchandise and boosted its thrill-seeking attractions with offerings that include the chance to walk up the Big One.
Amanda says: “Every year we try to do something new. Since Covid people are looking for more out of their visitor experience.
“What we have to do is provide that for them so they enjoy coming to Blackpool and have a different type of day out.”
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