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Blackpool Central Redevelopment

No coasters though...so it is not a real indoor park, just a big screen, market, hotel(s) and other leisure.
Opening is in stages, over the next ten years, if it all ever happens.
I think the current sea front stuff is the last to go, and Merlin gets an invite into the final complex due to the current seafront lease.
 
rob666 said:
No coasters though...so it is not a real indoor park, just a big screen, market, hotel(s) and other leisure.
Opening is in stages, over the next ten years, if it all ever happens.
I think the current sea front stuff is the last to go, and Merlin gets an invite into the final complex due to the current seafront lease.
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It's absolutely going ahead this one as Blackpool council are heavily involved. I somehow don't see them refusing themselves planning permission. Hahahaha.

It's long long overdue this project too and probably should have been done a decade ago. That whole area is an absolute dump.
 
Think I have said before, but it's so weird how involved Blackpool Council are in the running of the town. Buses, trams, Winter Gardens, Tower, Sandcastle.

Good or bad, you might argue.
 
I think on balance it’s been a good thing. If you look at the improvements made with them involving Merlin, it seems to have turned around some declining/poor attractions.

if there was a thriving market then I’d argue differently, but I just don’t think that level of private investment exists nowadays in order to drive innovation.
 
I think Blackpool have it right, don't have to expect private developments to do everything as they'll do it for the minimum quality max profit, the council seem half decent
 
I am not opposed per se, just makes me wonder how viable these attractions are if private operators aren't interested in owning or running them. As long as public services aren't impacted by a bad tourism year, I'm alright with that.
 
Matt N said:
I’ve always looked at places like the Nickelodeon Universe parks over in the USA, and thought that this country could really use something similar, and I think a Nickelodeon Universe-style park would work really well over here, what with our somewhat inconsistent climate
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The other side of that though is that there is something thoroughly depressing about spending the whole of a warm sunny day inside out of the sun. We value our warm sunny days so much the last thing we want to do is spend them out of the sun, and through the busy tourism months sunny days really aren't that rare.

I remember Sega World (or whatever it was called) at the trocadero in London, it was always dead when it was warm, and was often quiet outside of tourism peak summer months, and that's in the middle of Londonn.

You run the risk of building something people dont want when they are there, and would want when they aren't there. Both leave you with a limited customer base.
 
pluk said:
The other side of that though is that there is something thoroughly depressing about spending the whole of a warm sunny day inside out of the sun. We value our warm sunny days so much the last thing we want to do is spend them out of the sun, and through the busy tourism months sunny days really aren't that rare.

I remember Sega World (or whatever it was called) at the trocadero in London, it was always dead when it was warm, and was often quiet outside of tourism peak summer months, and that's in the middle of Londonn.

You run the risk of building something people dont want when they are there, and would want when they aren't there. Both leave you with a limited customer base.
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On the flip side of that; dependant on what’s on offer, could it potentially pull people during a typical tourism off-season when outdoor attractions are either closed or possibly not as desirable to visit?

Also, this attraction is likely to rely less on tourism “seasons” than the Trocadero Centre, as even though the Trocadero is in the centre of London, that might actually work to its disadvantage, as based on all of the other major London attractions, it likely had very limited accessibility by car. I’m not sure of the exact specifics of Joypolis at the Trocadero, but based on most attractions in London, I’m guessing that there was very little car access. As such, it likely had to rely a lot more on inner-city tourism to London than it might have done had it been built outside of London and had easier car access.

Joypolis also looked quite small in comparison to your regular indoor theme park, which might not have helped in terms of pulling people there.

If people can get there by car with reasonable ease, then I think it could perhaps generate a busy crowd during the colder months, or on rainy days.

The aforementioned example of the Nick Universe parks in America, as well as other places like Galaxyland in Canada, seem relatively successful, so I think a substantial indoor theme park could work in Britain.
 
I guess it all comes down to if this will be a ‘destination’ in its own right.

The majority of tourists in Blackpool are there because it’s Blackpool and it’s a seaside holiday, they then visit the various attractions that are available whilst they are there. But those individual attractions aren’t necessarily the reason they booked the trip in the first place.

This new ‘indoor park’ is going to have to be a big enough pull to attract people to visit a cold, wet, damp semi-closed seaside town in the off months. That’s a big ask.
 
Blackpool does have the longest tourist season in the UK, all the way up to November usually - and beyond that this year with the extension due to covid - (Maybe December Illuminations will continue if it is successful)

And even in the spring/summer months there are plenty of cold/windy/wet days in Blackpool.
 
Also the amusement park they do have is limping along already. Clearly not really able to support one park, why would you have a business case for another??
 
Im sure Blackpool has enough to cater for an indoor park, thats like saying that they have a large amusement arcade there is no need for another one.

As long as the product on offer is good then this should be fine, its something else to do when the 6 days of the year its to cold to sit on the beach and the pubs arent open till 12 lol
 
Poisson said:
Also the amusement park they do have is limping along already. Clearly not really able to support one park, why would you have a business case for another??
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The Blackpool thing isn't an amusement park (though the video did imply some small coasters) more of a bunch of themed experiences. So a different offering. Not a chance the council would've ok'd something if they thought it would seriously effect another one of the towns main tourism draws and employers.
 
Spark said:
Im sure Blackpool has enough to cater for an indoor park, thats like saying that they have a large amusement arcade there is no need for another one.

As long as the product on offer is good then this should be fine, its something else to do when the 6 days of the year its to cold to sit on the beach and the pubs arent open till 12 lol
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All the (six?) 'spoons in Blackpool open at 9am for a full english with your first pint.
 
John_P said:
The Blackpool thing isn't an amusement park (though the video did imply some small coasters) more of a bunch of themed experiences. So a different offering. Not a chance the council would've ok'd something if they thought it would seriously effect another one of the towns main tourism draws and employers.
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I was more aiming it at the idea floated above of being like the Nick parks in Americalandshire
 
Rick said:
A bit more info here - https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/new...ashire-leisure-destination-moves-step-forward

I didn't realise it would come all the way out to the prom. That's a pretty grim stretch though, arguably the Merlin buildings are the least offensive.
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My understanding was the only section being demolished was the Mr. B's/Mr. T's/Star/Golden Mile Amusements building.

They'll have to sort out a replacement car park before work starts on anything else, anyway.

Rick said:
Think I have said before, but it's so weird how involved Blackpool Council are in the running of the town. Buses, trams, Winter Gardens, Tower, Sandcastle.

Good or bad, you might argue.
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They also bought Houndshill 18 months ago.

Rick said:
I am not opposed per se, just makes me wonder how viable these attractions are if private operators aren't interested in owning or running them. As long as public services aren't impacted by a bad tourism year, I'm alright with that.
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The issue wasn't that there was no operator interested in owning or running them, the issue is that person was Trevor Hemmings. He also owned (among other things) Pontins and the American Adventure.

By retaining ownership and mid-term leasing the attractions out they're able to ensure investment regularly happens - which had languished under Hemmings' ownership.
 
Plus it means all profits returned to the council can either be reinvested into the spaces or used to plug the enormous shortfalls their having to make up due to central government slashing the money being given to them.

I remember back around 2010 going the Winter Gardens for a gig and half the place seemed derelict. Went back for a work conference in 2018 and the place had been completely modernised and improved with plenty of event spaces.
 
Winter Gardens is without a doubt a success story, I am a member of their society which is usually quite active but (obviously) not so much this past 12 months.

When times are good it sounds ideal, unnerves me slightly when there is a situation like the one we find ourselves in.
 
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