In the aftermath of the convenient fire that took out the “for sale” Grand hotel last year, the neighbouring Paris Casino was one of the victims, leaving up to 60 staff out of work.
Yesterday the almighty Gasjet revealed that the council was trying to kill this business completely by only granting the owner a 4 year lease on the new Bloomfield Road premises that he wanted to renovate. Why? Because they want him to locate his casino and his investment in the New and Improved™ Winter Gardens.
On the face of it this is a good idea, but for owner Pierre Coulon it’s a shocker. How is he supposed to obtain and pay off lending for a term as short as 4 years? It’s not viable, and it doesn’t look like the council will let him set up his business anywhere else.
Being the jobsworths that they are, they have said that a casino is a “town centre use” and it’s more than their job’s worth to actually help a local business that has suffered great loss due to Blackpool’s arson epidemic.
Was it not a town centre use when he set it up then? Was this how they managed to get businesses into the Houndshill, by refusing to give them leases if they didn’t move there? Is another example of Blackpool Council’s underhand, counter productive planning tactics after the Starr Gate debacle and Carnesky’s Ghost Train farce?
Making local businessmen like Mr Coulon jump through hoops and over obstacles like this is not conducive to a successful booming local economy.
We all know that Trevor Hemmings piled into the Winter Gardens in the hope that he’d have a prime location for a supercasino in Blackpool and that gamble failed to pay off, but why must the council keep harping back to gambling venues anyway?
Blackpool is not Las Vegas, no matter how often you tell us, no matter how many jollies you get off the back of saying it, and no matter how many failed casino bids there are.
I agree Blackpool is not Las Vegas and I wish they would drop this ‘Las Vegas of the North’ thing, it is as farfetched as Preston’s ’3rd city of the North West’ vision. I was firmly against the supercasino and I don’t support any casinos in the town centre. I have no problem with a few outside town like the Grosvenor but I don’t want them taking over. I think it would be bad for Blackpool. The best thing that can be done with the Winter Gardens is modernise it and I support the plans to turn it into a mixed use retail/leisure complex.
CASINO – does not mean just gambling. The modern casino is an entertainment destination. – I have been involved with casinos all over the country and it’s not about losing your life savings anymore.
London Clubs International/MGM & Gala etc: have some fantastic venues that are an experience in cabaret / entertainment and dining with a great atmosphere.
The Winter Gardens would be an ideal location but is this really down to the council that has come up with this idea or one of the “World Class Operators” proposals as part of the knock on once they are awarded the Tower Operators Contract. ?
Your spot on True Blackpudlian.
Winter Gardens =
Virtually derelict Pavilion Theatre
Under used Arena Hall
Under used Horseshoe Concourse
Under used Baronial Hall
Under used Olympia
Under used Victoria Bar
Under used Galley Bar
All prime targets for renovation.
I agree they are all round entertainment attractions. I would have no problem with part of the WG becoming a casino. As you point out there are so many parts that all need renovation and they could be utilised for different uses.
Fair enough, but the way the council have basically kiboshed MrCoulon’s casino business means it wont be his casino in the Winter Gardens. He’s not going to sit around for 4 years waiting, nor is he going to take out a load of borrowing with a bank for a 4 year casino venture.