Excellent news today, and the first thing I can say is about bloody time. I wrote JDW an email a few weeks ago and they said they were keen to open in Blackpool but were unsure of where or when.
I am a huge fan of JDW; clean friendly pubs with a nice atmosphere, friendly service, good food and ale at sensible prices. Until now we were the only big town in the North West without a JDW.
However their announcement is not without it’s critics namely local pub NIMBY Dave Daly who has been trying to block JDW from Blackpool since 2007 when they were first granted a licence. What is he so afraid of? The Castle is a world away from a family-friendly JDW in all ways.
Other commenters on the Gazette have criticised the announcement citing the Council’s deeply flawed ’saturation policy’. I am no fan of the saturation policy because while I agree with the idea in principle I feel it has been poorly implemented. I do agree Blackpool has some problems (like any big town with a lively nightscene) with binge drinking and alcohol abuse but that is no reason to introduce a blanket ban on pubs and bars opening. This means when a pub/bar closes then a new owner buys up the site the Council wants to refuse licences, that makes no sense.
The policy should judge new bars/pubs/clubs independently. It should not be ‘Another new pub application, REJECTED, NEXXXXT!’. It should be judging applications on the basis of the quality of the proposed establishment.
But anyhow WELCOME TO BLACKPOOL, JD Wetherspoon, I only wish other companies had as much confidence in Blackpool, like Caffe Nero for one!!!
Tags: alcohol, council, nimby, public perception
Haha, up yours Dave Daly!
Over the moon about this too. Mr and Mrs Zim are none drinkers but have always enjoyed a bite to eat or a coffee in a Wetherspoon’s pub.
They will also fill a big hole on the seafront. It’s been a good 2010 already for Blackpool, we have TJ Hughes and Wetherspoons and today the Pleasure Beach announced that Hot Ice is coming back this year.
Precisely that was my first though when I picked up the Gazette this afternoon, finally that gap has been filled because those two units were proving near impossible to fill. Daly is there banging on about how ‘Pubs and retail don’t mix’ but what retailers would move into that unit when it is hidden away from the main shopping areas, it will be in a great location for people coming off the Promenade.
The location is perfect and depending on how they did it they could have nice upstairs windows with a view!
In fact you could probably just about wave at Dave Daly from there!
Precisely, it will be great when the Tower Headland opens.
To true and visitors will be seved ale at sensible prices
Hi BlackpoolRockSeller!
One of the pro-smoking brigade has stated ‘Wetherspoon only thrive because they pander to families being more like restaurants and kindergarten’. Rubbish I say, they thrive because they are clean, modern pubs with a nice atmosphere. I went in Hamish’s bar once (2006) not by choice for a work thing on the way into town and it was awful, the atmosphere was disgusting and the staff were not exactly friendly. Most of the pubs in Foxhall are like that as well as I know from experience. So do I want to go to somewhere like that or a nice modern clean JDW, not a tough decision really. It will look great when the Promenade is finished.
Absolutely TB, who wants to get covered in other people’s smoke when you want to have a natter or a drink with friends.
My sentiments exactly Zim Flyer, I have been to plenty of pubs that aren’t Wetherspoons and they are decent establishments. A few of my personal favourites; The Dunes, Farmers Arms in South Shore, O’Neills in town isn’t bad, The Crescent in St Annes and I love country pubs, The Roebuck Inn in Bilsborrow is a great pub and Guys Thatched Hamlet is always packed and not just the food sections. The only pubs which are ‘dying out’ are the grotty old rundown dives where people just go and drink and smoke all day.
I’m in favour too. We’re always hearing how we’re better off with something than an empty building – and I’m not convinced by that argument. But despite the number of drinking establishments already in Blackpool I have always found JDWs to be clean and well-run pubs and the location is fantastic. A huge improvement on “pricebusters” – the epitimy of low- budget cheap Blackpool where nowhere would choose to shop if they could afford to go anywhere else. I know we need the likes of Pricebusters – just not on the Prom where it shows so much and says so much about the state of the town.
Great news all round then – TB fancy writing to anyone else? It certainly seems to be working. And when you’ve got Blackpool sorted St Annes could do with you too!
I would like to hope it has had some impact but apparently they have wanted to open here for ages. I have written to Pizza Express and they sent a friendly email saying they are always willing to consider new locations, Nandos said the same with a generic automated reply and Caffe Nero sent me an email saying they are keen to open in Blackpool but are struggling to find a suitable venue and the rates are too high. But the pleasant man from Caffe Nero who emailed me was keen to stress that contrary to Gasjet sensationalisation ‘Caffe Nero are NOT ‘too posh’ for Blackpool’. This had something to do with when Paul Maynard wrote to them and the Gazette got hold of the story. But funnily enough I go on the Gasjet archives and it doesn’t even exist.
Mmmm. Is the Crescent that one over near the Whitesides office? If so it stinks of old people: you know that horrible stale smell.
Never been in the Farmers but I know it used to be a bit rough. Dunes is ok. Don’t know why Guys is always busy since its so expensive but you’re right it’s been busy whenever I’ve been there too. I heard they host quite a few corporate events there so maybe its because of that.
I think the thing that is overlooked with regard to JDW is that it’d be more of an eatery than a place for a Stag + Hen lash up.
I can tell you now that if you compare Dave Dalys prices with JDW in St. Annes, he is cheaper so if Daly loses business it wont be because of his pet hate – ‘drinks promotions’. Maybe he just fears a high quality modern pub on his doorstep because he might have to spend some money on his own outfit to get it up to standard, but I have said all along that once a few quality places set up shop then everywhere else will be forced to follow suit.
Look at the Travelodge invasion, and this new prospective 200 room place right next to the Winter Gardens. That place is going to obliterate the trade in that area like on Albert Road and Adelaide Street because it’ll be new, modern and have facilities; most of which your average B+B does not have. I reckon if those B+Bs dont go upmarket then they will face a somewhat rapid death.
Another thing I love about JDW is that they voluntarily introduced a smoking ban before the national launch, all credit to them there. Dave Daly is a joke, he has persistently being trying to block this Wetherspoon for his own gains. I have never been in The Castle and have no desire to, I prefer a pub with a bit of class, a bit of quality. But I have seen some right weirdos hanging around outside there. The Castle is basically just a drinking den for stag and hens and rowdy football fans. Also I am so sick of seeing Daly getting all high and mighty abour drinks promotions, his pub advertises drinks promotions.
You’re right about the location of the Crescent pub in St Annes – only been in it once so I can’t really comment but seemed to be ok pub stuff.
The nightclub that’s underneath (don’t think it’s open now) has something important in it – think it might be the foundation stone for the town of St. Annes on the Sea but my mind’s not very clear on that.
Is that the Vogue?
No – I remember now – it’s the Tiles I think. Must be losing my mind – I was at Sainsbury’s opposite only two days ago.
Who needs a memory when you have google.
Yes – it was the foundation stone of St Annes being the first public building in the town.
Thanks to the Lytham St Annes Express here:
http://www.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/feature-of-the-week/Fylde39s-Missing-Heritage-The-St.1117729.jp
This is just a pub not the second coming? There are hundreds of Wetherspoon up and down the country has Blackpool gone that far down to make this so important?
You’re right there may be hundreds of Wetherspoons up and down the country but Blackpool is about the only big town I know without one along with a host of other chains. So it is important from that point of view plus there is a lack of decent pubs in the town centre in the daytime.
it’s also the location of the building it will occupy, it sends out a good message to see this building open for business.
Precisely, I hate seeing empty units everywhere especially prime sites. Next target should be the Palatine Buildings where there are FOUR empty nightclubs (Jellies, Palace, Linekers and Klub DNA) and two cheap shops. Why can’t we just demolish or at least redevelop that site and do something with it? However I do remember in 2007 the Noble Brothers (ala Coral Island, Funland) applied for planning permission to convert those buildings into a casino and leisure complex but surprise surprise the idiotic Labour council led by anti-Blackpool crusader Roy Fisher slammed the door on them because of the stupid supercasino. Now we are left with nothing. God help us if Liebour ever get back in.
Well ‘we’ can’t just demolish it because ‘we’ don’t own it – and rightly so. However, that’s not to say that the complex is not i) an eyesore, ii) a dump, iii) smelly and severely lacking in desirability…
It’s been said before that the building is ‘iconic’ (no doubt a meme started by The Gazette, recognising that any erection older than a decade is part of our heritage). In some ways, this is true. Therefore, it’s critical that a benevolent and flamboyant millionaire with more money than sense steps forward and makes an irresistable offer for the building to its present owners and then redevelops it before some mong applies for it to become a listed building. Of course, redevelopment makes an assumption for demand for commercial property…
Some excellent points I just wish a millionaire or a developer would buy it up and make something of it because it is a horrible building well past its sell-by date.
It says something when we make a big song and dance about Wetherspoon finally making it in to the town centre. I’d have preferred one in a different location – being next door to the Tower Lounge, you know it’s going to be surrounded by knobheads at the weekend – but it’s a good location for Wetherspoon. Plenty of space for them. I don’t think they’ll mess about with their door policy, although I’m sure the Licensing Committee has got its own plans for Mediaeval restrictions on the place already.
Anyway… Back to Wetherspoon and their presence in the town centre: we’ve lost some high street names in recent years and we struggle to attract de facto names that can be found in the town centres of many smaller places across the UK. Why is this? We need nakedly honest information to understand our situation better.
Let’s have a look at who has gone:
- Virgin Rail
- Tchibo
- Co-operative Bank
- House of Fraser (Binns)
- Mecca Bingo
- Burger King
- Somerfield
- Harvey’s Furniture
Some names that should be here and can be found in smaller town centres across the country:
- Nando’s
- Pizza Express
- Footlocker
- Gap
- Caffe Nero
- Moss
- Office
- Schuh
- Sony Centre
- Krispy Kreme
Not an exhaustive list, but you get the idea. I realise that a number of those aren’t realistic – Pizza Express and Moss, for example – because we just don’t have the clientele, nor is it realistic to expect that they will travel from afar when there are stores closer to home, but Jesus H Christ… Some of those names are fairly ubiquitous in other town centres. Why not ours?
Very good comment John Bickerstaffe, I can explain some of those disappearing; Tchibo has virtually closed down all operations in the UK, Mecca I don’t know but there is another on Talbot Rd, Harveys has moved to Squires Gate Lane, Burger King (no explanation!) I wrote to with no reply, arrogant sods. The others I can’t explain.
As for the names that aren’t here I totally agree I would like to see all of those and more. I think we have the clientele for Pizza Express, Preston’s got one and Preston is hardly upmarket. Plus we have affluent areas of Blackpool, then Fylde and parts of Wyre. But I see what you’re saying you can go pretty much anywhere else and you see these names but not here and it really annoys me.
There’s a pizza express in Lytham – maybe they think that’s enough? Same re Cafe Nero.
I don’t understand why we haven’t got more big names in Blackpool though. St Annes has declined shopping wise and I would think that was because it’s terrible to park in. Lytham is a bit better but not much. Blackpool isn’t great to park but it’s much easier to get on a bus so it’s a much better location for any upmarket stores. And nobody’s mentioned Waitrose yet – we could really do with one as Booths in Lytham isn’t anywhere near the standard and everything’s so expensive without actually being good in there.
And what about shops such as Zara?
Some good points Frustrated. Blackpool used to have Pizza Express where Bella Italia is on Church St. I would love a Waitrose on the Fylde Coast but they only ever seem interested in London and the Home Counties. They are regularly voted ‘Britain’s favourite supermarket’ etc but how can they be when they represent such a tiny proportion of the population. Everytime they open a wave of new stores most of them are in London (where they are on every corner already) or in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey etc. So I wrote to Waitrose asking for some Lancashire stores and got some automated tripe like ‘Due to the sensitive nature of our new locations we are unable to divulge any further information’. I wouldn’t say there is enough Caffe Neros; Preston has 2 of them, Lytham and St Annes each have one and yet not the main town of the Fylde Coast, and it does my head in because I really like Caffe Nero. Funny you should mention Zara, I read a retail report for the Talbot Gateway on the Council Planning Applications site and it mentioned that Zara is a retailer which seeks representation in Blackpool.