Comments on: The £220million question http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/ Right-leaning Blackpool blog covering South Shore, North Shore, Marton, Bispham, Cleveleys and the rest of the Fylde discussing politics, local life, tourism, national issues and the rest of the world. Lively discussions encouraged! Tue, 22 May 2012 16:29:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: True Blackpudlian http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5110 True Blackpudlian Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:30:08 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5110 I would only accept a conference centre as part of another development, I would like something like an arena which people like me can acutally use and it would boost our visitor economy because people would come from all over to see shows and events. This would attract a better class of visitor as well that could use our shops, cafes and restaurants too. But I hope the snowdome will be a step in the right direction for entertainment/leisure facilities. I never shop in Preston because I think its a dump, Manchester and Liverpool are much better value for money. I parked my car in Whitefield the other day (just outside Bury) with free parking, £3 return on the Metro tram and a 10 minute ride I was in Manchester and had a full proper day out, beats Preston for me anyday and made me realise where Blackpool could be with the right ideas. I would only accept a conference centre as part of another development, I would like something like an arena which people like me can acutally use and it would boost our visitor economy because people would come from all over to see shows and events. This would attract a better class of visitor as well that could use our shops, cafes and restaurants too. But I hope the snowdome will be a step in the right direction for entertainment/leisure facilities. I never shop in Preston because I think its a dump, Manchester and Liverpool are much better value for money. I parked my car in Whitefield the other day (just outside Bury) with free parking, £3 return on the Metro tram and a 10 minute ride I was in Manchester and had a full proper day out, beats Preston for me anyday and made me realise where Blackpool could be with the right ideas.

]]> By: Philtheone http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5109 Philtheone Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:28:28 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5109 I should add that this doesn't mean I think there should be no arenas or other leisure facilities. Something like that would be great, but with the council lashing large sums of money into the Winter Gardens, perhaps that could be used for these purposes. I should add that this doesn’t mean I think there should be no arenas or other leisure facilities. Something like that would be great, but with the council lashing large sums of money into the Winter Gardens, perhaps that could be used for these purposes.

]]> By: Philtheone http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5108 Philtheone Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:25:20 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5108 People don't only go to Preston because of the retail experience which I would concede is only slightly better (although their Debenhams is a lot better than ours). They go because Preston is easier and less stressful to get to than Blackpool and it's cheaper to park. Getting locals to use the town centre is a very important issue, and with the cost of parking and terrible road systems they're going the right way about discouraging it. The town would gain from a conference centre provided it was actually able to attract regular conferences. Given the accessibility of the town, I'm not sure about whether that would work, but I would welcome a conference centre nonetheless. People don’t only go to Preston because of the retail experience which I would concede is only slightly better (although their Debenhams is a lot better than ours).

They go because Preston is easier and less stressful to get to than Blackpool and it’s cheaper to park.

Getting locals to use the town centre is a very important issue, and with the cost of parking and terrible road systems they’re going the right way about discouraging it.

The town would gain from a conference centre provided it was actually able to attract regular conferences. Given the accessibility of the town, I’m not sure about whether that would work, but I would welcome a conference centre nonetheless.

]]> By: True Blackpudlian http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5107 True Blackpudlian Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:24:19 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5107 I agree there I would rather they concentrated retail development around the main retail areas and kept TG for business and leisure. I am furious the bus station is being saved, I just want it flattened, it serves no useful purpose and it is a blight on the landscape. But on the subject of Houndshill, phase 2 is finally going ahead after the centre was purchased by Centros which is a major developer. I agree there I would rather they concentrated retail development around the main retail areas and kept TG for business and leisure. I am furious the bus station is being saved, I just want it flattened, it serves no useful purpose and it is a blight on the landscape. But on the subject of Houndshill, phase 2 is finally going ahead after the centre was purchased by Centros which is a major developer.

]]> By: Philtheone http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5106 Philtheone Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:21:09 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5106 I'd also like to see more shops, but you have to ask whether they would be viable given the current high availability of shop units. It also strikes me as a little unusual that they would build a new shopping centre to compete with the Houndshill that's already having its development axed due to lack of demand and funding. I’d also like to see more shops, but you have to ask whether they would be viable given the current high availability of shop units.

It also strikes me as a little unusual that they would build a new shopping centre to compete with the Houndshill that’s already having its development axed due to lack of demand and funding.

]]> By: True Blackpudlian http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5105 True Blackpudlian Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:20:03 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5105 Apologies my stupid computer posted when I didn't want it to. 2 reasons; 1. There are people who live on the Fylde Coast who are sick to death of Pretend City taking all our retail trade and who want better shops in Blackpool and 2. A conference centre would be a waste of money. Blackpool needs entertainment and leisure facilities like an arena not a boring old conference centre that we residents don't really gain anything from. Apologies my stupid computer posted when I didn’t want it to. 2 reasons; 1. There are people who live on the Fylde Coast who are sick to death of Pretend City taking all our retail trade and who want better shops in Blackpool and 2. A conference centre would be a waste of money. Blackpool needs entertainment and leisure facilities like an arena not a boring old conference centre that we residents don’t really gain anything from.

]]> By: True Blackpudlian http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5104 True Blackpudlian Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:18:14 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5104 The Gazette is acting as though it is big deal, its not as though the planners were going to reject it anyway though. I do support TG but I am annoyed how it keeps getting scaled down, now Wilkinsons and the bus station are being saved (happy days!!!), I want to see more shops in Blackpool because we have a lack of decent ones and better restaurants. Retail and tourism complement each other very well. Also someone once wrote a snotty letter into the Gazette saying 'Did we really need a Debenhams, why not build a conference centre?' 2 The Gazette is acting as though it is big deal, its not as though the planners were going to reject it anyway though. I do support TG but I am annoyed how it keeps getting scaled down, now Wilkinsons and the bus station are being saved (happy days!!!), I want to see more shops in Blackpool because we have a lack of decent ones and better restaurants. Retail and tourism complement each other very well. Also someone once wrote a snotty letter into the Gazette saying ‘Did we really need a Debenhams, why not build a conference centre?’ 2

]]> By: Philtheone http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-5103 Philtheone Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:10:03 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-5103 I can't really be bothered to write another article about it, but the Talbot Gateway has been given <a href="http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Joy-over-220m-Talbot-Gateway.6154353.jp" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">planning approval</a>. All the people involved with it say it's the best thing since sliced bread, but then they would because they're making money out of it and gaining publicity. And Peter Callow is determined to commission a legacy. They say a police station, some council offices and a load of hotels will be a catalyst for regeneration. The artists impressions include things that have already been excluded from the plans, such as a tram link to Blackpool North. Also important to remember is that no money apart from a small amount from the NWDA has actually been secured for any of it. No companies are signed up so far and all of the leisure facilities promised have been dropped from the plans, no doubt replaced by some of the hotels I mentioned here. They also say the bottom of the Talbot Road bus station will become a shopping centre. Because we really need another of those. I can’t really be bothered to write another article about it, but the Talbot Gateway has been given planning approval.

All the people involved with it say it’s the best thing since sliced bread, but then they would because they’re making money out of it and gaining publicity. And Peter Callow is determined to commission a legacy.

They say a police station, some council offices and a load of hotels will be a catalyst for regeneration. The artists impressions include things that have already been excluded from the plans, such as a tram link to Blackpool North.

Also important to remember is that no money apart from a small amount from the NWDA has actually been secured for any of it. No companies are signed up so far and all of the leisure facilities promised have been dropped from the plans, no doubt replaced by some of the hotels I mentioned here.

They also say the bottom of the Talbot Road bus station will become a shopping centre. Because we really need another of those.

]]> By: Zim Flyer http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-4739 Zim Flyer Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:04:15 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-4739 Sadly the tram line down Talbot Road won't happen in the short term but the case for it is strong, especially if we factor in it's alot cheaper to build that short line and connect Fleetwood and Cleveleys with a railway station then rebuild the entire railway line to Fleetwood. We wouldn't need central gov money for it either we could pay for it with a soft loan from the European Investment Bank. Sadly the tram line down Talbot Road won’t happen in the short term but the case for it is strong, especially if we factor in it’s alot cheaper to build that short line and connect Fleetwood and Cleveleys with a railway station then rebuild the entire railway line to Fleetwood.

We wouldn’t need central gov money for it either we could pay for it with a soft loan from the European Investment Bank.

]]> By: Harold http://philtheone.com/2010/03/the-220million-question/#comment-4733 Harold Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:53:50 +0000 http://philtheone.com/?p=1815#comment-4733 when they do flatten it, make sure the callows and fowler are there to experience it, lol when they do flatten it, make sure the callows and fowler are there to experience it, lol

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