We know from recent weeks that Peter Callow has been out and about exploring the late night entertainment available in Blackpool, and that his council website has been advertising choice dens of iniquity as “things to do” in the town; but now the desperate council leader has had his sights reflected back into the abyssal farce of 2005 and has come up with a stellar idea for night-time entertainment. Yes, he believes the time is right for another shot at a supercasino.
Peter has suggested that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats both supported Blackpool as a location for a supercasino and that this coalition between Cameron and Clegg has opened the door for Blackpool to start promoting itself as an ideal location for one. Cue endless research jollies to Atlantic City and Las Vegas and lots of highly paid consultants in designer suits.
They’ve had 5 years to come up with a plan B, and in 2010 now that the government money has dried up we’re back to this. The money for the Talbot Gateway is now gone and Peter’s got no more to spend on stupid schemes that nobody wants. So now he wants private investors to come in and spend money on even grander schemes that nobody wants.
This probably has a lot to do with the council’s acquisition of the Winter Gardens – after all, the chance to create a supercasino was Trevor Hemmings’ motivation for buying it in the first place. Would it be fair to suggest that they have discovered that it’s going to cost so much to renovate it for conference purposes that the casino gold rush is the easy way out? Perhaps there has been no interest in using it for conferences given the poor state of other facilities in the town, or the council have decided that gambling will provide a quicker return on investment.
We had a hint of their intention back in February after council pen pushers put the kibosh on Pierre Coulon’s plans to reopen his casino on Bloomfield Road after the unfortunate arson attack at the Grand Hotel wiped out his business. He was told that he could only have a 4 year lease and would then have to relocate to the Winter Gardens, because casinos are a town centre business.
Eventually after a flurry of complaints, Mr Coulon was granted a more flexible lease and will not be forced to move, but the intention was there: get a casino into the Winter Gardens at all costs.
Peter has billowed out a bit of a smokescreen to surround his statements by saying that he wants to pursue private investment in the town rather than ‘scratch around’ for more government money. I entirely agree and I’ve said it all along. But Callow’s only solution is a supercasino. He can’t think of anything else and he’s put it to the council executives already.
Local Labour leader Simon Blackburn has hit out at ‘disastrous’ Callow, saying we need more investment in the grass roots: car park charges, CCTV, pot holes and so on rather than town centre, visitor focused schemes and ‘grandiose’ projects like a casino. I don’t know whether you read this Simon and I am not your biggest fan by any means, but you are completely right. One hundred percent. Bang on the money. Simon went on to say that people expect the council to provide the basics and that we are looking to them to do the basics better. Precisely.
Unfortunately your track record does not stand up. Tram system. Visitor gimmick. £66m government money. Central Gateway. Visitor gimmick. £19m. Winter Gardens and Tower. Visitor gimmick. Backed by Humble and Marsden. £40m. And what colour was the council when the supercasino bids were going in? Oh right, Labour, and you were part of the group lobbying for it in 2005. Oops.
We want schemes that we will use. Is a supercasino that? Absolutely not.
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Actually I don’t think I agree with Simon Blackburn or Peter Callow. I don’t think a supercasino is going to happen, or would be a good idea. However whilst many towns could say that putting money into things that matter to locals is the most important thing to do, that’s not the case for Blackpool. Blackpool has many problems – most of which stem from a lack of work rather than potholes no matter how annoying the latter are. In St Annes we have these problems with lack of work – but not on such a scale that I expect Fylde council to charge itself with the task. Blackpool however has so many unemployed on sink estates and in HMOs that getting rid of this has to be a priority even for a council (especially when government money is highly unlikely). Otherwise a large amount of council tax isn’t collected (because of the benefits given), money has to be given for housing (which surprisingly no council gets back in full from government) and the police would be stretched dealing with all the social problem generated crime if only they got off their backsides to try.
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The last plan called for several hundred yards of casino premises practically from the Tower past Central pier. I think that is what turned a lot of people off.
Early doors at the moment but maybe there is scope for something to built on the central car park site with casino frontage to the Prom with a world class Family attraction taking the main space behind.
Nothing on the grand scale of the 2007 plan but enough to get a major operator interested to invest and draw further money into the town.
After all the Grosvenor sits very well at the side of the Sandcastle ( I go in for a drink maybe once or twice a Month) and find it both entertaining and comfortable. I don’t gamble but it is nice to have a quiet drink with friends in pleasant surroundings.
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people must think that Ppeter Callow and his wife are doing some good or they would not keep voting them back into power would they? They seem to have been around on the political circus (sorry circuit) for years
One thought though – a lot of the power at the council actually lies with the Borough Treasurer and his cronies – it is they, not the councillors, who make the decisions regarding the day to day running of the town, much like the permanent secretaries at Whitehall. perhaps the Callows are just unwilling front men (people) for these faceless beaurocrats?
P.S. nice to not see the presence of the phantom deleter on this site
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It was the Conservatives that voted the Callows into power: the party made him council leader and they’re in a safe Tory ward although they don’t secure all that many votes if I remember rightly (1500 or so?). You’re right though, the Tories were voted in by us (yes I voted for Cllrs Susan Fowler and Lily Henderson for my sins) so we should expect these crazy schemes.
You might be right about the anonymous desk jockeys, however in this particular case Callow was on the radio spouting that he was going to take it to the council executives to enquire about feasibility so I think for the moment it’s just a project or idea driven by Mr Callow and Mr Callow alone.
The trouble is when you get a project involving any kind of property in Blackpool you suspect foul (or indeed Fowl) play. One wonders therefore what the real agenda behind it is, because it sure as hell isn’t for the benefit of the locals.
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There was I this week thinking local Liberal Democrats could work with local Conservatives, as Nationally this was happening with the Coalition Government which I support.
Peter Callow is desperate for any sort of publicity he can get, what a prat. I got told off when I was a Councillor for calling the people running Blackpool scum. Anyone who agrees with Peter on this is not fit to be put in charge of a smelly tram shelter.
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It still amazes me the term Supercasino.
The gambling side of the venue is small in comprision it’s more about entertainment.
After all that is what blackpool is.
So continue with the masterplan but leave space for the gambling floors.
Build the Hotels
Build the Restraunts
Build the Snowdome
Build the Music Venues
Build the Malls
The council asked for bids from “WORLD CLASS” players for the tender of operating the 40m investment.
Who were the “PLAYERS” that actually bid (never been anounced).
I would be surprised if only Merlin Entertainment made the bid so what happened to the others that were interested in investing in the town, have they been approached for other investment or just dumped.
Or was it a one horse race.
Time the council came clean and gave details –
As I understood the documents for tender that I received. The final details of who tendered were to be announced ?.
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https://www.thechest.nwce.gov.uk/procontract/supplier.nsf/frm_opportunity?openForm&contract_id=CONTRACT-NWCE-7YUHXG&search_id=&org_id=ORG-NWCE-77NBMQ&from=supplier_home
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I think the ‘super’ part of supercasino relates to the jackpots they are allowed to offer.
I believe supercasinos are, if one ever materialises, allowed to offer unlimited jackpots.
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Brilliant article Phil and as much it pains me to admit it I feel Simon Blackburn (for once!) is right on this one. I don’t want a supercasino in Blackpool and contrary to popular belief most of Blackpool never supported it. I feel it would have been bad for Blackpool. I want to see a Plan B for the casino that benefits locals as well as visitors and helps us to sustain a year-round economy. As far as I am concerned the snowdome ticks all the right boxes. But I do agree the basics should be concentrated on also, but as you rightly say Phil, Labour doesn’t exactly have a good track record in this area.
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[...] way to bury bad news? By stevedunthorne So Blackpool’s Council leader is trying to get resort casinos back on the agenda case of the coalition…. nice try Cllr Callow, but it’s not going to [...]
Callow is desperate and has shown he has no vision;time for euthanasia.
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Some idiot has been targeting only my comments again on the Gasjet so I will post here for free speech, I have done nothing wrong, I wish they would just grow up.
Blackpool does not need and does not want a casino. I want to see a family-orientated attraction that will bring a better class of visitor to Blackpool, a casino would bring the wrong sort of people to Blackpool and I believe it would be another refuge for the workshy to squander their benefits with booze on tap. The snowdome is the best plan we have as far as I am concerned and the fabulous Sands Venue is coming along. There is a banner up announcing it next to Linekers. My only quirk is that the Palatine Buildings look awful from the exterior. However I noticed on the planning application for The Sands the developers have stated external refurbishment for the building is planned at a later date along with a new refurbished staircase and more. I can’t wait until it opens, it could hopefully be the start of something good. While I’m on the subject does anyone have any word on Jason Fubar’s secret project? I noticed how now the opening date has been pushed back to 2011 which seems more realistic considering we are nearly half way through 2010 already.
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Now i have never been to a casino but looking at the cars that are parked in the car parks of the casinos we already have, i would not say they look like they belong to people who are ‘workshy’ and about to ‘squander their benefits’ (unless the benefit system has changed dramatically since I was a workshy youf and yes that was a long time ago) so i cannot see a supercasino attracting them or even letting them in. However, if the casino only brought in the rich (drug dealers, arms dealers and loan sharks) then i do not think they are the right sort of person either because they would not spend any money in other parts of the town, which is what we want them to do. Now I have been to the Chill Factor and but that attracts people who are in their teens and early twenties who are the sort of people who go out and get blind drunk after they have finished! So… hey! i have talked myself into a corner and now i don’t know what the best thing to do is – probably shut up!
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Very fair point Jimmygrundy, I never looked at it that way. But I stand by my other point that I want something more family-orientated and modern and I feel the snowdome would give us that, something that we locals can use also, I would definitely go but I wouldn’t go to the casino as I am not a big fan of gambling. I feel the snowdome and its associated leisure/entertainment attractions would be of much more benefit to Blackpool. Atlantic City is a perfect example of how trying to copy Las Vegas can backfire.
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Well said TB, just what has happened to the venture? or has it melted away, like all the others?
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Thankfully the snowdome is very much alive, it is currently undergoing an intensive feasibility study which may take until next year but so far things are looking promising.
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Good its the best option, personally I think Callow has lost it,trying to bring back this casino, afyer all these yaers of mucking about;hes not a conservative and hes NOT suitable to led Blackpool into the 21st century.An elected mayor is:Robery Wynne.
I fear we wont get our rail electrification now,but paul maynard has argued for it.
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It was never really on the table. Lord Adonis went round saying anything to please everyone. Of course he’s going to say electrification would be good – in what way could it ever not be?
Without a demand for a direct London service or some means to route the current Glasgow Central service via Blackpool North it will never happen. But then, you probably knew that
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Yes it was an election ploy but it would be great to get it, billions is spent onL ondons cross rail,we get fuck all.I am sick of this Londoncentric attitude,thats why I opposed the olympics, FUCK LONDON.
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Big Government needed a Big City to operate in.
Maybe once Dave gets his Big Society going, we’ll see a bigger share of the cake. Who knows.
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I hope so, if this alliance works well, why not have it at the next election?
Vote for a lib/con alliance, new politics here?
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So far I think things are looking quite promising. But if I hear one more person say ‘This is wrong, it should be a Liebour-Lib coaltion’ I am going to scream the house down.
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anything BUT labour, they would bleed us of cash…………..
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They certainly would like they have been doing since 1997. Normally on their own the Lib Dems are too left-wing for my taste, but as part of the power-sharing deal I am quite impressed so far. But having two left-wing parties in a coaltion would be hell.
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Ok I’m convinced almost I think! The snowdome would bring in visitors who would probably go on and spend more money in the town – which is good. People who go to the casino would either loose all their money and have nothing left to spend in town or win a shed load of money and then get mugged by the low lifes that inhabit parts of this town and have nothing left to spend… that is bad.
I just like the idea of the glitz and the glamour and the bigness of a supercasino but can’t think how we could get it
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I am back with a short feature I hope every day from now on. Just uploaded some short topical updates you may want to comment on. Thanks for listening to the features just before the General Election most got 1,000 to 2,000 hits so it is all systems go now.
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Just had a listen to your latest broadcast Mr Bate and I thought it was excellent. I very much look forward to your interview with Paul Maynard, I am eagerly awaiting to hear what ideas he has. I loved your comments about Leisure Parcs, spot on. I completely agree with your stance on the casino, you were one of the only councillors to actually object to it which I was glad to see especially with the Gazette exaggerating the figures of ‘public support’. Keep up the good work.
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There will be no Supercasino! However, Blackpool may now wangle a licence for one of the “large” casinos that were on offer but ignored by Blackpool’s leaders (sic). This large Casino would be housed in the Winter Gardens and will be approx double the number of tables as our present casinos but will have a couple of hundred high payout slot machines.
If this saves the historic Winter Gardens then it will be no bad thing but one thing it is not, is major regeneration. Callow is flying a kite to gauge the reaction, knowing that Lord McNally owes Blackpool a favour and has unexpectedly found himself a Govt Minister.
Simon Blackburn quite often talks complete bollox but on this occasion he is spot on. The Council ought to be taking care of business, not playing monopoly with our hard earned Council Tax.
Blackpool has some unique features and we should be looking after them.
The fiasco over the new trams could well be the turning point for Blackpool.
Why are we importing Trams that be ridden all over Europe in most large cities?
Why are we mothballing the Classic trams which attract visitors from all over the world??
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On the trams, because they don’t cater for disabled and it would cost in the region of £250k per tram to retrofit them.
I’m sure one of my resident tram boffins will provide a more definitive answer!
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the classic trams should be exempt from DDA.
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