PERIODICALLY THE Local Data Company (LDC) produce figures detailing shop premises occupancy, and every year Blackpool is among the worst performing in the UK.
In 2011, the LDC figures stated that Blackpool’s town centre had a massive 27.5% of shops left empty, and stated that the average figure for the UK was just 14.5%. At the time, Blackpool BID manager Eileen Ormand slammed the figures because they included areas of Blackpool that she didn’t think should be included (i.e. areas containing lots of empty premises).
Six months on, the latest report indicates more or less the same as that of 2011, with empty shop premises making up 26.6% of the town centre. Eileen Ormand was evidently unavailable for comment this time, but Les Ball, the BID business support manager, stepped up to the soap box. According to Mr Ball, the LDC figures were wrong and only 9.6% of shops were empty. He went on to say that the LDC’s figures were misleading because they included an area outside the town centre which he doesn’t class as the town centre.
Gordon Marsden MP has predictably jumped in to blame the Conservative government (for the 0.9% improvement in the figures?), with no retort from Paul Maynard MP.
Pretending there isn’t a problem seems rather silly. Is the number of shops empty an elephant in the room? Blackpool politicians and business officionados all seem to be talking around the problem, issuing blame where suits, when really they should be tackling the problem of a town centre being killed off by poor planning and poor political decisions.
We have just had the Mary Portas report which cites a lot of common sense points which should not need to be hammered into councils, BIDs and other quangocratic non-entities empowered to consume taxpayers’ money. Parking is too expensive and inconvenient. Congestion is a problem. Business rates are too high. Rents are too high and are not encouraging business startups. Public transport in Blackpool is appalling; buses are perpetually late.
Portas also said towns should create BIDs and should create a marketing company. Blackpool has those, but the marketing company is an ALMO that needs cutting loose else it will produce only mediocrity. The BID, well, what does this do other than service the Gasjet with a regular quote?
Of course Blackpool council could get rid of the pointless BID team and use the savings to slash crippling business rates in the town, or introduce free parking in the town centre.
I think the band idea and entertainment is a lovely idea – a great way for choirs and local bands etc to use the space
I guess its hard to find something that appeals to everyone – maybe some research – asking local people how they would like to use the space and what would make them visit the town that bit more – what would you guys suggest?
Another good article. We all know that the BID and those involved in it are not fit for purpose. It has been said many times that it is just a complete waste of money, that could be far better spent elsewhere. Perhaps if the BID employed staff who were up to the job it might benefit. Has anyone in authority listened or done anything about this useless department? – NO.
As you also list the numerous problems for anyone in business, or hoping to start a business, in Blackpool, all I will say is that you are again spot on. Costs are causing businesses to fail, in addition to a low spend per head. This, linked to a low foot fall means takings are down all round. Officially though, footfall is up, or so the Gazette and town centre managers would have us believe.
The fact is that Blackpool has far far too many empty shops that will never, ever open again as commercial premises. Does it matter if they are in the BID or not? Of course BID will argue about the location but the fact remains – masses of shops that will never again trade.
Ms Ormand’s claim to fame was the equally useless ‘Big Wheel’ in St John’s Square that brought in neither income nor punters. I now see that the Square is becoming the site of an array of crappy amusement rides. These are better suited nearer the prom, besides those other fairground attractions – that have to pay rent. Is this another of Ms Ormand’s ‘successes’? Will these rides pay any rent? What a waste of a space that was better used by buses and taxis.
I don’t suppose you can blame them for trying stuff out in St. John’s and letting people have free rent, but why can’t they extend such privileges to empty shops and office space, giving people the chance to try running their own business?
On St. John’s, it seems that the BID managers are bereft of ideas. They need continuity. If people know that every Saturday there’s a market in St. John’s, it might merge into Blackpool culture as it has for places such as Skipton.
But the BID put random things there at random times; it’s almost like a dumping ground for tat because Ormand hasn’t got a clue.
The problem isn’t the trying out of stuff. It’s important to have a culture of informed risk-taking, but the wheel was talked up as being akin to the one in Manchester. Instead it was one from a fairground. Was it any surprise that nobody wanted to see what the roof of the then Pricebusters looked like?
With the European markets – it’s just over-priced junk. Three quid for a loaf that doesn’t come from France? How about some feathers on some string to put around your neck for £15? It’s crap.
The problem is mediocrity. Ormand is being paid an enormous sum from a mandatory rates levy to do a mediocre job and get away with mediocre results. She’s a parody of herself, with her ‘Comical Ali’ approach to public relations. Does anybody believe anything she says, based on the results she’s generated? I’m more inclined to believe a company of statisticians, researchers and marketers than the former manager of Top Shop, when it comes to making sense of statistics.
Look at the website – or rather, don’t, because it’s still being built after several years of being under construction. They can’t even talk about their apparent achievements, because they don’t know how to build a website. If they can’t promote themselves with a website, what gives anybody the confidence that they can promote the town centre and improve it?
I have a suggestion for BID members (or at least, the number of hereditaments that aren’t made up of public sector votes for the BID): scrap Ormand and her minions. Use the money saved to subsidise free on-street parking during the week, out of season.
The BID costs just over £200k-ish each year, depending on revenues. On-street revenues from the 08-09 period (the council’s dire
bombsitewebsite makes it impossible to find accurate information consistently, so I’m working from this last report) show £960k revenue for on-street parking. Some back-of-a-fag-packet thinking suggests that subsidising on-street parking in the town centre area during the week, out of season, is an affordable alternative. At least that stands a better chance of doing something for supporting town centre business than crappy fairground attractions and over-priced take-away food.Agree entirely about the random approach and the tat. Ormand lacks both imagination and an ability to deliver. I have to say though, if I was a trader, paying my way in Abingdon St. Market, or in many of the other small shops in the vicinity, I would not be happy about a market coming to St John’s for free, anytime. I don’t believe that this is either fair or best use of the area. My preference would be to have some form of entertainment at given times and on speciific days each week. Maybe even a structure like a bandstand to provide cover. Brass bands, pipe bands and any other charitable band, choir, or similar. This offers a stage for locals to make use of, to get noticed. Of course other attractions/displays should be running alongside.
At least the fountain has been switched off (permenently it would seem), so those people walking down Church street and Birley street no longer get soaked by the spray. Another brilliant waste of taxpayers money. How could this ever work alongside crowds in the Square?
Maybe Clare Smith has some ideas about what to bring into the Square. I think this is the only thing in Blackpool that she hasn’t been asked to comment on yet!
I wonder what the percentage is of empty shops in St John’s Square. Our taxi association did warn the Peter Callow administration that to exclude buses and taxis would lead to empty shops and this was the same message that a delegation of business people from the area said. We also said that if you exclude taxis at night that more crime would occur. Because we felt that having taxis ranked up there would help to deter crime. This was exactly what happened over the Christmas period when a young lady was knifed after coming out of the Winter Gardens.
I remember Maxime Callow saying in the Gazette that I was wrong. What would she know about Blackpool late at night? St John’s Square is a large lonely area after it goes dark and I would think twice about venturing there sometimes.
My personal view is that the big wheel idea is wrong for this area. It is very much the wrong location.
Bill Lewtas for council leader, cos hes a great guy.