Challenges & Opportunities| Blackpool Town Centre BID

It is the BID’s aim to work closely with the council to showcase Blackpool as the national ‘GoTo’ destination for both leisure, hospitality and retail.

Challenges

The businesses in the Town Centre have an opportunity through a BID to increase their market share.

In 2019 alone annual visitor numbers have risen to 11.19million in the Town Centre and Blackpool as a whole hit 18.1million, it is important that we continue to encourage those people to visit and spend in the BID area. The BID seeks to secure the independent sector as well as the major retail, leisure & hospitality offers in the area, solidifying the complete offer for visitors to the Town Centre.

It is the BID’s aim to work closely with the council to showcase Blackpool as the national ‘GoTo’ destination for both leisure, hospitality and retail.

In addition to the ongoing development of the Talbot Gateway, the Houndshill Shopping Centre is expanding, adding a large retail unit, IMAX cinema and restaurant as well as the refurbishment of Abingdon Street Market and surrounding area. This will attract more people into the town as will the proposed redevelopment of the Central site to a world class leisure attraction.

The recent announcement of government backed funding for a new Blackpool 'Multiversity' will bring a world-class learning facility into the heart of the town centre. And in addition a new regional hub for Department of Work and Pensions will see the relocation of 3000 staff to the new Blackpool town centre offices in 2024.

The BID plans to be closely connected to these projects.

Opportunities

While we face these challenges, we must make the most of our opportunities to:

Increase footfall through targeted marketing which will attract more shoppers into the Town Centre.
Improve the street environment by dressing the streets throughout the different seasons to provide a vibrant and attractive area for residents and visitors alike.
Enhance the shopping and visitor experience by improving security and reducing criminal activity and anti-social behaviour, both day and night.
Work with the council and the police to improve existing statutory services such as street cleaning and provide better support for the wider street community.
Build relationships with property owners to address the issue of empty premises.

Pubwatch

Blackpool BID facilitates and co-ordinates Blackpool & Fylde Pubwatch which has some 180 members. By working alongside licensees, police, trading standards and other agencies. Pubwatch has helped manage a safer drinking environment by excluding individuals who commit anti-social behaviour or violent crime against staff or customers.

Pubwatch supports a number of initiatives including 'Ask Angela', 'Green Dot Bystander' and recently launched a Blackpool & Fylde Pubwatch campaign to raise awareness of spiking and preventive measures.

Pubwatch utilises a dedicated radio link system similar to the Shopwatch scheme to over 60 members.

Initiatives have included conflict management training, and the installation and training of defibrillators in a variety of Pubwatch member premises.

Shopwatch

This scheme forms a major part of our Safer Campaign and has over 60 retail members in the town centre linked together by a radio system to assist in the prevention and detection of retail crime.

Blackpool Shopwatch Scheme has been established for several years and operates as an extremely effective means of communication between town centre businesses, the Police and the town centre CCTV control monitoring room.

Through the Scheme, stores and shops have been able to greatly increase the effectiveness of their security operations and control stock losses. In addition, the threat posed by groups of aggressive shoplifters has been greatly reduced, as staff and security personnel no longer find themselves working in isolation and can contact other radio users around the town for assistance and support.

For more information on membership please ring our hotline on 01253 476204.