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Pub giant eyes former Woolworths
THE takeover of one of Blackpool's largest town centre buildings could be the death knell for the resort's pub trade, according to a leading landlord.
Pub company JD Wetherspoon is rumoured to be planning to take over the former Woolworths building on Blackpool Promenade.
And today the pub firm confirmed it was no longer going ahead with plans to open a venue in the former Pricebusters building further down the seafront.
But one leading publican told The Gazette he believed JD Wetherspoon had scrapped its Pricebusters plans because of plans to take over an even more prominent location.
Dave Daly, licensee at The Castle on Central Drive and chairman of
licensees union Unite, said: "I've heard they're looking at another more prominent building, possibly Woolworths.
"They've kitted out the place in Pricebusters – but if they were to take over either that or the Woolworths buildings it would be the end of all of us.
"You're talking about venues which can hold a couple of thousand people. And at their cut rate prices, you would see pubs closing all over the place."
When permission was first granted, Blackpool council leader Peter
Callow criticised the licensing panel for allowing an extra pub to open against the council's town centre Saturation Policy.
He said: "They were opening an extra pub in the town centre where we think there are already sufficient pubs. That was a concern of the council, the police and other businesses in the area.
"Whether or not that message came across and they decided not to open in Pricebusters I don't know. It could also be a financial decision as they have another venue close by."
Wetherspoon already owns a site on Market Street, which has been cleared in anticipation of a new pub. Bosses today confirmed they were still interested in "other sites" in the resort.
Wetherspoon spokes-man Eddie Gershon said: "Sometimes sites just don't work out.
"We own the Market Street site but there are no specific on-site or opening dates. The other sites we were looking at are no longer of interest to us.
"The company is looking at other sites in Blackpool, although no specific details are available yet. We are keen to open more pubs in Blackpool."
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
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