Sponsored by
Reception mixed for new venue proposals
ANOTHER late-night bar is set for Blackpool town centre. Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has applied to Blackpool Council to open a new £1m nightspot.
The plan comes as some within the licensed trade claim the resort has hit saturation point with its number of venues.
Wetherspoon's wants to transform three disused shops on the corner of West Street and Market Street, sandwiched between popular bars NTK and Cahoots, into a two-storey "Lloyds No.1" within 18 months.
The upmarket chain brand steers away from the heavily discounted drinks sector that is usually associated with Wetherspoon.
Instead, Lloyd's No.1 venues offer music and dancing until the early hours and are decked out in the most modern style.
The development is yet to go before the council's planning committee but Wetherspoon bosses have exclusively revealed to The Gazette they are prepared to splash out more than 1m on the bar, creating 40 new jobs.
A spokesman said: "We're still at the very early stages, but Blackpool is a town that excites us and we've sought out a location that will mean three unused shops being demolished to make way for our new bar.
"The premises will be split across two levels and have a possible capacity of around 1,000. We will be working with the town throughout and changes could always be made before we anticipate opening some time next year."
Dave Daly, manager of Cahoots and member of the Blackpool Licensees' Forum, says another venue in town is a double-edged sword.
He said: "Obviously, a new bar on Market Street will be good for the street because it will join us, NTK and Brannigans in bringing the punters down to this end of town.
"At the moment, Queen Street is full to bursting and can be a real trouble spot. If bars are spread across town, it diffuses the crowds and some of the problems.
"But, on the other side of the coin, Blackpool town centre has hit saturation point. Those of us here now struggle to make a living Monday to Friday as it is.
Disorder
"Questions have to be asked about what the council are doing for existing pubs which have helped build this town up, but are now struggling against the competition being let in."
Sgt Richard Hurt, of Blackpool Police's Nightsafe team, set up to deal with alcohol-related disorder in the town, said: "We've received an application for a new premises within the town centre and are currently looking at it.
"We will take into account all of the relevant factors and assess the impact a new venue will have."
ben.rossington@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 27 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South west
