Blackpool is 'many things to different people' - Council leader Lynn Williams defends resort's reputation for hen parties and nightmare b&b’s

Coun Lynn Williams spoke out against some of the ‘bad press’ that Blackpool has had in recent years.

Coun Williams, who is also the Cabinet Member for Tourism, compared the resort to European cities, adding that it has a lot to be proud of.

She said: “Other places are allowed to be many things to different people. Barcelona and Prague have a reputation for stag dos but somehow Blackpool isn’t allowed to. Why shouldn’t we? We can be a successful family resort and also still offer nightlife.”

Speaking to a documentary crew, the Labour leader suggested that people still have a strong desire to visit Blackpool.

She was interviewed for a programme about Blackpool’s image as a resort, due to air on ShotsTV later in October 2023.

“It’s easy to say bad things about Blackpool without focusing on the amount of big attractions. We have the most number of indoor attractions outside of London. An estimated 60 – 80,000 people were on the promenade for the switch-on. There’s a real desire to come here.”

During the interview, Coun Williams also praised the many committed hoteliers in the resort – while addressing the issue of the ‘hotel from hell’ stories in the press.

"We do have some [bad b&b’s], but i think most places do. We also have a lot of hoteliers who invest a lot of time and money and are really committed to excellent quality accommodation, from small B&B’s to large hotels.”