Blackpool Tower food hub helping families during lockdown

While the famous attraction is closed to the public during lockdown, operator Merlin decided to use the landmark as a drop-off point to help the Blackpool Food Bank.

Ali King, from the food bank, said: “We have probably had about 40 donations and it seems to have been really popular, and a lot of businesses have been donating as well.

“It has been received really well and we have had a lot of people wanting to volunteer.

“People drop off food which is collected by Blackpool Food Bank and then it is distributed safely to people’s houses.

“It is about giving back to the community at this difficult time.”

The donation point is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am and 3pm at the Central Promenade entrance to the Tower, with safe distancing measures in place and space for vehicles to pull over.

Volunteers include staff from Merlin, which operates the Tower on behalf of Blackpool Council, who are on furlough leave.

The type of food required includes tins of all the following – carrots, peas, potatoes, fruit, chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, tuna, meat (ham/corned beef etc), soup, rice pudding, baked beans, curry, spaghetti, ravioli, kidney beans and butter beans (or other beans such as chick pea).

Also on the list are pasta, rice, UHT milk, large cereal, pasta sauce, pot noodles, pasta ‘n’ sauce pots, cup-a-soup, nuts, crisps, biscuits, coffee, tea bags and sugar.

Neil Reid, of Blackpool Food Bank, said appeals for help from the organisation had increased during the coronavirus outbreak including from residents who needed to self isolate.

On one day at the start of the lockdown, 300 parcels were handed out in a single day which represented a normal month’s worth of supplies.