News headlines in February 1989: Dole queues, smoking alert for parents and Lights funding

Dole queues fell again on Fylde Coast and nationally

The nation’s jobless total had fallen below two million to 1,988,100 for the first time in eight years.

It was the thirtieth consecutive month that the figure had fallen from the July 1986 peak of 1.3 million.

Britain had a larger rate of unemployment than West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium or Holland.

But Labour’s employment spokesman, Michael Meacher said that many thousands of jobless were excluded from the Government’s ridiculous figures.

the good news nationwide was reflected on the Fylde Coast.

Blackpool’s Jobcentre in Talbot Road reported placing 7,600 people in employment since April – 5,900 of them previously unemployed.

the figure was well above target and was 20 per cent up on the previous year.

Job vacancies were running at 1,300 more than expected.

Centre deputy manager Ken Mills said: “The Blackpool jobs barometer is looking a lot healthier than at the same time in many other past years.

“The number of jobs shed by the holiday industry during the winter was not as severe as it has been and on the horizon are a number of projects which should also improve the employment situation.” In south Fylde, the jobless figures had fallen steeply in the previous two years and the prospects were good.

Smoking health alert given to parents

Parents who smoked risked raising sickly children who were overtaken at school by classmates from health conscious families, a report said.

The scientific survey from the Association of Non-Smokers also warned that passive smoking in children may be linked to illnesses including lung cancer in later life.

It examined years of scientific research in the effects of smoking on unborn babies and growing children.

Author Anne Charlton, director of a cancer research group at

Manchester

University, claimed new a and surprising links between passive smoking and childhood illnesses were constantly being discovered.

She also pointed out there were links between passive smoking and low birth rates.

Traders urged to lend their support to lights

Leading shops and breweries were criticised for not backing Blackpool Illuminations.

Traders who profited from the late-season Lights should invest in the Lights, Labour tourism spokesman Stephen Bielby told the council.

Councillor Bielby cited four breweries – Wilsons John Smiths, Thwaites and McEwan Younger – which, he said, had not contributed to the 1988 Illuminations Fund.

He also named BHS, Woolworths and Goldbergs as three noncontributing retailers in the resort.

McEwan-Younger and Thwaites hit back saying Coun Bielby got his figures wrong. Spokesmen for John Smiths and Wilsons said they were investigating the complaint.

Woolworths manager Tony York, admitted the firm had not contributed to the late-season lights which cost £1.3 million to stage bit brought an estimated £100 million in increased spending into the resort. But he would be raising the matter at the next meeting of the Major Retailers Consortium to see which other traders were contributing. Goldbergs manager Mr Jon Pal said the store gave instead to the resort’s Christmas lights.