Blackpool Marco Pierre White restaurant and Holiday Inn finally set to open in 2023 after delay

VisitBlackpool and resort partners have today (Friday, March 31) unveiled a multi-million pounds programme of marketing, events and new attractions to celebrate the start of a new tourism season.

Included in the extensive programme of events, VisitBlackpool announced the planned opening of a Marco Pierre White restaurant this year, inside a new four-star Holiday Inn.

What has been the development’s history?

In 2018, chiefs at Blackpool Council chiefs confirmed a franchise of ‘Marco’s New York Italian’ will operate in the Holiday Inn which is part of phase two of the Talbot Gateway.

The restaurant chain had signed up previously when a new hotel was earmarked for land occupied by St John’s car park on East Topping Street. That scheme was scrapped and the new development now lies on the site of the Wilko’s store on Talbot Road.

Final contracts for the exciting additions to Blackpool were signed nearly three years ago, when Blackpool Council and Muse Developments, development partners on Blackpool’s flagship Talbot Gateway regeneration project, agreed a deal with the hotel management company RBH, Holiday Inn and Black & White Hospitality (owner of Marco Pierre White’s restaurant chain) in October 2020.

The hotel, due to boast 144 bedrooms, and the restaurant, set to create up to 50 new full time jobs, were originally scheduled to be open last Summer, however this never came to fruition.

What can we expect from a Marco Pierre White restaurant?

Marco Pierre White, dubbed the country’s ‘first celebrity chef’, runs seven restaurant brands across the UK, and it is his ‘New York Italian’ range that is set to come to the seaside town.

Speaking in 2020, Nick Taplin, Chairman and CEO of Black and White Hospitality added: “This New York Italian is perfect for Blackpool. It represents friendly, casual dining and will give locals and visitors a great new place to go out and eat. It’s not pretentious, it’s just good food, served in a great environment.”

A set opening date for the Marco Pierre White restaurant and Holiday Inn has not yet been announced.