Plans to rebuild Blackpool's Nail Emporium shop destroyed by fire in 2022

It was on Boxing Day 2022 that beauty salon the Nail Emporium was reduced to rubble after a fire broke out at the Church Street premises.

Thick smoke filled the streets after the blaze broke out at around 1.40pm.

Crowds of worried residents and shoppers gathered to watch the incident unfold as firefighters scrambled to contain the blaze.

Eight fire engines were in attendance at the height of the incident but by 7pm, the fire service confirmed the beauty salon had suffered a “partial collapse”, leaving only the back wall standing.

Now the plans to rebuild the property have been approved by Blackpool Council’s planners

The application is for the erection of a two storey retail unit at 54 Church Street, in the heart of Blackpool town centre’s conservation area.

A Heritage Statement, supplied by James Sctt Assciates, says: “Blackpool is of national and local importance as it is considered the first of the mass market seaside resorts.

“The Conservation Area covers the historic town centre of Blackpool of which the seaside resort developed around from the 1870s onwards. The Conservation Area includes a variety of buildings in the historic commercial and entertainment heart of the town including grand public buildings, religious buildings, the war memorial and the North Pier but the majority of buildings are of a commercial nature or former residential or guest houses.

“A reference to 54 Church Street in the London Gazette from September 1932 noted it as a business who’s owner, a widow called A Bernstein, trader in fancy goods, had gone bankrupt.

“The collapsed wall to west has revealed a sign advertising the Clifton Arms Hotel Livery Stables. The site of 56-58 Church Street has been noted in the local listing as the site of a former livery stables,

“Due to the limitations of the plot width between 52 and 56-58, the proposed scheme for 54 Church Street is to build a structure to fit into the space and to the same height as the previous one, two stories and with a flat roof.

“The proposed frontage to Church Street will be a modern style glass front, similar to what existed before the fire.”

The Conservation Area Appraisal notes that for Church Street, there is little homogeneity to the street scene and the infill buildings are of low-quality architecture with the street having suffered an irreversible loss of character. 54 Church Street is one such building having been altered in the post war era with a new frontage which has been destroyed by fire.

The evidential, historic, aesthetic and communal value, therefore the significance of 54 Church Street are all low; thus any opportunity to redevelop the property and change the appearance should be considered favourably.

The Heritage Statement concludes: “The proposed works to 54 Church Street, Blackpool is to replace a irreversibly fire damaged building.

“As 54 Church Street is a building of previously of limited significance and now substantially , the proposals do not adversely affect the values of the building or the setting .”