As traders we're ready for a busy one & we're hopeful the rioters haven't put off Blackpool Air Show visitors
As more than 300,000 people are expected to descend on Blackpool for the town’s annual Air Show, traders on the Prom said they were ‘hopeful’ recent disorder wouldn’t affect trade.
This weekend is the busiest weeked for for visitors in the resort’s calendar. Traders buy more stock and employ more temporary staff to help them fulfil their customers needs.
But after the recent riots, questions of safety were raised.
They met from the police and Blackpool Council with a united voice ‘The Air Show is safe to attend this weekend’.
But traders on Blackpool’s Golden Mile said they are preparing for a busy weekend.
Lucy Whitaker, of Soop Ice Cream Parlour, said: “We had to shut early the other day due to the riots, so I suppose we have lost out on money, which is a shame.
“The rioters all go on about not getting enough money, and all the jobs going, but they are making businesses shut, at that is damaging.
“Its daft, really. I would naively say no, think attendance will not be impacted by the riots, but then people are afraid.
“We have quite a large Muslim community in Blackpool, and it is just disgraceful how they might feel it a danger to come to the Air Show which is not nice on them at all, it is disgraceful.”
Kieran John, the manager of Kandy Land said: “Yesterday we had to shut early because nobody was around because of the riots.
“It feels like everyone went home before the riots, people didn’t want to leave their cars out in case of any damage to them, lots of businesses on the Promenade closed because they don’t want to be open in case of any destruction to their shops.
“I reckon it will impact quite a few families wanting to come down, especially if they will continue with them going off.”
John Roberts, of Tower Gift Souvenirs shop said he was confident that the Air Show would be the success it normally is despite the recent turmoil.
He said: “I don’t think it will affect it at all; the rioters mainly target the Metropol hotel where the immigrants are; everyone likes a free show with the Red Arrows. We will do everything the same.”