Blackpool B&Bs in drive to boost image with calls for a compulsory accreditation scheme

Leading hoteliers have called for the Blackpool Approved scheme to be made compulsory in the resort to drive up standards and give B&B's a better image.
Stay Blackpool are calling for the Blackpool Approved Scheme to made compulsory for hotels and B&Bs in the area.  Pictured left to right, are Claire Smith, Ian White, Colin Taylor, Helen Mansell and Shirley HuntStay Blackpool are calling for the Blackpool Approved Scheme to made compulsory for hotels and B&Bs in the area.  Pictured left to right, are Claire Smith, Ian White, Colin Taylor, Helen Mansell and Shirley Hunt
Stay Blackpool are calling for the Blackpool Approved Scheme to made compulsory for hotels and B&Bs in the area. Pictured left to right, are Claire Smith, Ian White, Colin Taylor, Helen Mansell and Shirley Hunt

The scheme was introduced in 2014 as a voluntary accreditation programme for smaller hotels and guest houses.

With its blue plaque for qualifying premises, it aims to give confidence to any visitors that they will find a “legal safe and clean hotel”.

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Claire Smith, from hoteliers’ association Stay Blackpool, said smaller hotel and B&B owners were becoming concerned about the number of new hotels planned for the resort.

She said, while it was good to see more three, four and five star rooms, there was a danger that visitors would play it safe and choose to stay at a branded hotel leaving nearby B&Bs to go out of business.

She said: “These are exciting times for Blackpool but also scary ones for the little hotels. There are wonderful developments planned but each seems to come with a hotel attached.

“Part of the Blackpool offer is the traditional B&B and we must support them too.

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“They have local knowledge and a fantastic, more personal service, than the big brands.

“We need to reassure visitors and encourage them to use the B&Bs rather than go for a ‘safe option’. The Blackpool Approved scheme can do that. It was set up by Visit England but taken over by Visit Blackpool and the up take has been really good.

"It is affordable and if it could be made compulsory in Blackpool it would drive up standards by getting the not so good places to improve. People seeing the Blackpool Approved mark know they are getting a good place to stay.

“It would support other local businesses too. The big hotels have their services centralised while B&Bs use the local egg man, laundry services, decorators and others.”

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Stay Blackpool has highlighted the number of new hotel rooms already built of coming to Blackpool: The Hampton By Hilton – 130 rooms; Pleasure Beach new hotel – 120 rooms; Sands development – 96 rooms; Whitebread Hotel by Town Hall – 150 rooms; Talbot Gateway tram hotel – 142 rooms; Winter Gardens Conference Hotel – 203 rooms.

The board said that while many of these will be priced higher than traditional small hotels and B&Bs, at certain times of the year such as winter they lower prices and therefore come into direct competition with the existing small hotels.