Club site to stay on as car park

The site of a former Blackpool landmark will stay on as a car park, despite council claims three years ago that the arrangement was 'short term'.
Syndicate nightclub just after its demolition in December 2015Syndicate nightclub just after its demolition in December 2015
Syndicate nightclub just after its demolition in December 2015

The iconic Syndicate nightclub in Church Street was reduced to rubble in December 2015. The site has been used as a car park since 2016 – but it is still earmarked for future development.

Blackpool Council has now given planning permission for the site to continue operating as it is, documents showed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Coun Mark Smith (inset), the authority’s regeneration, enterprise and economic development boss, said: “The former Syndicate site has been operating well as an extension to East Topping Street car park for a number of years.

“This area is a key site in the development of the town centre, linking the Talbot Gateway to the Winter Gardens and is in our future plans.

“Until those plans progress it will continue to operate as a car park recouping the money that was originally spent to purchase the building.”

Demolition work began at The Syndicate in February 2014, when the area was cleared for use as a car park with 59 spaces for five years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There were calls at the time for the land to be redeveloped to make room for a new hotel that would link in with conference facilities at the Winter Gardens nearby.

In 2015, Coun Fred Jackson, who was the cabinet member responsible for municipal assets at the time, said: “As we have said in the past, the plan is for the site to be a car park in the short term, while discussions take place about a number of options for its future which will have a positive, regenerative effect on that area of the town.”

An application for the car park to keep operating was submitted in May, and was approved last Thursday.