How £1.5m of government cash has been spent by the council to boost Blackpool town centre

Blackpool Council received the money from the Shared Prosperity Fund with all projects having to be delivered by March this year. It is from a total pot of £5m allocated to the town from the fund in 2022.

An update of how the cash has been spent was given to a meeting of the Blackpool Town Deal Board. Spending includes £240,000 towards the Abingdon St Market refurbishment, plus a contribution of £200,000 towards the upgrade of the Stanley Buildings on Caunce Street.

This is being used to fund the renovation of nine shop units on the ground floor of the site, which is being transformed into a small business hub using a combination of £4.5m from Blackpool’s Town Deal and £2.8m from the council.

Other schemes funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund include a town centre pedestrian wayfinding plan to direct people and link up different areas.

The cash has also helped pay for town centre events including Lightpool and the Monster Hunt last autumn and the staging of the UK Capital of Dance events last June and July.

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Lighting is also being improved on Church and Corporation Street, and onCoronation Street up to Albert Road including the plaza in front of The Backlot Cinema and Dier with film-related lighting.

A strategy to provide more greenery in the town centre is also being developed including areas near the Houndshill Shopping Centre, Backlot Cinema and on Topping Street and Deansgate.