Blackpool third hardest place to 'level up' research shows

The Centre for Cities has used employment benefit claimants’ data to predict the resort will be the third hardest place in the UK to level up as part of the Government’s agenda to help weaker economies catch up with more prosperous towns.

Its research has shown the number of people in Blackpool needing to find secure jobs doubled between March and November last year, from 3,500 to 7,000.

From this, experts calculated a percentage point reduction in unemployment of 6.5 is needed to rebuild and improve the economy, which is the third highest figure in the country and the highest in the North West ahead of Liverpool, Blackburn and Manchester.

Elena Magrini, senior analyst at Centre for Cities, said Blackpool’s reliance on the hospitality industry was the main reason for its poor outlook.

She warned the Government needed to help the town attract more skilled jobs and training opportunities if it was to level it up.

Ms Magrini: “What we saw is that Blackpool already had weaker economic performance before the pandemic.

“On top of that, the events of the last 10 months have made the challenge even bigger due to Blackpool’s industrial profile which means it is reliant on an industry directly affected by the pandemic.

“That has led to more job losses. Covid-19 has made levelling up four times harder so it’s even more urgent that Government helps places not just to bounce back, but to level up.”

Centre for Cities says better adult education, transport investment and improvements to the North West’s urban centres are needed.

The £20 rise in Universal Credit should be made permanent, and a new Eat Out to Help Out scheme should be considered for hospitality and high street retailers once it is safe.

This would involved offering a £100 voucher per adult to spend on the high street.

Ms Magrini said: “It needs to happen when it is safe, but this time round it should apply to shops and retailers on the high street as they have been badly hit.”

She said many of the steps Blackpool is already taking to improve its economic situation, including the development of the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and plans for a multiversity campus in the town centre, were “going in the right direction”.

She added the resort could also benefit from a predicted increase in so-called green jobs, through projects such as retro-fitting homes with energy efficient measures.

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