Celebrations as Blackpool officially launches its LGBTQ+ 'Be Who You Want To Be' initiative

The event at Central Library on Queen Street was a chance to celebrate the progress made in putting inclusion at the heart of the resort's plans. But behind the smiles, there were also stories of hardship and intolerance for those who have had a tough journey to have their identity accepted.

From businessman Basil Newby recalling how he struggled to get his first venues licensed due to prejudice, to former headteacher Carolyn Mercer talking about the lurid headlines when she first came out as transgender. The over-riding message was thankfully since those days, there have been far-reaching changes in attitudes but there is still some way to go which is why the business community, council, arts groups and others have joined forces on the initiative.

First unveiled last August, the aim is to build on the existing concentration of gay-friendly bars, venues and guest houses in streets in the north of the town centre. But rather than attach a label to the neighbourhood, its mantra will be ‘Be who you want to be’. Blackpool has around 15 LGBTQ+ bars and scores of LGBTQ+ friendly guesthouses mainly clustered around Queen Street, Springfield Road, Dickson Road and Lord Street.

Basil Newby

Gay entrepreneur Basil Newby, who is supporting the strategy, owns famous venues including the Flying Handbag on Queen Street and Funny Girls on Dickson Road which attract a wide range of customers.

He said: "I look back over 40 years when I started in Blackpool with the old Flamingo. At that time there were two gay bars in Blackpool, Lucy's and the old Clifton Bar. Then in 1979 I opened the top floor of the Flamingo, and then I bought the property and it became the gay beacon of the UK. But when I went to ask for a loan from one brewery, they refused to lend me the money when they heard it was for a gay bar."

Thankfully another more enlightened brewery made the loan and Basil went on to open further venues and build his empire based on the pink pound. However, getting licences was not always easy.

He recalls: "Clause 28 was introduced in 1988 and meant local authorities were not allowed to promote homosexuality. So I was refused a licence and had to appeal and go to Crown Court to get one."

How times have changed - now the council is fully behind Blackpool's gay heritage which is central to the LGBTQ+ strategy.

Basil added: "I'm supporting this new gay village in Blackpool because I think it's absolutely fabulous. I have always wanted Blackpool very pink and the gays make it definitely pink. And I think it is going to be a safe haven for us all. Years ago we have gone through all this prejudice but times have moved on and I think what Blackpool Council is doing is absolutely amazing."

Renaissance

Renaissance is a not-for-profit organisation which supports Blackpool's gay and transgender community with social events and support groups and has helped shape the strategy.

Vicki Steeden, lead for Renaissance, said: "Blackpool is a small seaside town but we have one of the biggest LGBTQ+ communities in the UK. But unfortunately, some people still get stigmatised so it will be good for them to have their own area where they feel happy and safe. I also think it will attract some tourism and people will feel more confident coming to Blackpool. It will also be a focal point for more Pride events in the town."

Andy Catterall, a volunteer at Renaissance, said the proposals would put Blackpool on the map. He added: "It will bring everything together - all the venues we already have in that area - and create a destination. What I would like to see is a rainbow painted on the ground, or rainbow steps, outside Blackpool North Station pointing the way."

Carolyn Mercer

Carolyn Mercer, a former head teacher at Highfield High School (now Highfield Leadership Academy) in South Shore spoke at the launch about her gender history and why the strategy would help people today. She said while she had been praised for running a successful school during her 20 years at Highfield, she had not been happy.

She said: "All that time I had created the equivalent of a cocoon around myself that whenever people praised me, inside me I was screaming if only you knew what I was really like you wouldn't be praising me in the way you are."

Her background was revealed when it was 'splashed across the tabloids' in 1994, but she was able to tell her true story in 2016 in the Blackpool Gazette which had an overwhelmingly positive response.

Carolyn said the value of the LGBTQ+ initiative was to make experiences better for current and future generations. She added: "I went through hell, literally getting to where I am. We can't change that, no amount of apology and no amount of compensation. But what we can do is make it better - make it better for people now and make it better for people in the future. That's what this initiative will do."

Blackpool Council

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams, who also attended the launch with Coun Jo Farrell, cabinet member for levelling up people, said the strategy would also bring investment to the Claremont area.

She said: "It's about arts and culture which is important for the town and acknowledging the history of the LGBTQ+ community and their contributions to the town and celebrating that. "And it is about regeneration and improving the area. We know what we need to do but today is about bringing everyone together and moving forward together."

An action plan, approved by the council's executive in January, is now in place to develop the village quarter with a focus on making streets safer using CCTV and community policing and improving the environment with better street lighting and more greenery. There were 269 responses to the online consultation with more than 3,000 comments submitted to a series of questions. Support for businesses, better access to healthcare facilities and making more use of cultural assets such as the Grundy Art Gallery were all also among the issues raised by the consultation.