Future of Blackpool seafront bar still waiting to be decided by town hall planners

The future of a seafront bar in Blackpool still hangs in the balance with town hall planners yet to make a decision on whether or not it must close.
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The Terrace Bar, alongside Central Pier, was given a reprieve last August after the council's planning committee held off from taking action to shut it down.

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Blackpool Prom bar has been operating without planning permission

Councillors had been recommended to refuse retrospective planning permission for the otudoor bar after it emerged it had been trading for four years without planning approval.

The Terrace BarThe Terrace Bar
The Terrace Bar
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Planning chairman Coun David Owen said he could not comment on the present situation with the bar.

But the application remains in the jurisdiction of town hall planners with a decision expected in the near future.

If the submission is not brought back before the planning committee, a decision could be made by planning officers using their delegated powers.

Councillors deferred the application with the decision postponed until last October at the earliest.

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It is believed planners were reluctant to close the bar down during the Covid pandemic and so a ruling has yet to be made.

A meeting of the planning committee last August was told income generated by the Terrace Bar was vital for repairs to all three piers which are owned by the Sedgwick family.

Planning permission had been sought retrospectively after it emerged in May 2021 the Terrace Bar was operating without approval.

Agent Chris Weetman, representing the piers challenged claims the bar contravened policy because it was not a tourist attraction.

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He told last August's meeting: “This isn’t a town centre use, but a very specific type of bar. It is an open air, seafront bar designed to capture the outdoor seafront experience.

“It is there to serve the piers – it is there to bring finance back to the piers."

He said the bar provided 47 per cent of all the bar income from all three piers.

But a council report said the bar’s location contravened policy because the area west of the tram tracks is reserved for “public realm improvements such as sea defences, transport improvements, landscaping, public amenities and ancillary small-scale retail outlets.”

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