REVEALED: Blackpool's worst graffiti blackspots

Blackpool's central wards are the worst for graffiti, new figures have shown.
Grafitti in BlackpoolGrafitti in Blackpool
Grafitti in Blackpool

But community leaders say they believe the desire to daub buildings in spray paint is a dying art.

They highlighted projects such as Blackpool’s Sand, Sea and Spray urban art festival for persuading people to put their creative talents to better use.

Graffiti ward by ward

Grafitti around the Bloomfield areaGrafitti around the Bloomfield area
Grafitti around the Bloomfield area

2015/16 / 2016/17 / Total

Bispham / 0 / 1 / 1

Bloomfield / 12 / 1 / 13

Brunswick / 2 / 1 / 3

Grafitti in BlackpoolGrafitti in Blackpool
Grafitti in Blackpool

Claremont / 4 / 1 / 5

Clifton / 2 / 3 / 5

Greenlands / 5 / 0 / 5

Hawes Side / 9 / 3 / 12

Grafitti around the Bloomfield areaGrafitti around the Bloomfield area
Grafitti around the Bloomfield area

Highfield / 2 / 0 / 2

Ingthorpe / 2 / 3 / 5

Layton / 2 / 4 / 6

Marton / 6 / 3 / 9

Grafitti in BlackpoolGrafitti in Blackpool
Grafitti in Blackpool

Norbreck / 6 / 0 / 6

Squires Gate / 2 / 1 / 3

Talbot / 5 / 4 / 9

Tyldesley / 0 / 1 / 1

Victoria / 3 / 1 / 4

Warbreck / 2 / 3 / 5

Waterloo / 2 / 2 / 4

Unknown / 21 / 12 / 33

Grand Total / 87 / 44 / 131

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Figures for the period April 2015 to March 2017, show 132 incidents of graffiti reported to the council in total.

These include 13 in Bloomfield ward, 12 in Hawes Side and nine in Talbot, which are the worst affected areas.

But Dave Blacker, chairman of the Talbot PACT (police and community together), said he believed the problem was not as bad now as it had been in the past.

He said: “Graffiti does bring down neighbourhoods, for example when you see it at bus stops or in places like Stanley Park.

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“But I believe in our area, events such as the Sand, Sea and Spray festival have had a positive effect in giving frustrated artists a proper outlet.

“For example if you look down the back of the Winter Gardens, there are a lot of really good displays of street art. However, you do still get the odd instance of graffiti, for example on street furniture like road signs and bins.”

Sand, Sea and Spray has been cancelled this year due to a lack of funding – but passers-by can still see street art on walls around the town centre.

Angie Buss, of the Revoe Residents Association which covers Bloomfield ward, said she did not think graffiti was a serious issue in the area.

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She said: “We had a problem a few years ago when graffiti was popping up around the area, but it’s not as bad now.

“We are trying to put art projects together and do it in a proper way.

“I have organised street art sessions and I think that has helped reduce graffiti, and I think that’s a way of dealing with it in a positive way.”

Volunteers were shocked to see symbols and slogans had been scrawled on the walls and doors of The Vista at the Devonshire Road Rock Gardens in Bispham.

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A spokesman for Blackpool Council said: “Fortunately, we are not inundated with graffiti issues which are often cleared from routine cleaning inspections.

“Any abusive graffiti incidents are treated as a priority and all other incidents such as ‘tagging’ are individually assessed.

“Our figures are very low but we always take instances of graffiti seriously.

“Graffiti on public buildings or street furniture can be reported online at www.blackpool.gov.uk/streetcleaning.”