‘Scruffy and off-putting’

The headlands grass after it was cut by council mowing teams but the clumps left behind arent impressing visitors

Sand and weeds have started to encroach onto the grass which was planted in summer 2011 as part of a £1.5m improvement scheme at St Chad’s and Waterloo headlands.

Back then Blackpool Council pledged the area would be looked after – but four years on, it has become increasingly overgrown.

After The Gazette highlighted the issue in Friday’s paper, Blackpool Council sent a team of mowers to trim the large clumps of weeds that had grown there.

However, the area remains full of sand and visitors quizzed by The Gazette were not impressed by the view.

“It seems a shame to have a scruffy area like that because a lot of money has obviously been spent in recent years along the sea-front,” said Dave Linney, on holiday from Glasgow.

“My wife and I come here twice a year because we love the Prom but when you see grass like that which has been left to go to rack and ruin it is a bit off-putting.”

Sharon Hinchliffe, on the headlands with her husband and son on a day-trip from Chorley, said she was disappointed with the appearance of the grass.

“On one side you’ve got a lovely beach and the sea and then on the other side there is this scruffy looking bit,” she said. “It’s a shame really because it makes the whole area look a bit run-down.

“I know it must be difficult to maintain because of the amount of sand which blows off the beach but you’d think that the council would keep it in better condition than it is at the moment.”

Responding to the concerns about the headlands, Coun Graham Cain, Blackpool Council’s cabinet secretary, said: “I share the concerns about the state of the grass on the Promenade.

“The warm wet weather we’ve had has led to accelerated growth of the grass and the emergence of some weeds.”

Coun Cain blamed budget cuts for the failure to maintain the Headlands.

“I have to remind people that in the last five years, the council has had to make savings of £95m” he added.

Coun Tony Williams, leader of the Conservatives on Blackpool Council, said: “The council’s stock in trade response is that it’s all the fault of the savage government cuts – but some of the blame must be aimed at lack of good management.”