Tower Lounge revamp plans given backing

How the revamped Tower Lounge building could look

Around 120 jobs will be created as part of the project, as well as a public bar, outdoor seating area and a stand-alone kiosk to transform the venue at the base of the Tower, which closed last November.

Blackpool Council is borrowing £400,000 to pay for the upgrade, with the project set to be a family-themed restaurant.

No name has been revealed for the eaterie, but Iain Hawkins, head of the Merlin cluster of attractions in Blackpool which includes the Tower, said negotiations were ongoing to bring “something really special” to the resort.

He said: “We are certainly in a position of working on contracts and that takes a long time.

“However part of the process was getting planning permission. We are absolutely delighted about that.

“It is one big step to give something really special to Blackpool.”

The Tower Lounge had long posed problems for its council owners.

Revellers drinking in the bar walked out onto Blackpool’s Bank Hey Street shopping area, clashing with the family-friendly offerings in the rest of the Tower complex.

And Mr Hawkins added: “We always knew it was really important to replace the Tower Lounge. It needs to be something family friendly – unlike what the Tower Lounge offered.

“We took the call to pull the plug on the Tower Lounge.

“We are keen to improve the town and experience of Blackpool.

“It is one of the key areas. A lot of money has been put into the attractions and Promenade, hotels, accommodation – the town centre is the next key area to develop.

“I am hoping the works on the Tower Lounge will be the first step to move forward.”

New restaurant will help to ‘capture the spirit of Blackpool’

Manchester-based design company CDS-Wilman, which had submitted the application, works with companies including John Lewis, Waitrose and Harry Ramsden’s.

In its submission it set out a raft of goals for the scheme, including to “create a flagship 300 cover restaurant and public access bar” with a stand-alone kiosk on the corner of Victoria Street and the Promenade. A design statement accompanying the application added: “The overall objective is to install a quality offer that will further enhance the customer experience when visiting the Tower.

“We aim to capture the spirit of Blackpool within the restaurant environment to ensure it delivers the customers with a richer and more authentic experience.”