We need to improve Blackpool town centre to prevent the death of the high street, says businessman

A Blackpool businessman is hoping to see the town’s shopping centre get back some of its sparkle and believes it can offer a stronger visitor experience in its own right.

Stephen Sharples, who has lived in the town all his life , says Blackpool would be a worthy winner of the 2029 City of Culture with all the many attractions it has to offer.

But he believes the town, the UK’s top seaside resort which regularly draws in around 23 million visitors a year, needs more top level, individual shops to draw in locals and visitors alike.

He would like to see more incentives for independent businesses, such as lower rents on properties, and interested parties, including Blackpool Council, working together to help attract the enterprises.

With the Council’s ambitious, multi-million Talbot Gateway project bringing thousands of students, MoD workers and civil servants into the town centre, the town is dramatically changing.

But Stephen, a married father-of-five 37, who spent many years installing security and CCTV system across the Fylde coast, says the town centre needs to offer more.

He was moved to comment after seeing more shops closed down on Bank Hey Street, including Essentials, the business which replaced WH Smith. The shop unit is now boarded up and graffiti-ridden.

Stephen said: “A few years back, Bank Hey Street was one of the key areas of the town centre, so to see some of these big units lying empty is such a shame. It’s looks like the former WH Smith store is getting into a state of disrepair now.

“I know many towns have shopping centres that struggle, especially with the shift towards online shopping – and I know the cost of living doesn’t help.

“But I honestly believe that people would prefer to shop in a town centre than just buy online, providing there was a reason to do it – if the right mix of shops was there, and enough of them.

“Shopping online is not really fun, it’s just convenient. Shoppers would return to the high street if the shops are there, I have seen it happen in other towns with great shops.

“With so many businesses closing, I believe the overheads are too much and that makes it difficult for people to make a living.

“The cost of rents needs to be looked at and discussed. Having an empty shop unit serves no one, better to charge less for rent and have it occupied.

“People want a busy, safe shopping centre with good individual shops, not necessarily loads of chains.

“I think there is a real opportunity for Blackpool to move forward and parties to work towards a shopping centre that pulls people in and adds to the visitor experience – after all, with all these visitors, we’ve got a captive audience.”

Blackpool Council was approached for its take on the town centre.