Blackpool’s landmark
attractions set to benefit from £38.9 million investment
Two of Blackpool’s
most iconic visitor attractions, Blackpool Tower and the Winter
Gardens complex, are to get a major facelift and redevelopment as
part of a groundbreaking £38.9 million project, joint Communities
and Business Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.
The multi-million deal will secure the long term future of the
area by rejuvenating tourism and ensuring that Blackpool maintains
its status as the UK’s leading resort.
The funding will enable Blackpool council to purchase the Tower
and the Winter Gardens from the current operator Leisure Parcs. It
will put the attractions in public ownership for the very first
time and pave the way for a major regeneration programme that
will:
- bring the expertise of the world class leisure operator Merlin
Entertainments Group to the area. Merlin already successfully
operates internationally branded attractions including the London
Eye, London Dungeon and Legoland;
- fund a £10 million programme of repairs for the Tower. The
first phase of the project is expected to be completed in time for
the beginning of the 2011 tourism season;
- attract an estimated 800,000 more visitors a year to the Tower,
almost doubling the current visitor numbers (458,000 visits in
2008/09), bringing an additional visitor spend of £36 million per year;
- create an estimated 1,000 jobs;
- deliver wide ranging economic impact, contributing up to £223
million to the region’s gross value added as well as providing a
return of £7 for every £1 of public sector investment.
The Winter Gardens will undergo a first phase refurbishment and
upgrading programme to create a new mid-size, multi purpose
conferencing venue suitable for a wide range of events and
functions. The first phase will focus on upgrading he Pavilion,
Arena and circulation areas as well as the redevelopment of 77-81
Church Street to create a new creative industries workspace unit.
The £38.9 million investment - a mixture of European, national,
regional and local funding - comes from the Northwest European
Regional Development Fund (£14 million), Northwest Regional
Development Agency (£7.9 million), Blackpool Council (£10 million)
and the Homes and Communities Agency (£7 million).
Ms Winterton said:
"Blackpool is one of our most iconic seaside towns. This
investment will revamp these historic buildings and secure their
world class status well into the future alongside jobs and
regeneration now.
"Today’s announcement is part and parcel of concerted
action on the part of the government to help seaside towns thrive.
This includes our seaside town strategy announced last week -
which also benefits Blackpool. Our investment is helping to
transform our coastal areas by improving housing, creating jobs
and opportunities and attracting new investment and business."
Regional Minister Phil Woolas, who visited Blackpool Tower today, said:
"This is fantastic news for Blackpool and the North
West. Blackpool Tower and Winter Gardens are favourite tourist
venue attractions in the country and this investment will ensure
their future as part of the transformation of Blackpool into a
world class destination."
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said:
"Both Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens are
internationally recognised landmarks and are therefore key assets
for both the resort and the Northwest. Through bringing these two
prime attractions into public ownership, this investment will
drive a major redevelopment and restoration programme on a scale
that would otherwise not have been possible, generating
significant economic benefits."
Sir Howard Bernstein, Chair of ReBlackpool, said:
"This is a bold but necessary initiative which provides
the best possible platform for strengthening the destination role
of the town. I am confident that this will result in a significant
increase in jobs and visitor numbers and will weld together all
the other valuable projects and programmes which are designed to
make Blackpool an attractive place to live, visit and invest."
Deborah McLaughlin, regional director NW for the Homes and
Communities Agency, said:
"This is a great example of partnership working to
support the regeneration of Blackpool. Our investment will act as
a catalyst for future inward investment to the town by creating a
more sustainable economy. This will provide a robust platform to
drive up the quality of the local housing market."
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Notes to Editors
1. The Government has invested hundreds of millions of pounds in
Blackpool. This includes:
- £78 million in seafront defences (Defra)
- £68 million
towards refurbishment of Blackpool and Fleetwood tram system
(DfT)
- £88 million committed to resort's
regeneration via ReBlackpool and Single Regeneration Budget since
2000
- Blackpool was also included in last week's
Seaside Towns announcement and will receive £200,000.
2. The Government’s seaside town strategy is entitled
"Securing the Future of Seaside Economies" and
was announced on Thursday, 25 March 2010.
3. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) works to
deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the
competitiveness of its businesses, people and places. Utilising
their technical expertise and strategic influence, it helps the
region’s 250,000+ businesses to develop and grow, as well as
supporting international trade and encouraging inward investment.
4. Between 2007 and 2013 the Northwest of England will receive a
total of £521 million (dependent on exchange rate) from the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Managed by the
Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), this funding will
enhance the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting
growth in employment and enterprise. Key targets for the NWOP include:
- Creating 26,700 net additional jobs by 2015
- Generating
£1.17 billion additional annual GVA by 2015
- Supporting a
25% reduction in addition CO2 emissions generated by the ERDF
Programme.
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