Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde News

The Green Party and a group of independent councillors have joined forces to become the official opposition to Reform UK on Lancashire County Council.

Fylde Council has awarded £167,650 to AFC Fylde Community Foundation to continue delivering targeted employment and skills support across the borough, a major step in boosting local opportunities and preparing residents for the jobs of tomorrow.

A cyclist has been left seriously injured following a crash in Thornton-Cleveleys.

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool is reintroducing Non-Rider eTickets for the first time in six years.

The boroughs of Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde all have new mayoral teams who have now taken up the chains of office for the year ahead.

A “rising star” prison governor has been jailed for nine years after having a relationship with a Liverpool drug gang boss, according to the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).

A registered sex offender has been sent to prison for possession of a 'paedophile manual' and breaching notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act.

A leading Blackpool hotelier says problems with the over supply of holiday bed spaces in the town is being made worse by the council’s promotion of big new hotel brands in the town.

The owner of a farm which her family have worked on for over a century has blasted the council, claiming they are trying to ‘persuade’ her to sell up her land to make way for a huge development.

The famous heritage trams will return to Blackpool promenade this autumn.

A number of beaches around Blackpool and the Fylde coast have been recognised for their quality with national awards.

A transport advisor on disability issues has raised concerns after hearing that services to London from Blackpool are to be reduced to just one train a day by operator Avanti.

Blackpool Council is looking to press ahead with proposals to use compulsory purchase powers ‘as a last resort’ in its efforts to tackle poor housing and deprivation in the resort.

Blackpool Neighbourhood Police and Task Force teams joined forces with partners to crack down on crime in Blackpool town centre.

A number of roads had to be closed in Blackpool, after a man escaped from police and climbed onto the roof of a building in the town centre.

A woman has been charged with attempting to abduct a baby in Blackpool town centre.

A report has found that a landfill site falls within safety standards.

Resurfacing works will be carried out by highways workers in Blackpool this week.

It seems some of the noisiest neighbours in the UK are in Blackpool.

A new Mayor has been elected in Fylde.

A woman has been arrested following an attempted abduction in Blackpool.

A violent thug who assaulted a young toddler and left him with a fractured skull has been jailed. 

A new headquarters for more than 3,000 civil servants has opened in Blackpool, bringing more jobs to the area and boosting the local economy.

A man has been found guilty of killing a football fan in Blackpool. 

Police have uncovered a large cannabis farm at a property in Freckleton.

Blackpool is preparing a series of events as the town joins the rest of the nation to celebrate the anniversary of VE Day next week.

A pensioner has died following a collision in Lytham over the weekend.

Fylde Council has approved the introduction of two fully electric vehicles to its operational fleet.

Two new roads at a major Blackpool business park expansion have been named by local school children.

A man has been jailed after approaching schoolgirls and making sexualised comments in Blackpool, in 2023.

Reform UK is set to take control of Lancashire County Council following the local elections.

A tribute has been paid to a man who ‘had his whole life ahead of him’, who died in a collision in St Annes last week.

A man who mowed down and seriously injured a pedestrian on Blackpool prom has been jailed.

On Friday, the historic setting of Lancaster Castle will host a prestigious Honours ceremony.

Two arrests have been made following a drugs raid on a property in Fleetwood.

Bosses at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens say the performance of the Only Fools & Horses musical will continue after the opening night was abandoned following a medical incident.

Planners have run the rule over proposals to demolish three old dockside buildings in Fleetwood – but the possibility of roosting bats have had to be taken into consideration.

The renovation of Stanley Buildings in Blackpool town centre is nearing completion, transforming previously disused space into a contemporary business centre to be named ‘The Robinson’.

Work to enhance the ecological health of Liggard Brook in Lytham will commence next week.

A 17-year-old was arrested after a 135mph pursuit along the M6 and M65.

A man has been jailed for assaulting a woman in Blackpool. 

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died following a collision in Lytham last night.

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack that destroyed a derelict church building in Thornton.

To help residents make informed choices when getting a tattoo, Blackpool Council introduced their Tattoo Hygiene Rating Scheme.  

Proposals have been revealed to install two new fairground rides on Blackpool Promenade.

More than £4m of funding is set to be spent on improving bus services in Blackpool including upgrading shelters.

Blackpool businesses can continue to receive free support thanks to an extension of existing funding.  

A new town centre car park has been branded a ‘tarmac desert’ by a councillor who had called for the space to be transformed into a green space instead.

Work has begun to build a new passenger handling terminal at Blackpool Airport as the Squires Gate hub continues with its expansion plans.

A new Community Beach Hub has opened on St Annes Beach.

Residents in Thornton are being asked to have their say about how to improve a public open space.

There were angry exchanges at a Wyre Council’s full council meeting last night as emotions ran high during a discussion over the noxious, stinking landfill site which has been plaguing communities for over a year.

Protesters against the Fleetwood landfill site at the centre of noxious emissions across the area are to hold another demonstration – in the chamber of Wyre Council.

Residents are being urged to make a pledge not to drop litter as Blackpool bids to keep its streets clean this summer.

Plans to demolish dilapidated old fish-processing buildings on Fleetwood Docks will first have to wait to see if bats are present.

Ambitious plans to bring one of Poulton’s most distinctive buildings back to life have now been lodged with planners at Wyre.

As families head to the coast to enjoy the Easter school break, the RNLI has revealed the results of a survey which shows large gaps in tidal knowledge.

A company which has managed air shows around the world has been chosen to take charge of Blackpool Air Show now in its 115th year.

A controversial housing scheme in Thornton has been approved by Wyre’s planning committee – pending a key agreement.

Ambitious plans to build a new M&S store at Norcross have created much interest – but concerns have been expressed this week about its effect on local trade as well as nearby roads.

The site of what was one of Blackpool’s most luxurious stores in its heyday is set for a new lease of life after proposals to transform the building were given the go ahead.

Blackpool’s Tramtown museum is gearing up to re-open to visitors this Easter in a move which will help preserve the town’s famous fleet of heritage trams for the future.

Recently, police renewed appeals for information in the hope of solving the mystery surrounding the tragic death of a newborn baby boy in Kirkham more than 13 years ago. 

Detailed plans for Blackpool’s £65m Multiversity education campus have got the go ahead after the council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposals.

Fylde Council has announced a new opportunity for developers and operators to bring the rapidly growing sport of padel tennis to Fairhaven Lake and Gardens.

Trees are being planted in urban spaces across Blackpool thanks to a £1.8m fund.

The government has refused to back a bid by Wyre Council to prevent any more new homes being given the go-ahead in an area with heightened levels of a cancer-causing chemical.

A new exhibition highlighting Blackpool’s crucial role in sustaining national morale during the Second World War is set to open at the resort’s Showtown museum.

Blackpool is no longer the town with the highest rate of children living in care as efforts to keep families together are achieving results.

Maternity services in Blackpool continue to be monitored at a national level but a new report says an action plan to improve care is close to completion.

A man has been charged with exposure after an alleged incident in Blackpool.

A Fleetwood man was found in possession of £20,000 worth of drugs following a stop.

Town centre offices which have been empty since 2018 look set to finally secure planning permission for redevelopment after previous attempts have failed.

A scheme to convert space above a Wetherspoon’s pub on Blackpool Promenade into flats has got the go ahead but with the number of apartments reduced by more than half.

Steps to protect Blackpool children from irresponsible drivers have seen new metal warning signs unveiled at a primary school.

The popular Splash Park in Promenade Gardens, St Annes, will reopen for the season on Saturday 5 April.

The world-famous Red Arrows display team have confirmed they will return to Blackpool this summer to perform on both days of the annual Air Show.

The search for a new investor to redevelop the Blackpool Central site has been taken to one of the biggest property conferences in the world.

A revised scheme to transform a former Pizza Hut outlet on Cleveleys seafront into padel tennis courts and refreshments has been lodged with planners – this time entailing the demolition of the former fast food building.

Blackpool and The Fylde College is celebrating after being rated ‘Good’ following its latest Ofsted inspection with four areas of work highlighted as ‘Outstanding’.

Final plans for the construction of Blackpool’s £65m Multiversity are due to go before councillors who are being recommending to support the scheme.

The Keep Blackpool Tidy campaign has a new mascot – with Bertie the dog now leading the way on ensuring the resort’s streets are clean.

Kirkham swimming pool could reopen after Fylde Council pledged money to repair it following storm damage.

Police are renewing an appeal for information in the hope they can solve the mystery surrounding the tragic death of a newborn baby boy. 

Police documents have revealed how boy racers are putting members of the public at risk in Blackpool with “hundreds of cars” reported to be “racing up and down Yeadon Way”.

The latest tourism figures show another jump in Blackpool’s visitor numbers with the annual total now reaching 21.57 million.

Four Lancashire branches of Santander bank are to close, it has been announced.

Images depicting a bold vision for the rejuvenation of Blackpool’s deprived inner areas have emerged, setting out hopes of replacing rundown streets with modern housing, shops and green spaces.

Stevie Wonder will open his Love, Light & Song UK Tour in an exclusive outdoor headline full show at Lytham Festival in July.

The Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund nationally provided a total of £80m to local authorities in England as a support package for public leisure facilities with swimming pools. The funding was released in two phases.

Sold signs have gone up outside Blackpool’s former Abingdon Street Post Office which is earmarked for a £26m renovation into an Indigo-branded hotel.

Regeneration chiefs have revealed the first Blackpool streets set to be transformed as part of a £90m housing project.

A new report has revealed trouble hotspots in Blackpool and shows more than 40 per cent of anti-social behaviour happens in just three areas of the town.

Three people who died in suspected drug related deaths in Blackpool could have taken contaminated heroin, according to police.

A man has been jailed after attacking a man during disorder in Blackpool last summer.

Blackpool is seeking a ‘dynamic’ aviation expert to take charge of Blackpool Air Show which draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Residents in Thornton have a chance to find out more about proposals for a new waste processing facility earmarked for and at the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone.

Lancashire County Council and Fylde Council have announced a new strategic partnership, for which in-principle funding has been committed.

A man has been arrested after three suspected drug related deaths in Blackpool.

Lancashire highways bosses have revealed they plan to carry out 126 road resurfacing schemes over the next 12 months.

Allotment holders and residents who live within 1 kilometre of an industrial site in Thornton-Cleveleys are advised to take a precautionary approach to eating home grown produce while an investigation into potential contamination in the area takes place.

A new report which focuses on Blackpool pupils has revealed how use of smart phones is damaging reading skills.

Plans for a new, ultra-modern Fisherman’s Friend factory in Fleetwood have taken a step forward.

Fylde Council is exploring ways to enhance Clifton Street for residents, visitors, and businesses while preserving its heritage charm.

A commitment to working towards signing a ‘Pledge for a Healthy and Active Future’ (PHAF) is already showing positive wellbeing benefits for students at Blackpool’s Park Community Academy.

A woman from Blackpool who failed to seek veterinary help for her dog who suffered ‘weeks of suffering’ has been banned from keeping animals for 15 years.

A national and local joint investigation into council tax liabilities has identified nearly £290k which could be used to support Blackpool’s services for its residents. 

A Fleetwood man has been jailed for conveying drugs into prison.

An official traveller’s site should be provided on the Fylde coast for use by transient gypsies and travellers which would help prevent them camping illegally, a new report has suggested.

Shakespeare will not only be available on the shelves when Blackpool libraries host performances which will bring live theatre and music into their communities.

A ceramic artist from a village in Wyre features in an award-winning BBC show next week.

A Blackpool job-seeker says she has applied for more than 5,000 jobs in four years without success – but still remains optimistic of getting back into employment.

A shake-up at Blackpool’s £13m Showtown museum has seen some staff made redundant and an overhaul of the way the attraction runs.

New contracts have been handed out to maintain public safety on Blackpool’s famous Promenade which attracts millions of visitors a year.

Residents living in an average band D property in Blackpool will pay an extra £115 in council tax in the new financial year after an increase of almost five per cent was agreed by the council.

Regeneration chiefs are poised to reveal which streets will be chosen for the first phase of a massive £90m housing regeneration project.

Police are appealing for information and footage after a 16-year-old girl suffered serious injuries following a collision in Blackpool.

Plans are in the pipeline to introduce apprentice opportunities for Fleetwood’s thriving fish processing sector- and create new jobs for the future.

Plans have been unveiled for an ambitious new lighting scheme in Blackpool town centre including a possible canopy over one pedestrian area.

Blackpool’s biggest fundraiser supporting young homeless people in the resort is set to take place again this April in St John’s Square.

Around a thousand job opportunities will be available as the Winter Gardens hosts a job fair with more than 100 local employers taking part.

Blackpool is set to become the UK’s comedy capital once again as the Blackpool Comedy Festival returns later this year.

Four former Wyre councillors who between them put in decades of service have been made honorary aldermen.

Plans for a crazy golf course have attracted strong support with around 180 comments and letters supporting the scheme so far.

The body that will assess controversial plans for a windfarm off the Fylde coast has demanded more details about the impact the development could have on residents and the environment.

A man who subjected women and girls to a catalogue of horrific assaults and sexual violence has been sentenced to 30 years.

Police are appealing to identify a potential witness after a man died following a collision in Blackpool.

A man has been arrested after a fatal collision in Blackpool last week.

A man suffered serious injuries after a van collided with pedestrians in Poulton-le-Fylde over the weekend.

The compulsory purchase order giving Blackpool Council power to clear the site needed for the £65m multiversity has now been published.

The world-renowned Blackpool Dance Festival has been awarded the prestigious 'Large Event of the Year' at this week's Lancashire Tourism Awards, further cementing its position as one of the region's most significant cultural and economic contributors.

Police are appealing for information after a man died following a collision in Blackpool.

A massive 186,000 tonnes of rock will be used to save a Blackpool beach from the threat of coastal erosion.

Thousands of pounds worth of goods have been stolen from a house in Blackpool.

Fylde Council has announced a refurbishment project for the Kirkham Market Square public toilets, bringing much-needed updates to the facility.

A scheme to transform a former Pizza Hut outlet on Cleveleys seafront into a cafe with padel tennis courts to the rear is now awaiting progress after the application was approved by planners.

Work to demolish Blackpool’s former Bonny Street police station and magistrates court is now underway and is due to be completed by July.

Fears have been raised residents could have left their homes ‘for no reason’ if a proposed new spectator stand is not built at Blackpool Football Club’s Bloomfield Road stadium.

Motorists are being warned of up to 12 weeks of disruption at a major Blackpool junction which is being redesigned to cut congestion.

A Blackpool dad has told how his family is forced to sleep overnight in a camper van to escape rowdy holidaymakers staying in a resort short term holiday let.

Blackpool Council is hoping to work with the Home Office to resolve concerns around the use of the Metropole Hotel on the Promenade to house asylum seekers.

Visitors urged to take precautions as several swans die at the popular beauty spot. Blackpool Council warns the public to keep pets away and avoid contact with birds.

Fylde Council say the Visitor Centre at Fairhaven Lake will remain open after the RSBP formally gave notice they were moving out of the site.

A mothballed adventure course in Blackpool has cost council tax payers £390,000 it has emerged – with one councillor branding the spending as ‘shocking’.

Thousands of knives were seized from a stall in Blackpool as part of action to crack down on violent crime in the town.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has renewed calls for the Metropole Hotel to be closed to asylum seekers – claiming its residents have suffered ill-treatment.

Work is set to begin this summer to build Blackpool’s £65m multiversity after a planning inspector gave the go ahead for the council to buy up the rest of the site.

Fylde Council has approved plans to acquire Kirkham Pool from the YMCA for a nominal sum of £1.

A man has died in hospital following a collision in Catterall last week.

The Fylde Ice Festival is back for its third year, bringing a spectacular array of ice sculptures and family fun to St Annes.

Blackpool Council is set to cut £8.6m from its budget in the coming financial year with council tax bills expected to go up by five per cent.

Grants totalling more than £100,000 have been handed out by Blackpool Council to support community programmes at the town’s Grand Theatre.

The award-winning St Annes Kite Festival is set to take place from midday on Friday 29 August to Sunday 31 August.

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A significant fire broke out last night at a derelict building on Wilton Parade in Blackpool, prompting a substantial response from the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service.

Blackpool Council has given its approval to enter into a £8m grant funding agreement with a company who will explore the viability of citing a hotel at the listed former Abingdon Street Post Office.

Police are appealing for information after a collision left a cyclist with life threatening injuries.

Wyre Council wants to stop granting permission for new houses on land found to have heightened levels of a cancer-causing chemical – until more is known about the exact risk it poses.

An animal sanctuary in Blackpool is racing against time to raise £10,000 in less than two weeks to secure a permanent home for its residents.

Up to £10,000 could be made available for local good causes from council.

Blackpool is bidding for £750,000 to boost its cultural offer with some of the cash potentially being used to launch new events if the application is successful.

Expect wind speeds of up to 90mph across Lancashire as Storm Eowyn approaches.

Hopes of converting Blackpool’s former Odeon Cinema into a family entertainment centre appear to have been revived with the owners now seeking a leisure operator for the site.

Wyre Council has lodged objections to controversial proposals to develop a sand and gravel quarry next to houses in the village of Preesall.

Anyone feeling vulnerable or scared on a night out in Blackpool will be able to seek help at a new safe haven which has been launched in the town centre.

Police have recovered £28 million worth of assets from a gang of international bitcoin fraudsters.

More cameras could be added to Blackpool’s CCTV system following a £2m investment which saw a new control centre open nearly two years ago.

A man has been jailed for assaulting and coercive controlling a Fleetwood mum who went on to take her own life.

"Time to modernise or face being labelled as too old and tatty" says renowned Blackpool DJ and entrepreneur Jason Fubar.

Singer Linda Nolan, who rose to fame alongside her sisters in The Nolans, has died after two decades years of battling cancer.

Plans to build a new ‘first class’ M&S store at Norcross offering ‘6,600 product lines’ have been lodged with planners at Wyre.

Work to create a tram museum in Blackpool is continuing with volunteers hoping to submit a bid for National Lottery funding to support the vision to preserve the resort’s heritage fleet.

A former teacher will appear in court next month as part of an investigation into alleged historic sexual offences in Fleetwood.

Parents who have yet to apply for a primary school place starting this September in Lancashire are being reminded that the deadline for applications falls on Wednesday 15 January.

It has played host to The Beatles, legendary clown Charlie Cairoli and a host of dances and election counts – and this year Fleetwood’s Marine Hall turns 90.

Volunteers who are battling to restore a famous Blackpool landmark are appealing for more people to join their ranks.

More than one in 10 patients is facing a wait of at least 24 hours in A&E as winter pressures pile up at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Lancashire Police arrested 331 people for drink or drug driving related offences in December 2024, 24% more than last year.

Improved lighting and greening up of parts of the town centre are among the schemes funded by £1.5m of government cash.

A carcinogenic substance has been found in gardens and allotments close to the grounds of a former chemical plant in Thornton Cleveleys.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has set his own party a challenge – declaring “It’s about time UK Labour came back to Blackpool’.

Fylde Council has announced the launch of a transformative initiative to install new bus shelters across St Annes.

Police are appealing for information after a woman suffered serious injuries following a collision in St Annes.

Blackpool needs a large events arena to compete with rival towns and cities on the entertainment circuit, a former councillor who played guitar with some of the biggest stars of the 1970s has warned.

Lancashire County Council's gritting crews are preparing to put some brand-new snow-clearing kit to the test as they get ready to tackle the severe weather predicted for this weekend.

A fresh appeal has gone out for more people to come forward to act as foster carers in Blackpool with the resort still having more than 500 children living in council care.

Work is due to begin early in the new year on a new passenger handling facility at Blackpool Airport as part of major investment in the air hub in 2025.

Blackpool’s Tory opposition leader has warned of council tax rises and cuts to services despite a £17m funding boost for town hall spending next year.

Chris McCausland’s triumph on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing has resonated far beyond the glittering ballroom, raising public awareness about visual impairment and inspiring workplaces to consider accessibility and inclusivity more deeply.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage after a man suffered serious injuries in a collision in Pilling over the weekend.

A number of figures across Lancashire have been recognised in the 2025 King’s New Year Honours List.

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens conference centre is bringing a multi million pound boost in business tourism to the town.

Blackpool’s ambitious regeneration programme is set to make more progress in 2025 with the resort poised for hundreds of millions of pounds of investment.

Work on a £7.5m scheme to transform a historic Blackpool building into a modern hub for small businesses is on track to be completed by next spring.

Blackpool’s £350m Talbot Gateway will see a number of key milestones reached in 2025 as the next phases of development make progress.

A charity which supports young homeless people in Blackpool has seen a rise in demand for its services this year and is warning of a funding ‘cliff edge’.

Part of Blackpool town centre will be closed to traffic to enable the resort to literally lay down the red carpet for visiting celebrities next month.

A £1.7m new youth centre in Blackpool is on track to launch in the spring after the building work was completed two months ahead of schedule.

The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service will be out of action until February due to a fault with the vessel.

Blackpool is preparing to bring the curtain down on 2024 with a spectacular New Year’s Eve party on the Prom.