Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde News

The Wyre Business Awards are back for 2026, and entries are now officially open for the borough’s biggest celebration of local business success. 

NHS England has published corridor care figures for the first time, showing how many patients were treated for more than 45 minutes outside a clinically appropriate and safe setting.

Further details have emerged about ambitious proposals to restore and re-purpose a Grade II listed church in Blackpool as a mental health therapy centre.

A number of local people from across Blackpool and the Fylde coast have been recognised in King Charles’ Birthday Honours List.

Fylde Council is backing the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week campaign.

Neighbours of a run-down Blackpool hotel which was hit with a prohibition order a year ago say it has got even worse in the past 12 months.

A balloon artist from Kirkham has helped create what is believed to be one of the World's largest foil balloon World Cup trophies after being challenged to design the structure from scratch for an international training event.

Vandals have forced a public toilet at Blackpool’s Stanley Park to close after mindlessly trashing the facilities.

Blackpool Council has vowed to complete a new housing development of 51 homes in Bispham despite being left £9.5m in debt after the developer went into administration.

A £40,000 grant is to be made available by Wyre Council to help set up a training facility at Thornton to tackle a worrying skills gap in the area.

Network Rail is objecting to plans to build a new housing estate near a level crossing.

A shop owner has been jailed after Trading Standards officers uncovered an illegal tobacco and vape operation in St Annes.

Fylde Council is bringing its food waste team directly to communities across the borough this summer, ahead of the service launching in the autumn.

Proposals to reinstate and revitalise the largest park in Cleveleys as an active, nature-rich and multi-generational space are now being shared with the community for feedback. 

A Blackpool councillor has called for urgent answers after safety concerns over the resort’s famous trams were raised by a transport watchdog.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly woman was found dead at an address in Thornton Cleveleys.

Anti-fracking campaigners have reacted with delight after the firm that operated a controversial drilling site in Fylde was given six months to restore it to the farmland that it used to be.

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An exciting new project is being proposed for Blackpool town centre, aimed at transforming a once-derelict building into a vibrant art gallery and bar.

Traders in Blackpool town centre have put out an SOS over problems they are encountering due to an apparent increase in groups of beggars .

Wyre Council is moving into the next phase of improvements at Marine Hall in Fleetwood, with plans to invest £1.3 million to bring a key part of the venue back into use.

Community organisations across Wyre could soon benefit from a £1 million funding programme designed to transform local spaces and create lasting impact for residents, following approval by Wyre Council’s Cabinet.

Ambitious proposals to create new apartments in one of Blackpool’s most iconic buildings have been give the green light by planners.

Proposals for two rides to be sited at Blackpool’s South Pier are set for a public inquiry hearing after the scheme was rejected on two occasions by resort planners.

Residents in the Revoe area of Blackpool have three more drop-in sessions planned to discuss a controversial regeneration scheme which includes demolition of their homes.

A 13-year-old and 15-year-old have been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire which destroyed the former M&S store in Fleetwood on Wednesday night.

Residents in Poulton-le-Fylde are benefiting from improved road conditions following the completion of a full resurfacing scheme on Curzon Road.

The boss of a long-established Indian restaurant in Blackpool says tough rules on immigrants being allowed to work are forcing decent eateries to close.

National concern about the rising number of young people who are NEET – Not in Employment, Education or Training – are being shared in Blackpool.

A veteran Blackpool councillor is believed to be the longest serving elected member currently serving on a council in the UK.

Hundreds of suspected fake perfume bottles and scores of suspected illicit Apple and Samsung products have been uncovered by Trading Standards at a car boot sale in Wyre.

Fylde is set to take centre stage in celebrating the very best green spaces across England.

A derelict property posing health problems to its neighbours in central Blackpool has been brought back into use thanks to council action.

A road traffic accident on Norcross roundabout – for many years labelled ‘dangerous – has reignited discussions on whether recent improvements have made it safer.

Three people have been arrested following a protest and counter-protest in Blackpool yesterday.

Two children and an adult have been rescued after being cut off by the tide at Blackpool South Pier.

Photographs, keepsakes and personal stories from South Shore’s past are being shared to celebrate “a place full of character and community spirit”.

Blackpool’s Neighbourhood Policing Team and British Transport Police’ County Lines Task Force have undertaken a joint day of action, with the aim of targeting drug supply in the town. 

Police have issued a warning that any disorder or crime committed during a protest march in Blackpool this weekend will not be tolerated.

Blackpool Council has responded to claims made by Reform UK’s lead councillor over plans to house migrants locally whilst also refuting stats on the number of asylum seekers in the town.

Plans to create a gleaming new play space at Anchorsholme Park are moving forward after vandals wrecked the play area in a mindless attack last year.

A new message on the door of a popular pub-restaurant which is facing the axe has still left punters with questions.

Calls have been made for an empty pub and restaurant in Bispham – which closed last year – to be taken on by a successful pub chain.

Blackpool Council is submitting a government bid for £30m to fix the colonnades.

Wildlife, residents and the wider environment are set to benefit from a programme of exciting improvement works along Liggard Brook.

Dates have now been confirmed for this year’s spectacular World Fireworks Championship Blackpool, one of the resort’s most iconic autumn events.

A popular bus service that’s helped thousands of visitors make the most of holidays on the Fylde coast is set to return ahead of the summer season.

Construction has now started on the new Multiversity campus, with representatives from all key stakeholders joining together on site to mark another major milestone in the transformation of the town centre.

A man who shouted racist abuse at a mother and daughter as they walked their dog in Warton has been sentenced.

The opening date for Blackpool’s newest attraction has been confirmed.

A meeting for residents of Thornton who are concerned about chemical pollution close to their homes is being staged tomorrow.

Blackpool Council and residents have hit back after the town was labelled Britain’s violent crime capital, where “one in 20 people” have been affected in the past year alone.

Plans have launched for new sea defence measures for north Blackpool and Bispham. 

An ambitious digital-led technology and data campus project expected to bring thousands of jobs to Blackpool has taken another huge step forward.

The world-famous Red Arrows will not be taking part in this year’s Blackpool Air Show, it has been confirmed.

Blackpool's Neighbourhood Policing Team conducted joint patrols with partners to address anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town Centre.

A bar in Blackpool has been closed down following a serious assault last month.

Ambitious proposals to extensively revamp Fleetwood’s Marine Hall – including the provision of a new café and outdoor seating – have now been lodged with Wyre planners.

Blackpool Pride Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a landmark three-day event and a two-day street party when it returns next month.

Blackpool Council has appointed Martin Lawton as its new Director of Adult Services.

A roundabout on the Fylde coast where a car recently smashed into the garden wall of a school has been called ‘a fatal accident waiting to happen’.

Residents who are against plans to build 99 new homes on fields in Carleton are planning a demonstration this weekend.

A married couple who are both councillors will be taking up their chains of office as the mayor and mayoress of Blackpool this week.

Three people have been sentenced for committing contempt of court by discussing evidence whilst a defendant was part-heard during a manslaughter trial.

It’s Foster Care Fortnight, the UK’s largest campaign to raise awareness of the positive impact of fostering.

Plans have been put forward to open a ‘Parrot Experience’ at premises in Blackpool town centre.

The Conservatives have claimed a double win in last night’s Ansdell Park and Kirkham South wards parish by-elections, holding both seats.

Blackpool Zoo has been given the green light by planners to put up a huge safari tent on the site.

The main works for a coastal protection project in Blackpool have started.

Progress continues to be made on the £45 million Ministry of Defence office in Blackpool town centre – with residents now seeing notable changes on site.

Blackpool’s newest attraction is nearing completion and already proving to have true blue appeal.

The creation of a ‘mini–Canary Wharf’ is promoting Blackpool to an increasingly global audience as an all-year round international visitor destination, according to the manager of one of the resort's leading hotels.

Pupils at a Blackpool pre-school got fed up of the rubbish that kept blowing off the street and into their playground.

More details have emerged of what will be on offer as the huge new Tenpin centre, based at the former Odeon site on Rigby Road in Blackpool, takes shape ahead of opening next month.

The Splash park in Promenade Gardens, St Annes, opens its gates for the 2026 season today.

Wyre Council has issued an Abatement Notice to the operator of a landfill in Fleetwood.

A new access road from Common Edge Road to Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone on Amy Johnson Way is set to open next week.

Police have charged a man with attempted murder after a pedestrian was struck by a car in Blackpool.

Fylde Council has announced its the latest round of Community Projects Fund awards, with eight local organisations and an new heritage initiative set to benefit from grants.

Blackpool’s Tramtown museum has been forced to close permanently after the main building used by the public was found to be unsafe.

Some 21 residential roads in Blackpool – including many with the worst potholes – have been resurfaced as part of a huge council investment in extra road maintenance.

Speculation has continued over whether the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool is preparing to take in asylum seekers, despite assertions from politicians that it isn’t.

The 156th Open Championship will return to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028 after a 16-year absence.

Wyre Council has issued major updates for two of the borough’s key venues -  Marine Hall in Fleetwood and Thornton Little Theatre.

Blackpool Council has formally submitted its Adult Social Care Improvement Plan to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Wyre Council has taken firm action to tackle environmental crime by increasing the penalty for fly‑tipping to the maximum level permitted by government.

A popular amusements arcade is making a fresh start with a new name, a new brand and an eye to the future.

A new contemporary building is to replace a shop unit in Blackpool town centre which was destroyed by a devastating fire more than three years ago.

A multi-million pound scheme to construct a gleaming new purpose-built Fisherman’s Friend factory in Fleetwood appears to have been held up – by the appearance of some protected wildlife.

Hoardings are now in place promoting a controversial housing regeneration scheme in Blackpool’s Revoe area.

The Arc Cinema Blackpool is undergoing a major refurbishment, with luxury seating and new screens planned ahead of the summer blockbuster season.

Organisers of Blackpool Carnival say this year’s event is going to be the “biggest and best” so far.

A Fylde coast park which has fallen on hard times is set for a major revamp before its 90th anniversary is celebrated next year.

Police are appealing for witnesses, footage and information after a man was left with serious injuries following a road traffic collision in Blackpool.

A man has been given jailed for nine years setting fire to a car which was parked on the driveway of a house in Staining. 

The RNLI have raised serious safety concerns and are formally objecting to plans to include rock groynes on Blackpool’s beaches as part of a major coastal protection scheme.

A multi-million pound community sports village for Blackpool has taken a major step forward as new details on the project emerge.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has declared victory after he was given personal Home Office confirmation that asylum seekers are to leave the town’s Metropole Hotel by July.

The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry will continue after a deal was struck to keep the service operating.

The Blackpool South MP has made an urgent call to end the use of the town’s Metropole Hotel to house asylum seekers.

A £478,000 investment in Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery will continue their town’s commitment to culture.

Bowling operator Tenpin has announced the next round of new job vacancies up for grabs in the run-up to opening a new centre in Blackpool this summer.

Secondary school pupils and students from across Blackpool are benefitting from an AI super curriculum designed to boost digital skills and highlight employment opportunities in the cyber industry.

Residents across the Fylde Coast are being invited to step inside one of the world’s most iconic dance venues as part of a special community celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the Blackpool Dance Festival.

Blackpool’s Illuminations attracted in two-in-every-five visitors to the resort in late summer and autumn last year.

Blackpool and the Fylde College has been chosen to provide major new courses linked to Britain’s defence industry and potentially “highly-skilled, well-paid jobs”, thanks to a £10m investment.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced the new eagerly-awaited driving test centre for Blackpool will open later this week.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has hailed a major £1.8m Government boost for the town’s SEND schooling provision.

One of Blackpool’s smallest libraries has been shown to generate huge economic and social value for local residents, according to a new report.

Shops selling non-compliant vapes, illicit tobacco, and supplying age-restricted products to children in Blackpool have been shut down by public protection officers.

The Blackpool Dance Festival team has launched an urgent appeal to trace a historic bronze and ivory figurine that was once a treasured trophy from the early days of Blackpool Winter Gardens.

A demolition crew this week have arrived on the site of boarded up terraced houses at the back of Blackpool FC’s stadium, Bloomfield Road.

Police have launched an attempted murder investigation after a woman was stabbed at Carleton Crematorium in Poulton-le-Fylde.

Blackpool Council has welcomed figures that show a notable fall in anti-social behaviour in the resort – including areas associated with the holiday trade.

The Fylde coast is feeling the fuel pinch as the war in Iran hits the petrol pumps – but some believe the fallout could actually help Blackpool’s tourist trade.

A gym user has blasted the ‘disgusting’ state of amenities at a council-run leisure centre in Bispham.

A group of inspiring young people from Blackpool are celebrating after being selected to represent the UK at the World Scout Jamboree 2027 in Poland, an experience that will see them step boldly onto the global stage.

An online petition has been launched in a bid to save a Fylde coast church from demolition.

Two residents at a care home in Blackpool were rushed to hospital following a fire and 21 others were treated at the scene.

New weekly food waste collections are to launch alongside household bin collection changes in Blackpool.

Upgrade works on tram tracks in Fleetwood are set to resume following the Easter holiday.

Campaigners against a stinking landfill site in Fleetwood are challenging data provided by statutory bodies in regard to air quality and public safety.

Blackpool Council has responded to concerns over the safety of proposed rock groynes for Blackpool beach – and insists they are the best option to safeguard the resort’s famous golden sands.

​​​​​​​Wyre Council has formally signed a new contract with Parkwood Leisure, working in partnership with the charitable organisation Creating Active Futures, to manage the borough’s leisure centres from next month.

Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery celebrated a landmark cultural moment as it welcomed guests to an exclusive preview event to mark the arrival of a rare Monet masterpiece.

Police and partner agencies in Blackpool are to take part in a new Home Office funded pilot project aimed at improving the response to spiking reports.

Work is now under way for a new Tesco store in the heart of Blackpool town centre.

A catchy but thought-provoking rap song about Blackpool by a local music duo has gone viral – and caused some controversy as well.

The public consultation opens today on plans for the proposed merger between Blackpool and The Fylde College and Furness College in South Cumbria.

A council meeting at Blackpool was dramatically adjourned when protesters against plans to demolish their homes interrupted proceedings to air their grievances.

Councillors have approved a new visitor attraction for Blackpool – the Upside Down House.

Two significant improvement projects are near completion at Fairhaven Lake.

Blackpool’s holiday trade is in optimistic mood for the forthcoming season and anticipates that the resort is on the up again.

Ambitious plans to introduce improvements to the top gallery tier at Grade II-listed Blackpool Grand Theatre have been given the go ahead.

Proposals for a huge development at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone will go before planners tomorrow – and the scheme carries major jobs hopes if approved.

New proposals for a padel tennis club and cafe for Poulton have been given the go ahead by planners – three months after being refused.

A judge has praised a sexual abuse victim’s exceptional courage after her abuser was jailed for almost 20 years.

A convicted rapist, described by a judge as one of "the most dangerous sex offenders in the country" has been given a life sentence.

The first phase of a major programme of road improvements designed to support Blackpool’s regeneration and improve access to the town centre is starting this week.

Blackpool has been invited by the government to bid to be the UK City of Culture for 2029.

Fylde Council is spearheading a borough-wide effort to compete for the prestigious UK Town of Culture 2028, with plans to submit a bid on behalf of Kirkham, while actively supporting other towns and parishes across Fylde as they develop their own proposals.

Local famous faces have been announced to lead the fun-packed line-up for Fylde Fest: Spring into Life when it returns to St Annes Square later this month.

Members of a Blackpool drug-supply gang have been given custodial sentences totalling more than 63 years.  

A 50-year-old man had died after the e-bike he was riding collided with a parked car in Fleetwood.

Residents in an Over Wyre village are fighting against plans to build 79 new homes on a greenfield site.

The new owners of Guy’s Thatched Hamlet in Bilsborrow have been confirmed.

The landscape of Blackpool is continuing to change as a cordoned off area of Charles Street and Cookson Street is levelled off to make way for the town’s landmark £65 million Multiversity campus.

A call has been made for a Fylde coast park to be restored to the way it used to be, when it was a huge attraction for youngsters, families and visitors.

Urgent changes to make the notorious Norcross roundabout safer for drivers are finally under way.

Work to build a new community sports village in central Blackpool is expected to start later this year.

A busy Blackpool counselling centre which was forced to shut last year after being wrecked by massive storm is set to reopen.

Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone is continuing to see significant progress, with major infrastructure projects nearing completion and further development underway to help businesses grow and create new jobs for the Fylde coast.

Wyre Council are marking Empty Homes Week by highlighting the progress being made to bring vacant properties back into use and help meet growing local housing demand.

Angry residents in Blackpool’s Revoe area did not hold back last night after being given the chance to have their say about controversial plans to demolish homes.

A planning application for a multi‑million‑pound sea defence project in Blackpool has been lodged – with a warning the town could lose its famous sand without urgent action.

An allotment site in Thornton-Cleveleys is to be closed temporarily as part of an ongoing investigation into historic contamination by a chemical used at a nearby facility.

A professional Fylde coast singer has organised a concert to help raise funds for those affected by the devastating Waterloo Road blaze in Blackpool last month.

Councillors at Blackpool approved a number of changes to the town’s ambitious Multiversity scheme which effectively saved £450k towards its cost.

Blackpool Council is inviting residents, businesses and stakeholders to have their say on the future of central Blackpool.

Fylde MP Andrew Snowden has raised fears that taxpayers could be forced to pick up the bill for Blackpool Council’s massive £500 million debt after local authorities merge.

Fed-up Blackpool residents say the town’s roads are the ‘number one’ issue they want to raise with the council, with a record number of complaints about potholes in the last three years.

Leisure operators are being invited to help bring one of the world’s fastest-growing sports to one of Fylde’s most loved destinations.

Ongoing tests for potential chemical contamination in Thornton have now revealed the presence of cancer-linked chemical PFOA at some residential properties.

The chairman who will lead a £20m Government-backed community project for Grange Park and Layton has now been named.

A celebration of growth, music and memory as the long-time Viva performer launches his most personal show to date.

Police are investigating after a large cannabis grow was discovered in Blackpool.

Houses in parts of Fleetwood and Thornton Cleveleys will no longer be able to be converted into HMOs without planning permission, Wyre Council has said.

Furious campaigners are demanding the closure of a stinking landfill site in Fleetwood after an inquiry revealed as many as 70 permit breaches at the site in less than two years.

Cash seized from criminals is being spent on helping young people in Blackpool.

Plans to make Cleveleys town centre a more appealing place to shop will see more than a dozen on-street parking spaces removed – so that pavements can be widened.

Officers from Fleetwood Police successfully secured a closure order for a problem address in the area.

A couple who run a community café in Blackpool’s South Shore have been left devastated after the huge Waterloo Road blaze forced it to close for months ahead.

Blackpool Council has hit back at claims it is considering selling off assets such as famous landmarks to pay off debts.

Residents who live close to a stinking landfill site in Fleetwood are being given a chance to describe how the issue has impacted on their health in a new survey.

The former boss of a restaurant in Poulton-le-Fylde who set fire to it in a revenge attack against its new owners has been jailed.

Aspiring entrepreneurs in Wyre are being given the opportunity to develop real-world business skills through a unique training programme at Fleetwood Market.

A road campaigner has slammed Government-owned National Highways as a disgrace for its work on the ‘botched’ A585 bypass at Windy Harbour and ‘dangerous’ Norcross Roundabout.

Families across Fylde can dust off their vintage finest and prepare to step back in time as the much-loved Lytham 1940s Weekend returns this summer.

A former school caretaker who targeted children online and committed a string of sexual offences has been jailed for 12 years.

Blackpool Transport is set to freeze the price of its most popular tram and bus tickets as part of a wider review of its fare structure.

Proposals to transform part of Blackpool’s former Abingdon Street Post Office into a hotel are still being considered.

New operators are being sought to take over the lease of Thornton Little Theatre as owners Wyre Council look to begin a fresh chapter.

A car travelling north on the M6, near Garstang, was searched by officers who discovered 25kg of cocaine with a street value of approximately £2.5 million.

Parents across Lancashire are being reminded to ensure that their children’s measles vaccinations are up-to-date after an outbreak of the potentially fatal disease in London.

As one of Blackpool’s seafront attractions is set to disappear, another is lined up to replace it, if plans get the go ahead.

Hundreds of families created unforgettable memories in Lytham as the town centre transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland for the fourth annual Fylde Ice Festival.

VisitBlackpool’s Visitor Information Centre has a new home inside the world-famous Blackpool Tower.

A teenager has been left with serious injuries after a collision in Blackpool.

Blackpool’s multi-million pound Multiversity project will go back before the council’s planning committee this month as councillors consider various proposed changes.

Two men from Fleetwood have been jailed for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

The Trust which runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital has apologised to patients after it was highlighted that it was performing worse than any other in the country for 12 hour waits in hospital.

More than 30 Fylde residents have moved into work thanks to a successful partnership which has helped create training and apprenticeship opportunities.

Pride in Place cash will be spent on repairs to allow the reopening of Blackpool’s Tramtown museum.

Sixteen residential roads in Blackpool are set to get resurfaced over the next eight weeks, as Blackpool Council starts a huge investment in additional road maintenance.

Blackpool’s Brian House Children’s Hospice has announced the cancellation of this year’s Bubble Rush event.

One of Blackpool’s most iconic venues is set for an exciting new chapter after plans were agreed to transfer its operation to Blackpool Council’s wholly owned tourism company.

Wyre Council is preparing to launch a new weekly food waste collection service for all households from the middle of April.

A Poulton-le-Fylde man has been handed a five year prison sentence for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

This summer's walkabout theatre show in Williamson Park in Lancaster has been exclusively announced on Central Radio.

Residents worried over plans to demolish homes in Blackpool’s Revoe area as part of a controversial regeneration plan have been offered help by a national community union group.