Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde News

A site next to Blackpool’s £34m new Holiday Inn and tram terminal is to be developed into a car park – but some say it could be put to better use as green space.

Blackpool’s Abingdon Street Market is set to host a special event on Sunday (July 28) showcasing creative talents from the town.

Youngsters are being offered the chance of taking part in free sports sessions at two Blackpool parks this summer.

A 33-year-old man has died following a collision on the M6 between Lancaster and Preston this week.

Investigation underway into possible historic contamination at Thornton Cleveleys enterprise zone

Proposals to improve community facilities at a Blackpool housing estate have got the go ahead from town hall planners.

An action plan has been drawn up warning young people in Blackpool of the dangers of vaping after a study found nearly a third of young people questioned in the town owned up to using electronic cigarettes.

A £1.2m project targeting properties in Blackpool’s inner areas has found many tenants are living in accommodation which puts them at risk.

Lancashire Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision on the M6 which left five people with serious injuries.

Plans are under way to launch padel tennis – said to be one the world’s fastest-growing sports – in Thornton.

Three family hubs launched in Blackpool as part of a £2.8m investment in children’s futures celebrate their first anniversary this week.

Councillors have approved a recommendation to sell land for a nominal fee of just £1 to pave the way for construction of a new magistrates court in Blackpool.

A public inquiry is to be held into proposals to demolish homes and businesses in the centre of Blackpool to make way for a new education campus.

Restoration work is underway to bring one of Blackpool’s most historic pubs back to life.

Blackpool is hoping to grab a share of a £250m funding pot aimed at boosting levels of exercise among people living in the most deprived communities.

Police have issued an update after two people died in a house fire in Blackpool this week.

New rules banning motorhomes from overnight parking along St Annes promenade are set to come into force.

Blackpool Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) has launched GO Blackpool, a ground breaking mobile app designed to enhance local business engagement and improve the visitor experience.

New MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood Lorraine Beavers has said her experience of Parliament has been both “awesome” and “overwhelming”.

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool has been nominated for 12 awards in the Theme Park Awards UK, including Theme Park of The Year, Best Theme Park for Families, Best Seaside Park and Best Theme Park for Thrills.

Fans of TV soap Coronation Street may soon be able to sink a pint at Blackpool’s own version of the fictional Rovers Return local after a town hall panel gave the go-ahead for its alcohol licence.

The popular festival will return for three days in September 2024, for the weekend of Friday 13th and here's all you need to know...

An increased budget for the St Annes Event Space project has been approved by councillors.

Two people have died following a house fire in Blackpool.

Two parks in Blackpool are raising their prestigious Green Flag Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

In the last 12 months, more than 2,600 people have been arrested for drink or drug driving offences in Lancashire.

Police in Blackpool are appealing for information after a man was left with serious head injuries after an assault.

Operators of a landfill site where vile odour emissions have been linked to health problems have been told they must continue to suspend new arrivals of waste until the stink problem is solved.

Here's all the details about Tram Sunday...

Plans by Blackpool Football Club to build a new elite training ground look set to be approved by Blackpool Council – although the club’s owner has already indicated the scheme has been put on the backburner for now.

Blackpool has been awarded £2.3m to help get more of the town’s school leavers into jobs after a successful campaign to secure the funding.

A new five-storey hotel set to be built in Blackpool will bring a contemporary design to the resort inspired by its Art Deco heritage.

A Blackpool man has been jailed for life for the murder of his toddler son.

Pollution of Blackpool’s beaches could damage its tourism industry the town’s MP has warned after sharing figures which show 158 pollution alerts for Fylde coast beaches so far this year.

Blackpool’s free events programme continues to be essential to driving up visitor numbers, the latest tourism figures show.

Town hall chiefs are to sell a key site in Blackpool for a nominal fee of just £1 in order to kickstart a major regeneration project.

It is hoped work will start this autumn to build a new block of sheltered housing in Blackpool after figures showed hundreds of people on waiting lists for that type of accommodation.

A Bispham man sentenced to 20 years for sexual offences against two victims who were both under the age of ten.

A man who raped and sexually abused a young girl has been jailed for 20 years.

The conversion of a former hotel in Blackpool’s holiday heartland into single-use holiday accommodation has been approved – with strict conditions to control potential noise nuisance.

Proposals to upgrade a historic town centre building have had to be pared back after developers found more damage than expected.

Developers have lost their battle to install a 20-metre-high 5G phone mast on a site close to a popular Blackpool destination.

Labour’s Chris Webb thanked voters for “putting their faith in me again” as he retained his seat in Blackpool South – repeating his victory at the recent by-election in the constituency.

Labour’s Lorraine Beavers spoke of her pride at being the first MP to come from Fleetwood after winning the Blackpool North and Fleetwood seat with a majority of 4,647 votes.

Artists from across the country are set to converge in Blackpool this weekend to test their outdoor painting skills.

Blackpool’s Stanley Park has long been considered one of the jewels in the town’s crown – but a concerned resident fears it could be in decline unless something is done.

Police are appealing for help after a collision in Fleetwood left a pedestrian with a hip injury.

Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool came to an epic conclusion at Blackpool Tower, as the large sculptures and some surprise lots raised £143,550 for Brian House Children’s Hospice.

Police are asking for your help after a burglary in Blackpool.

Travel on the Fylde coast has been transformed with the opening the new M55 to Heyhouses link road.

A family have paid an emotional tribute to a man who died following a road traffic collision in Bispham. 

A council-owned former pitch and putt amenity on Fleetwood seafront looks set to be revived.

Regeneration chiefs have bought another building in readiness for the development of a new town centre car park.

A new leisure attraction could be coming to Blackpool Promenade as the council has advertised for operators to take over a prime site.

A council says it has received 750 complaints about a nuisance odour reportedly making some people ill – but campaigners say the figure is much higher.

Legal agreements have been signed off as part of housing developments which are seeing hundreds of new homes being built in Blackpool.

A road leading off Blackpool Promenade looks set to be made one-way as part of proposals to create a new £442,000 parking scheme.

A new community centre could open in Blackpool if plans to convert church buildings get the go-ahead.

Blackpool’s Armed Forces Week is back with a programme of events and entertainment to honour the nation’s military personnel of the past, present and future.

Hospitals in Lancashire are preparing for more industrial action with junior doctors set to strike this week for the first time since February.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a serious collision in Bispham.

Police have charged a man with manslaughter following the death of Matthew Guthrie in Lytham last year.

A brand new offer to help children and young people in Fleetwood thrive into the future has been officially unveiled within a transformed former hospital building.

The leader of Blackpool Council has been recognised with the MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

A man from Blackpool has been jailed for multiple domestic abuse offences committed in Cumbria.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a man suffered a stab wound in Blackpool.

Passenger trams have connected up with Blackpool’s main train station for the first time in over 60 years.

Blackpool, renowned for its rich dance heritage, is set to host the world’s first fringe festival dedicated entirely to dance and movement – Capital of Dance.

A critically endangered orangutan at Blackpool Zoo has become a mother for the first time.

Plans have been submitted for a new £45m office development in Blackpool’s Talbot Gateway on former Apollo 2000 site.

Investigations continue after more than 50 firefighters tackled a huge blaze at a former government building near Blackpool over the weekend.

Police are appealing for information, witnesses and footage after a man was left in a critical condition in hospital, following an assault in Blackpool.

Earlier this week, Fleetwood’s Neighbourhood Policing Team were joined by HMRC, Immigration, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, and Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority for an exploitation operation.

Two boys have been arrested in connection with a fire at a car showroom in Thornton Cleveleys.

Three people have been arrested after a high-value theft in Cleveleys.

Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy as part of enquiries into damage caused to the Cube bar in Poulton-le-Fylde.

Blackpool's promenade will be closed for a time this weekend for this year's Pride celebrations.

A man has been charged in relation to the death of Kiena Dawes from Fleetwood.

Police are appealing for information after a collision in Blackpool left a motorbike rider with serious injuries.

A former surgeon has been charged as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual assault at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Fylde Council has approved a capital grant of £250,000 to the Lowther Pavilion Trust for the internal refit of the newly constructed education centre and studio theatre annex.

Plans have been submitted for a new £45m office development in Blackpool’s Talbot Gateway.

Plans have been announced to make Blackpool the  ‘UK Capital of Dance’ 

Preparing for the arrival of a baby is always exciting, but imagine the anticipation keepers at Blackpool Zoo are feeling as they get ready to welcome two 100kg, not so little ones to their herd of Asian elephants.

A man has been jailed after stealing large quantities of fuel from Lancashire petrol stations. 

Northern Citrus Products Limited, Cocker Avenue, Poulton have been ordered to pay £1800 following an inspection by Wyre Council.

A man has been sentenced after a number of local commercial burglaries.

Lancashire Trading Standards have been busy undertaking test purchases for knives across the county last week as part of Operation Sceptre.

25,000 visitors descend on Blackpool for the largest & longest running Dance Festival in the world.

Abingdon Street Market’s Food Hall is soon to reach one year of trading.

The father of a man who died after he was assaulted in Blackpool has spoken of his heartbreak after his son’s killer was jailed.

The St Annes Event Space project, a cornerstone of the St Annes Masterplan, is set to bring transformative changes to the town centre.

The 80th anniversary of D-Day will be commemorated in Blackpool next month.

Police have secured a closure order at an address in Fleetwood which has been the subject of persistent anti social behaviour.

Blackpool police are investigating a report of a rape and are asking for information and footage from the area.

A new Skills Hub to enhance the employment opportunities of thousands of Blackpool residents has officially opened its doors.

Two men have been jailed for carrying out a knifepoint robbery at a convenience store in Blackpool. 

The Winter Gardens’ iconic Empress Ballroom has reached a significant milestone as the final two chandeliers have been winched back into place.

A body found in the sea on the Fylde coast has been confirmed to be missing Wrea Green man, Richard Parker.

Fylde Council is undertaking a comprehensive plan to extend the operational life of the St Annes Pool facility through significant capital investments.

Three of Blackpool’s best loved beaches have once again been granted Seaside Awards, it was revealed today. 

Fylde Council is seeking input from residents to better understand community needs and requirements for PlayZones in the area.

A man has been arrested in connection with reports of damage caused to the Cube bar, Poulton-le-Fylde.

Police are investigating a serious assault in Blackpool.

Blackpool Council is to consider a report asking for approval to enter into a grant funding agreement with Homes England.

The Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club has been granted planning permission for remodelling works to allow the hosting of future championship tournaments.

Next week marks the start of Foster Care Fortnight, an annual campaign that aims to raise the profile of fostering and highlight the incredible work foster carers do to transform children’s lives.

Blackpool Grand Theatre will benefit from a share of £24.2 million through Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.

Police appealing for information after a man was hospitalised following a serious assault in Blackpool.

Labour’s Clive Grunshaw has become Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner for a second time.

Following the success of the launch of 2019’s ‘Blackpool Comedy Festival’, Winter Gardens Blackpool, Manford’s Comedy Club and Showtown Blackpool have announced the festival will return to the home of British comedy in July 2024 with an all-star line-up.

A Thornton Cleveleys man has been jailed for shoplifting offences.

The Holiday Inn Blackpool has opened its doors to its first guests today - and Corrie star and Blackpool fan Jack P Shepherd was the first to walk in.

Police are appealing for information after damage was caused to the Cube bar in Poulton-le-Fylde.

Around 350 volunteers turned up to support SEA LIFE Blackpool’s biggest ever beach clean and helped remove more than 148 kilos of litter.

Local organisation CRE8IV Group Ltd have taken over the lease for Thornton Little Theatre.

Police discovered a taser disguised as a car key during a drugs raid at an address on the Fylde.

Alison Hammond was left astounded when she came face-to-face, live on air, with her new Madame Tussauds Blackpool wax figure as she presented Friday’s episode of This Morning alongside co-host Dermot O’Leary. 

Police discovered hundreds of cannabis plants at a house in Blackpool this week.

Fylde Council has approved the payment of a £30,000 grant to Freckleton Parish Council as a contribution towards replacing the roof of the Rawstorne Sports Centre.

Fylde Council were honoured to award Sir Bill Beaumont GBE DL the Freedom of the Borough in a civic reception held at the Town Hall in St Annes this week.

A Blackpool businessman has made a £2,000 donation to the Illuminations in recognition of the positive economic impact that the annual event brings to the resort each year.

Police are appealing for information after a cyclist was injured in a collision in Blackpool.

The date has revealed for official public opening of Blackpool’s new tramway extension. 

A Fleetwood nurse who gained a first class degree while her husband was a captive of the Taliban has been selected as part of a national campaign to inspire people to go to university.

The British Empire Medal will be presented to a number of Lancashire recipients next month.

Testing is due to start this week on the Talbot Road tramway extension, between the Promenade and the new Blackpool North tram stop.

Essential resurfacing work on part of the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool bypass will be carried out this week.

Police in Blackpool made an arrest after reports that a man was seen with a handgun.

A man has been jailed after numerous shoplifting offences in Fleetwood.

The Fylde MP has resigned from the Conservative Party and will leave not stand at the next General Election.

Blackpool’s Neighbourhood Task Force recently held a joint plain-clothed operation, focusing on drug dealing in the Claremont area as a result of community concerns.

Two members of an organised criminal group who distributed millions of pounds worth of Class A drugs across the UK have been jailed.

Underage teenage testers were able to buy alcohol and vapes at eight businesses across Lancashire during a test purchasing crackdown during the Easter period.

The Princess Royal was in Fleetwood yesterday, and Central Radio was delighted to be there to welcome her! 

Nine candidates have been announced for the Blackpool South by-election next month.

A dog suspected to be an XL bully has been seized after a woman was bitten on a street in Blackpool.

Two planning applications for apartments on Blackpool’s promenade have been granted permission.

Seven arrests have been made over repeated break ins at the abandoned Blackpool police and court buildings.

Groups are being invited to submit an expressions of interest in acquiring and operating the Kirkham swimming pool.

A teenager has died after a collision between a car and a motorbike near Garstang.

Following the Lowther Gardens (Lytham) Trust investing £1.2 million into the construction of the150-seat Education Centre & Studio Theatre, the Lowther Pavilion Theatre & Gardens team have gained support from three national funding bodies.

A teenager from Preston has been arrested after a number of weapons were found in a rucksack in Blackpool.

A test purchasing operation was recently conducted by Wyre Police’s Licensing Team and Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service.

The official unveiling of a new mural at Cleveleys bus station has taken place.

Fylde Council and YMCA Fylde Coast have announced that a plan has been agreed for the future of the former Kirkham pool facility.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an e-bike rider was knocked off his vehicle in Blackpool.

Police in Fleetwood say there has been an increase in anti social behaviour around the Marine Hall recently, including a number of arson attacks.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a road traffic collision in Kirkham which left a woman with serious injuries.

Pleasure Beach Resort is bringing a live Eurovision fan zone to Blackpool where UK’s entrant, Olly Alexander, spent his childhood years.

Work towards building a new road at Blackpool Enterprise Zone will begin in April.

Winter Gardens Blackpool has launched their first-ever Wellbeing Festival.

A man has been jailed for almost five years after he was stopped with almost half a million pounds worth of cocaine in his car boot near Blackpool.

The family of Allison Dodds have described her as a ‘beautiful lost soul’ after a man was jailed for life for her murder.

Wyre Council has successfully secured £141,212 from the second phase of the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, following the phase one funding awarded to the Council last year.

As part of the ongoing efforts to upkeep the local road networks, Blackpool Council have carried out essential road improvement works earlier this month on a section of Preston New Road.

Police investigating the alleged stabbing of a Blackpool taxi driver say they believe no crime took place.

Beloved national treasure, biologist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, has been immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds Blackpool.  

Fylde Council’s application for the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) Phase 2 has been successful for St Annes YMCA Pool.

An investigation is underway to establish the cause of multiple vehicle fires, after two cars and a van were found ablaze in Thornton Cleveleys.

We've compiled a superb list of Easter activities this year!

Today marks the grand opening of The Backlot Cinema & Diner, located in Houndshill Shopping Centre’s new extension.

A spectacular programme of shows, events and new attractions has been unveiled as Blackpool looks to cement its place as the UK’s most popular seaside destination.

The Blackpool Council leader has responded after the new multi-coloured crossings in the town were vandalised just days after being installed.

Police have charged four teenagers after officers were led on a pursuit through Poulton.

The proposal has been approved to convert Ballam Road car park in Lytham from a privately operated facility to a public pay-and-display car park. 

Winter Gardens Blackpool has announced the return of the Blackpool Comedy Festival in the summer.

The first step in a number of planned improvements to develop a ‘Be Who You Want To Be’ area in Blackpool town centre is underway.

With the Holiday Inn Blackpool opening its doors this May, RBH Hospitality Management has revealed brand new images of the new hotel and Marco’s New York Italian restaurant.

Wyre Council has awarded the lease of Thornton Little Theatre to local organisation CRE8IV Group Ltd.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following an aggravated burglary and a wounding in Blackpool.

With one month to go until Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool, organisers Brian House Children’s Hospice has revealed one of the sculptures on the art trail.

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

New aerial photos show the final stages of construction of the M55 to Heyhouses Link Road are well advanced.

Police are appealing for a potential witness to come forward after a fatal collision last week in Poulton-le-Fylde.

A motorcyclist has been jailed for causing the death of a man in Blackpool.

A man has been charged with drug offences following a raid in Fleetwood.

A generous £1.5m gift from Blackpool FC owner and University of Manchester alumnus Simon Sadler has enabled the University to launch a new bursary for students leaving care.

Wyre Council bosses have set out the borough’s spending plans for the year ahead.

Blackpool Council is asking local residents and businesses for their opinion on closing St John’s Square to all traffic.

Plans for an historic devolution deal to bring extra powers and money to Lancashire have received support in a public consultation.

A Thornton Cleveleys drug dealer has been sentenced for conspiring to bring a million pounds worth of illegal drugs into the UK.

Police have made an arrest after a woman was attacked at an address in Fleetwood.

Drugs and a firearm were found during a raid on a property in St Annes.

A two year old boy has suffered serious injuries following a road traffic collision in Fulwood.

Dozens of people were arrested, and significant quantities of cash and drugs taken off the streets as part of a crackdown on drug dealing and county lines offending.

After a build lasting four years, the £162m A585 Windy Harbour bypass is fully open.

The government has announced £90m funding to help turbocharge the work the council has already done to overhaul Blackpool’s housing market.

The family of a man who died in a road traffic collision in Poulton-le-Fylde, have paid an emotional tribute to him.

Blackpool Council has launched the first series of community MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) clinics to help get as many local children as possible who may not be up to date, vaccinated. 

Fylde police arrested four youths following an unprovoked assault on a child in Kirkham.

A Blackpool town centre shop has been hit with a two-month closure order following repeated illegal activity.

A man has died after a collision with a parked car in Poulton-le-Fylde.

The Backlot Cinema & Diner’s IMAX screen has arrived in Blackpool.

Wyre Council wants to hear from the public on future plans for Garstang.

Parliament has approved a 35-day suspension for Scott Benton, which could trigger a by-election in the Blackpool South constituency.

Ian and Sue Rainford, owners of Brickhouse Farm Cottages in Hambleton, have been named amongst the 10 finalists in the running for the title of VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2024.

The owners of the iconic Harbour Lights Amusements in Fleetwood have announced the attraction will close for good later this year.

A man has suffered a serious injury after being hit by a tractor in Penwortham.

The windscreen of a police car was damaged while officers responded to a call in Fleetwood over the weekend.