Metropole Hotel owners respond to calls to ‘restore it to former glory’

The owners of Blackpool’s Metropole Hotel have responded after calls were made to ‘restore it to former glory’ following almost five years as a base for asylum seekers.

Last week the Home Office confirmed that migrants currently living in the seafront property have been given notice to leave in July.

After welcoming this news, Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, a long term critic of the Metropole being used to house migrants, said the locally-listed hotel should be restored as a tourist destination after the families leave.

The MP has gone as far as to set up a petition to gather backing for his calls, which is already gaining support.

The Metropole, owned by Britannia Hotels Group, is one of Blackpool’s grandest hotels architecturally and, uniquely, is the only one located on the sea side of the famous tram tracks.

The MP said: “The Metropole should never have lost its purpose as a tourist destination.

“No more wasted potential. No more excuses. If you care about Blackpool’s future, take 30 seconds and sign my petition. I need your support.” 
Now Britannia has responded to the calls over the Metropole.

What Britannia says

A spokesperson for the hotels group commented: “We welcome constructive conversation regarding the future of The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool and fully understand the local interest in restoring this iconic hotel as a community asset. 

“We are currently reviewing our options while giving due consideration to local perspectives, and we will share further updates with the community once a plan has been finalised.”

Former hotelier and StayBlackpool director Ian White praised the hotel group’s work in the resort and said: “I very much appreciate the immense effort  the Britannia group has made across Blackpool and I trust the same ethos with follow at the Metropole once it is returned to the Britannia Group.

“With the end date stated as sometime in July, there  must be a period of refurbishment  before the rooms are returned to general holiday use.

“With Blackpool having such an extreme oversupply of holiday bed spaces we desperately need Chris Webb to deliver the   promised Short Stay Accommodation registration scheme as a matter of urgency,

“It is appreciated this will take time to roll out in a way that it can deliver a credible scheme, plus clarity on the powers that will be provided to the council to protect the public from unfit, possibly dangerous properties.”

Mr Webb has denied suggestions on social media that the migrants would move on to another local hotel after leaving the Metropole, stating that they would be sent to other locations on Serco sites across the country or in new-build military bases. 

Mr Webb’s petition can be found at https://www.chriswebb.org/news/petition-reopen-the-metropole-hotel-as-a-tourist-destination-for-blackpool