Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde News

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.

What a year it’s been! Central Radio’s website has been filled with stories that kept you coming back for more. Let’s take a closer look at the top 10 most-viewed articles of 2024.

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

Work has started to build 11 new business units at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone with four already sold.

A Wyre councillor says she has advised worried constituents to attend new drop-in sessions offering updates on a probe into historic chemical contamination in Thornton.

Blackpool has received a grant for £1.8m towards planting new trees across the borough as part of a strategy to green up the town.

Blackpool is set to receive £2.3m of government funding to fix potholes across the town.

A £17m increase in Blackpool Council’s spending power next year has been welcomed by the council leader – but she warned it remains ‘impossible’ to turn the clock back on previous cuts.

Central Radio North West is delighted to announce that seasoned broadcaster Ian Shepherd will be joining our team as a presenter, bringing his unparalleled passion, flair, and connection to the community back to the airwaves.

Blackpool is to receive nearly £3m to tackle homelessness in the resort as latest figures show a rise in the number of people without a proper home.

A scheme to revive an Over Wyre pub which had fallen into near-dereliction is back with Wyre planners – a year after it was approved.

In a heartwarming gesture of community spirit, local travel agent Ryan Anthoney, owner of Geggs Getaways, has gone above and beyond to spread festive cheer at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Fylde Council has announced the company in talks to take over the operation and reopening of Kirkham swimming pool have pulled out.

A demolition team has been appointed to bulldoze the former Bonny Street Police Station and magistrates courts paving the way for potential new developers to take over the Blackpool Central site.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be spent upgrading facilities at two key areas of Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.

Local young actor Reuben (8) is making a splash in this year’s Christmas Day Family Animation on BBC One at 2:35pm, Tiddler; as the title role Tiddler.

Fylde Council recently hosted a well-attended Bidders Day for potential St Annes Pool operators at the Town Hall.

Payments of just over £3.5m were made to external consultants by Blackpool Council last year with the biggest bill being £1.4m to experts for advice about the multiversity.

Construction has commenced to restore the 2.5km of pathway between Wyre Estuary Country Park, Stanah and Skippool Picnic Area and car park.

New figures show more people visited Blackpool seafront this summer – peaking at 6.8 million in July – despite setbacks including the cost of living crisis and riots.

Blackpool residents can now recycle their vapes after the council’s waste management company Enveco came up with a solution to manage the growing number of e-cigarettes being disposed of.

Six men have been charged after a series of drugs warrants were executed across the Fylde coast.

The manager of a restaurant in Cleveleys has been sentenced after admitting a string of food hygiene offences.

Wyre Council has been working hard with external specialists Arcadis on a masterplan aimed at transforming the area along the waterfront at Fleetwood.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has called for the town’s historic trams to be back running as soon as possible after the service was suspended.

Plans to build a new hotel alongside Blackpool’s Winter Gardens complex have finally received full approval after landscaping concerns were resolved.

Work to build a 110-space car park in Blackpool has begun – but has come under renewed criticism from those saying the space should have been developed into a town centre park instead.

The land sale agreement with collapsed developer Nikal Ltd has now been formally terminated by Blackpool Council – paving the way for a new investor to be found.

Plans to change a residential house in Cleveleys into a small children’s home have been refused by planners.

Lytham Institute, a registered charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents of Lytham and the surrounding areas, has announced the launch of a recruitment campaign to appoint six additional trustees.

Fleetwood Town FC said they were disappointed to be made aware of an allegation of racism towards an opposition player.

Plans to build 93 homes in the Norcross area between Thornton and Anchorsholme have been resubmitted to planners.

A man from Blackpool has been jailed for five years after obtaining £22,000 through blackmail. 

​Police have charged four men after cannabis with an estimated street value of more than £4 million was found in Blackpool. 

Lancashire Police has launched its seasonal drug and drink driving crackdown.

Fire bosses say 'You could be putting your life at risk' if you run your dryer whilst you sleep

An RAF veteran from Lytham is asking local people to send messages of support this Christmas to veterans who are struggling with physical and mental challenges.

American rock band Kings of Leon will headline the opening night of the 2025 Lytham Festival.

We've got a full list of Christmas events and activities in Lancashire

A Fleetwood man has been jailed for his part in the disorder in Blackpool in the summer.

A call to ditch Blackpool’s extended Illuminations season because it is not cost-effective has been dismissed by council bosses who say the Lights provide a massive boost to the resort.

The MP for Fylde has warned the creation of a single coastal council encompassing Blackpool would be “disastrous” for the wider area.

A row over landscaping around a proposed new landmark hotel looks set to be resolved after the developer agreed to pay out for tree planting elsewhere.

Calls have been made for more expensive Saturday funerals to be brought in line with the cost of a weekday service to help reduce delays for mourners.

Police are appealing for information after two people were injured by a dog in Blackpool.

Blackpool Council is seeking views on a draft masterplan for Stanley Park.

Investment which is a vital step towards eventually restoring scheduled flights to Blackpool Airport has taken another stride forward.

Residents in Fylde say the borough council could have done more to raise awareness and challenge controversial plans to site windfarm cables and substations across the area.

A delayed scheme to build a new community sports village alongside Blackpool Football Club looks set to be amended before the investment can begin.

Plans to turn a private medical practice in Garstang into apartments have been approved by planners at Wyre.

A man has been jailed for more than five years for manufacturing a firearm.

Fylde Council has launched the procurement process for the new contract to manage St Annes swimming pool.

Abingdon Street Market’s retail area has already reached one year of trading.

Council chiefs will start seeking a new developer early next year after plans for a £300m leisure scheme in the heart of Blackpool collapsed.

One of Blackpool’s oldest pubs has re-opened following a £200,000 investment which included rebuilding the front of the venue which was at risk of collapse.

Former Blackpool MPs have paid tribute to John Prescott who was a regular visitor to the resort during his time in government.

Traffic jam-busting technology such as ‘smart’ junctions will be used to improve travel times in Blackpool town centre thanks to a multi-million pound injection of cash.

Police are appealing for information after £10,000 of model trains stolen were stolen from an address in Cleveleys.

During the festive period, free parking sessions will be available every Friday and Saturday at Wyre Council car parks.

Blackpool is preparing to bid a fond farewell to one of the most successful events seasons on record with a free family celebration on New Year’s Eve.

Wyre Council has purchased its first empty home as part of the Affordable Housing Delivery Programme.

Lancaster on Ice is set to return to the picturesque Dalton Square in Lancaster, bringing festive cheer to the city.

Blackpool’s spectacular Christmas By The Sea village is open – with a helping hand from the stars of Strictly Come Dancing.

Blackpool has been handed a £6m boost towards two key regeneration projects in the town.

A pub on Cleveleys seafront which has frequently been empty since it was built 18 years ago is now to become a veterinary practice.

Detectives investigating the murder of Kevin Price in Blackpool have charged two people.

Uber drivers in Blackpool are charging as little as 36p for a two mile journey, it has been claimed, with fears raised such low fares mean cabbies will not be able to sustain their livelihoods.

The rising cost of baby milk is causing hardship for many Blackpool families – with some even resorting to shoplifting so they can bottle-feed their babies.

Nine groups of volunteers based in Lancashire have been honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Around two thirds of people in Blackpool who have responded so far to a survey about assisted dying say they would support legislation to allow terminally ill adults to end their life.

Blackpool is preparing to launch a magnificent programme of Christmas entertainment – with a sprinkling of Strictly stardust!

A local mother and football coach is leading a campaign to ensure that all youth sports venues provide accessible toilet facilities, highlighting a significant disparity affecting young female athletes.

A murder inquiry is underway after the body of a man was found in Blackpool.

A £65m regeneration project in the heart of Blackpool will be put at risk if permission is not given to clear the site, a public inquiry has been told.

Proposals for new sheltered housing in Blackpool have got the go ahead in order to meet an ‘overwhelming need’ for this type of accommodation in the town.

A number of stores across the Fylde coast sold a bladed item to an underage person in a recent test purchase operation.

Fylde Council has approved an extension of their Kirkham Pool Disposal Plan with the YMCA to a backstop date of 17th February 2025.

A man who stabbed someone before causing a lengthy stand off with police has been jailed.

Controversial plans to turn a large residential home in Cleveleys into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) have been approved by planners at Wyre.

People are being urged to ensure they dispose of batteries responsibly after an e-bike sparked a blaze which closed down Blackpool’s tip.

It was a place of learning for many years, but 10 years after its closure the site of the former Bispham High School is now being transformed for 21st century living.

Blackpool Council is set to launch a consultation into their multi-million pound plans to extend sea defence works in Anchorsholme.

Millions of pounds of drugs have been discovered when police raided a property in Fleetwood.

The role played by Blackpool FC fans in pushing for new rules for football club owners has been recognised by the government minister at the helm of new legislation.

Proposals to build more than 50 homes in Preesall are this week to go before Wyre planners for the third time.

The Blackpool South MP has been mugged by a gang in London.

Blackpool should follow in the footsteps of Manchester to build an indoor concert arena, according to one of the town’s MPs.

One of Blackpool’s oldest pubs was in danger of collapse after its historic frontage was found to be crumbling away.

Ambitious plans to tackle town centre congestion in Blackpool have been given the green light by the Government.

Planners have reined in proposals for a stable block to house Blackpool’s famous landau horses on a residential street, despite the area’s history for keeping the animals.

A man from Lytham St Annes has appeared in court in connection to an investigation into a multi million pound PPE fraud.

A man has been jailed after raping a woman in her own home. 

In winter, seasonal flu can cause thousands of people in the UK to receive hospital treatment every day.

Questions have been raised over the addition of fluoride to school milk in Blackpool after claims on social media the practice is unsafe.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb is calling on the government to overhaul taxi laws following a meeting with the minister in charge.

New powers are to come into force banning the use of tents for sleeping in shop doorways and on the Promenade in Blackpool.

Blackpool’s newest MP has pledged to be at the heart of the community after criticism from some quarters she has not been visible enough since her election in July.

Police are appealing for witnesses after an elderly pedestrian was seriously injured in a collision in Thornton Cleveleys.

Two brothers have been given prison sentences totalling almost 30 years after raping and sexually assaulting a number of children.

Blackpool has received a further £1.7m from the government’s Household Support Fund – with £300,000 being set aside to help vulnerable pensioners including those who have lost their winter fuel allowance.

Pubs, restaurants and guest-houses in Blackpool are facing a ‘cliff edge’ if business rates relief runs out in April next year as currently expected.

Work is underway on a project to build 154 new homes in Thornton on a site which has proved controversial due to archaeological finding there.

The Kentown Wizard Foundation has announced a significant milestone - surpassing £20 million in grant-giving.

A 20-year-old Blackpool man has been jailed for the role he played in the disorder in Blackpool in August. 

A controversial housing development in Thornton which was granted planning approval two years ago is no longer going ahead and a completely new scheme by a different group has been lodged with Wyre planners.

Blackpool has unveiled an extraordinary programme of light-based art as the annual Lightpool Festival gets underway.

Blackpool Neighbourhood Policing Teams have executed two Misuse of Drug Warrants at addresses in the Brunswick area.

Residents across Lancashire are being welcomed into their local libraries to get a hot drink, meet new people and to stay warm as temperatures drop.

Blackpool Council’s finances are ‘on the edge’ the town’s opposition leader has warned after new figures showed reserves have dropped to just £76,000.

A campaign urging people to clean up after their dogs is being relaunched in Blackpool to coincide with the arrival of darker nights when many people walk their pets closer to home.

Thousands of tourists arrive daily in Blackpool by coach – boosting the resort’s tourism economy by hundreds of thousands of pounds each day, new research has shown.

Blackpool Council has been forced to write off almost £1.6m of debt with around half of that due to unpaid business rates.

A new housing scheme for Poulton will see 300 homes built in 2025 after planners gave the full scheme the green light.

Plans to build hundreds of houses on the edge of Blackpool are back on the table after proposals have stalled over many years.

A rubbish mountain has appeared outside the former fracking site in Fylde after the spot became a magnet for fly-tipping.

Police appealing for information and footage after collision between a car and a cyclist in Blackpool.

Work could begin to build Blackpool’s £65m multiversity in May or June next year providing the site has been assembled.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has called for urgent action to address the demands of the Waspi women campaign after raising the issue in Parliament.

Two men have been jailed after a man was left in a critical condition in hospital.

National children’s charity, Dreams Come True, has been awarded a five-year £867,500 grant to deliver dreams to children in the greatest of need across Blackpool and the North West.

New research announced this week shows more money is spent in hospice charity shops across the UK than hospices receive from the government.

Work to build Blackpool’s £40m new magistrates court is to face delays due to the collapse of the main contractor.

A bid for a further £11m to protect Blackpool from the risk of rising sea levels has been successful.

A proposed £10m culture hub in Blackpool town centre has got the go ahead from councillors.

A pyrotechnics team from Poland have been crowned champions of Blackpool’s annual World Fireworks competition after wowing record crowds.

Blackpool’s spectacular Christmas By The Sea village is returning for 2024.

A new branch of coffee brand Starbucks could be coming to Blackpool town centre.

Blackpool Airport is flying high two years into its 10-year master plan – but the return of commercial holiday flights is still being ruled out.

The number of children being home schooled in Blackpool has jumped with more than 500 now having lessons at home – but there are fears they may be missing out on opportunities.

An investigation is to be held into whether Blackpool Council should run its own children’s homes in future after the spiralling cost of using private residential care was revealed.

Plans for a new East Stand at Blackpool Football Club are due to be submitted next month – while work on community pitches next to the stadium will begin next spring.

Showtown & Blackpool Council have announced the acquisition of the Charlie Cairoli Collection - celebrating the legacy of laughter from one of the 20th century's most iconic clowns.

Plans to restore Blackpool’s historic Little Marton Windmill have stalled after all four existing sails from the landmark were found to be rotten.

A popular seafront bar in Blackpool has finally secured its future following a three-year planning battle with the council.

Taxi leaders in Blackpool have hit back at a council decision to approve an operators’ licence for Uber behind closed doors.

The future of a former Blackpool cinema site remains uncertain after developers lost their planning appeal against the council.

Ambitious proposals to create a £10m cultural hub in Blackpool look set to get the go-ahead when they go before town hall planners.

The RSPCA is appealing for information after reports that a dog was seen to be punched and slapped in a street in Blackpool.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has given a boost to hopes of restoring commercial passenger flights to Blackpool Airport.

Blackpool was the subject of discussion at Windsor Castle as council leader  Lynn Williams received her MBE from Princess Anne.

A Blackpool man is beginning a 28-year prison sentence for sex assaults against two young women.

Jeff Dixon hadn’t stepped foot in a cinema for 45 years, until he helped build one.

Residents in Thornton have been told to wash and peel any produce they are growing to remove any potentially contaminated soil or dust.

Taxi operator Uber has now been formally granted a licence by Blackpool Council to pick up passengers in the resort.

Fresh calls have been made for Blackpool Council to have its own children’s homes after latest figures show the authority is paying out £290,000 a year on average for each vulnerable child in its care.

A new community garden space has been created at Moor Park in Blackpool for the use of local people to come together for their wellbeing, be active and learn new skills.

Overcrowded trams could be putting passengers in Blackpool at risk of injury, a councillor has warned.

The leader of Fylde Council says Lancashire’s devolution deal will help high-tech manufacturing businesses in the borough find the skilled workers they need from within the local population.

A man has been jailed for his role in the disorder seen in Blackpool last month.

Fears have been raised the early release of hundreds of prisoners could lead to many heading for Blackpool attracted by cheap accommodation.

Justin Timberlake, Alanis Morrisette, Simple Minds & Texas have been announced as headliners for the 2025 Lytham Festival.

The driver of a car involved in a collision at junction 37 of the M6 earlier this week has died.

The family of a man who died following an assault in Blackpool have paid an emotional tribute to him.

Fylde Council was thrilled to learn that the beloved St Annes Beach Huts have been awarded fourth place in the Seaside Heritage Network’s 2024 ‘Bucket and Spade List’ of the UK’s top 10 seaside experiences.

Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for information after a man died following an assault in Blackpool.

Thornton YMCA has recently opened its doors to a state-of-the-art Active Wellness Suite, marking a significant step forward in promoting community health and well-being.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has called for an end to the use of the resort’s Metropole Hotel as accommodation for asylum-seekers.

Proposals to change a bungalow in a cul-de-sac in Thornton into a children’s home for one young person have been refused by planners at Wyre.

Residents close to Thornton’s Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone have the chance to ask questions and find out more about possible historic chemical contamination in the vicinity.

Wyre Council has announced the launch of a public consultation on the Cottam Hall Playing Fields Masterplan.

Standing tall and proud, Blackpool Tower is an iconic symbol of the British seaside. Now, as it celebrates 130 years of delighting and entertaining visitors, these are the stories of just some of the people to whom it means so much.

Two men have been arrested following a the execution of a warrant in Blackpool.

A man has been jailed for nine years after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Daniel Allsop in Blackpool last October.

Work is underway to demolish a former landmark building in Blackpool which has deteriorated into an eyesore since closing in 2019.

A Preston based education recruitment agency has built a new school playground for Mereside Primary Academy.

A man from Thornton has been arrested after cash and cannabis were found after a vehicle stop.

Hospital services in Blackpool depend on people from 65 different nationalities, and the town’s NHS boss has told of staff fearing going to work during recent violence.

Structural surveys of the decking of all three of Blackpool’s piers have now been completed following an incident last month when a woman fell around 30 feet from Central Pier.

A proposed £45m new office block which would rise to six storeys in height has got the go-ahead from Blackpool Council’s Planning Committee.

A fresh influx of 165 doctors has arrived at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and will be treating patients from across the Fylde coast and further afield.

A date has finally been set for the funeral of a murdered Blackpool toddler who has yet to be buried – more than a year after his death.

Online applications for Lancashire school places are now live.

People will be able to benefit from more frequent bus services in Lancashire from now thanks to increased funding.

Blackpool experienced a powerful dose of Girl Power as Spice Girl Mel B took center stage to kick off four months of dazzling Illuminations.

The biggest night of Blackpool’s event calendar – the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On event - will take place on Friday (August 30).

Voters will go to the polls once more this autumn in Blackpool after a by-election has been called in the Marton ward.

Initial proposals for a solar farm on land south of Blackpool Airport’s main runway have been submitted to Fylde Council.

The beautiful Marine Gardens, Fleetwood plays host to Fleetwood’s Food and Drink Festival on Sunday.

Further steps have been taken towards building a new multi-storey car park in Blackpool town centre.

A wanted man who caused an area of Blackpool to be cordoned off after being found with Improvised Explosive Devices has been given a sentence totalling 20 years.

Sydnie Christmas, who wowed the public in the BGT final earlier this year, joins a star-studded bill including Kimberly Wyatt, Ella Henderson and Switch-On star Mel B.

The St Annes Kite Festival is set to return on the Fylde Coast from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September, promising a weekend of awe-inspiring aerial displays and family-friendly fun.

Almost £500,000 is to be invested in upgrading the electrics at Blackpool’s famous Winter Gardens complex.

Proposals to build a £45m six-storey office block in Blackpool town centre are set to go before town hall planners.

Residents in one of Blackpool’s most deprived neighbourhoods are now enjoying state-of-the-art facilities after the completion of a £200,000 upgrade of their community centre.

More than 80,000 trips have been made on Blackpool’s £23m new tramway extension in the first two months since its launch on June 12.

Two men have been jailed for their part in the disorder in Blackpool earlier this month.

The three nations that will compete in this year’s World Fireworks Championship in Blackpool have been unveiled.

A new set of plans has emerged for Blackpool’s closed down former Odeon Cinema with revised designs including a glazed corner feature.

Hopes of redeveloping a prominent site on Blackpool Promenade with a new hotel have been dashed for the time being, with the land now set for use as a car park.

A man has been jailed for his part in the disorder seen in Blackpool earlier this month.

Blackpool is preparing for one of the most magical nights in its calendar when, for one night only, the six miles of Promenade will be closed to give cyclists a sneak preview of this year’s Illuminations.

A man has been jailed for his part in the recent disorder in Blackpool.