Blackpool

[Khandro]

I  used to love going there when I was a kid. Labour and the Tories held their conferences there; not any more;

'It’s mid-afternoon in the Royal Oak pub in Blackpool and Liv has arrived to sell a bag full of stuff she’s stolen from the supermarket. She’s got fabric conditioner, soap, Creme Eggs and a large bar of Dairy Milk. She pulls in a few pounds and then leaves to score some crack. ‘Everyone struggles,’ says a man watching her sell. Lots of people here don’t work. People earn money however they can.

 

In Blackpool, you see the worst of Britain’s welfare crisis. More than a quarter of the city’s working-age residents are on out-of-work benefits, the highest proportion in the UK and twice the national average. In parts of South Shore – right near the promenade, and home to a once-strong tourism industry – it’s closer to 60 per cent. There used to be circuses and casinos, and Peter Kay once filmed here. That’s all gone.....'

What's going wrong ?

[Old_Geezer]

Quite right not to consider HMOs. Increases the population density, no space for cars etc. insufficient facilities, massive drop in life quality for all. Councils allowing them need slinging out before they ruin the area.

[Old_Geezer]

Why would someone want their "I'm obviously employed" look to be more authentic when going somewhere to declare they were unemployed ?

[Khandro]

OG ; Good point, but I think he was demonstrating that he was a real worker who was just unemoloyed temporarily and in need of help.

[jackthehat]

HMOs properly configured, regulated and run can alieviate housing shortages.

No-one wants tiny, slum accommodation but the 2no. Local Authorities either side of BBC are still allowing HMOs without problem.

 

[davebro3]

People got rich - went abroad for their hols, B/pool declined, lots of cheap accommodation, poor people go there to live. Waddya gonna do? 

[davebro3]

https://www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/conference-events-news/the-voice-that-charmed-a-town/

I wonder when Taylor Swift will be appearing there.

[Khandro]

Frank Sinatra - wow! and my mum and dad won first prize in a ballroom dancing competition in the Tower Ballroom, which was in those days considered to be the acme of dancing venues for the whole of Lancashire.

[jacobbrowne]

1.      High Dependency on Welfare Benefits: The fact that more than a quarter of Blackpool's working-age residents rely on out-of-work of https://royalwriter.co.uk/do-my-dissertation suggests a significant dependency on welfare support. This reliance can be indicative of underlying economic challenges, lack of employment opportunities, or barriers to workforce participation.

2.      Economic Decline: The reference to Blackpool's once-strong tourism industry, now diminished, highlights the broader economic decline in the area. The loss of traditional industries such as circuses and casinos, coupled with the absence of new economic opportunities, has likely contributed to unemployment and poverty in the community.

3.      Social Issues: The portrayal of individuals resorting to theft and involvement in drug use, such as crack cocaine, underscores the presence of social issues like substance abuse and crime. These issues can be both a cause and a consequence of economic hardship and social deprivation.

4.      Lack of Investment and Revitalization: The disappearance of industries and cultural attractions suggests a lack of investment and revitalization efforts in Blackpool. Without initiatives to diversify the economy, create job opportunities, and address social challenges, the city may continue to struggle with poverty and deprivation.

 

[R4V1D]

I grew up in Blackpool and remember when it was respectfully well looked after town, places were unkept and the workers kept up doing their jobs to keep the place clean and tidy. Now there is a lot of neglected properties, lack of upkeep and different generation of attitude to what manners and common courtesy is. More lower income and less educated people too much modern technology and less physical effort happening around. It's a great shame that future changes effects the pasts efforts in a negative way due to greed and laziness of higher body's that result in less respect and lower standards of the average society. 

[Khandro]

R4V1D:  I had an aunt who lived in Bispham, a village and part of Blackpool, which was considered to be the very Posh end of the town in those days. Do you know what what is it like now? 

[andres]

Used to love Blackpool and all the surrounding towns. Mum had a caravan first at Poulton then  Pilling . We went there most weekends during the season. Only weekend to avoid was August Bank Holiday. Bispham was a lovely place back then but I have no idea what it's like now. One of my great nephews came over from Australia last year to train at the Football Academy in Fleetwood.