Blackpool: A Den of Vice and Criminality.

bill40

bill40

Well-known member
The article is on Unherd and apparently we have lots of brothels, violence and drugs, we have surrendered to the underworld and armageddon, fire and brimstone await us all. I'll be interested to know what you guys think of this. Welcome to Hell
 
We’ve always had our issues here. My Dad, Grandad and great Grandad were all Blackpool born and bred and always talked about the rough edge of the Town, even in the supposed good old days. It does appear to have taken a turn for the worse over the last 10/15 years, but to be fair this story could be about many large Towns or Cities these days. However, if this story highlights our problems then maybe it will help our brilliant Town to improve. It’s still the best place in the UK to live, in my opinion anyway.
 
It's a sad read. That's why I believe it is up to Government to kick start these areas into improvement. Private business isn't going to step in, not without Government laying the foundations first. For example, the Blackpool Gateway project has its foundations in place so it's good to see Holiday Inn and Sainsbury's putting their faith in it. With the new DWP building up and running other businesses may come into the area and help to marginalise the pimps and the druggies. Of course, it is also good to see Simon Sadler working with the Council on the Revoe project.
 
Same old stuff, poverty porn for clicks.

Some of these problems aren't new or even unique to Blackpool, there are many things happening to improve it but someone could do another similar article in a few weeks and everyone who reads it will be shocked all over again. If you go looking for this sort of stuff in a lot of places you can find it, especially seaside towns that have suffered decline.

Until Blackpool lifts itself out of it these articles will keep coming as people know, because of the profile and everyone knowing it or feeling like they know Blackpool, that it attracts interest to read about it, so different media will find different ways to keep publishing similar articles or videos.

You don't seem to get anywhere near the same level of articles about other places like Jaywick for eg, which has all the issues and worse in some cases but almost none of the upsides.

Of course there are some genuine things to address and are being addressed but many of the deeper problems will take time.

But we also need to make work pay over benefits, crack down on benefit layabouts, get tough on drugs and crime with real deterrents and sentences etc.
 
Not only in Blackpool. I must admit that Central Drive and one or two areas are quite unrecognisable from when I left in 1982.

For Blackpool you can read Bradford and add cannabis factories, gangs of youths with machetes, high speed cars with popping exhausts, speeding, no tax, insurance or driving license to the problems. But it's like anything, if you know where to go and go after it , you will, no doubt, find it.
 
JJpool said:
But we also need to make work pay over benefits, crack down on benefit layabouts, get tough on drugs and crime with real deterrents and sentences etc.
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The problems in Blackpool, as elsewhere, are structural. The "benefit layabouts- whilst real - are a symptom of our malaise, not the cause. You have said it yourself - make work pay, with long term, quality jobs. Show the young generation that there is something they can do in their home town that can be a career; something to aspire to. A penal policy that works can put away individuals but it can't solve society's problems.
 
I read something this morning about fake Blackpool Rock coming in from China and undercutting the home made product, which has resulted in the decline of factories making it here and a shortage of people able to do the wording in the rock.

The surviving makers are asking for the product to have the same classification as Cornish Pasties, Stilton Cheese and Melton Mowbray Pies. Why not? I say.
 
If the police know about it, they’re obviously turning a blind eye. If this sort of thing is to be sorted out, they need to do their job.
 
Matesrates said:
If the police know about it, they’re obviously turning a blind eye. If this sort of thing is to be sorted out, they need to do their job.
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I'm sure brothels go on in every major town and city and a blind eye is turned to it. It's just one aspect of a decline and multiple issues that Blackpool has. You hear more about Blackpool's problems as it's still a place most people know of and so it makes good headlines.

Government and local council policy needs to look at the issues Blackpool has and start investing in prevention rather than just plugging holes and patching over things all of the time. Great that there are new builds and projects in Blackpool that improve it ie seafront, trams, some new building etc, but none of these tackle the underbelly of mental and health issues, unemployment, crime etc.
 
Matesrates said:
If the police know about it, they’re obviously turning a blind eye. If this sort of thing is to be sorted out, they need to do their job.
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The police who I see around Blackpool town centre don’t look very experienced.

Lots of female officers as well which I don’t think is great.

Don’t see many big lads on the firm either.
 
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes said:
I'm sure brothels go on in every major town and city and a blind eye is turned to it. It's just one aspect of a decline and multiple issues that Blackpool has. You hear more about Blackpool's problems as it's still a place most people know of and so it makes good headlines.

Government and local council policy needs to look at the issues Blackpool has and start investing in prevention rather than just plugging holes and patching over things all of the time. Great that there are new builds and projects in Blackpool that improve it ie seafront, trams, some new building etc, but none of these tackle the underbelly of mental and health issues, unemployment, crime etc.
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Could we not put a policy in place whereby if you come to live in Blackpool you can’t claim any benefits for 12 months.

We seem to take a lot of other towns numpties.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
The problems in Blackpool, as elsewhere, are structural. The "benefit layabouts- whilst real - are a symptom of our malaise, not the cause. You have said it yourself - make work pay, with long term, quality jobs. Show the young generation that there is something they can do in their home town that can be a career; something to aspire to. A penal policy that works can put away individuals but it can't solve society's problems.
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They still exist and there's no doubt some are taking the piss.

Yes but once you have strong deterrent it's amazing how people behave better.

It's only because we've become so weak and soft that many take advantage.
 
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes said:
I'm sure brothels go on in every major town and city and a blind eye is turned to it. It's just one aspect of a decline and multiple issues that Blackpool has. You hear more about Blackpool's problems as it's still a place most people know of and so it makes good headlines.

Government and local council policy needs to look at the issues Blackpool has and start investing in prevention rather than just plugging holes and patching over things all of the time. Great that there are new builds and projects in Blackpool that improve it ie seafront, trams, some new building etc, but none of these tackle the underbelly of mental and health issues, unemployment, crime etc.
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Well actually there's a lot of help available for all sorts of issues and probably more than many places, but people have to want it too.

Also you say the improvements don't tackle mental health, unemployment, crime etc. Yet they do an will, over time.

Better housing, which gives people a sense of pride in where they live, not a broken window policy which promotes more antisocial behaviour.

Planting trees and greening up is good for mental health and looks a better place to live.

There's much going on to improve the town centre and help it to thrive and the town as a whole, like the airport enterprise zone expansion leading to more jobs, so less unemployment. The new silicon sands high tech business park in the pipeline.

The new university so that youngsters have even more choices, better education and less likely to need to leave.

Knocking down of old and building new houses etc, which will attract a better standard of people to that area, crime falls. There's also community policing that helped lower crime in the brunswick area.

There's a lot to ensure that the next generation has a better town than the last and therefore better outcomes.

Some things will happen quicker but some will take time.
 
To me, it seems highly ironic that the reason given for not allowing the SuperCasino to be built in Blackpool by Gordon Brown (Son of the Manse) was that it would encourage organised crime, widespread low-level criminality and social decadence. And the casino owners did prefer a large city such as Manchester.

But the wealth, employment, new facilities and policing resources brought in would have resulted in a great improvement in the quality of life for the town’s inhabitants compared with the ongoing deterioration and degradation we see today. I saw that as Blackpool’s last real chance.
 
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no9 said:
Could we not put a policy in place whereby if you come to live in Blackpool you can’t claim any benefits for 12 months.

We seem to take a lot of other towns numpties.
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You can blame the blessed Margaret for that. It was her who scrapped the rules preventing councils from offloading their dregs onto the seaside towns.
 
Wizaard said:
You can blame the blessed Margaret for that. It was her who scrapped the rules preventing councils from offloading their dregs onto the seaside towns.
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That needs to be reversed, it’s definitely been abused.
 
Lala said:
I wouldn’t recognise that as my town. Its all about where you go and who you know, or more importantly where you don't go and who you don t know.

Every town and city has its underbelly of sleaze I guess.

Love Blackpool 🧡
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yes Lala the vast majority of towns and certainly cities will have their under the counter issues with drugs, porn and violence. It’s not just a Blackpool problem but more a society one unfortunately.
 
Willie Mcgrotty said:
Agree with most if not all that JJ states.
Remember the first time I saw a female drinking a pint (Swans in town).
Maybe a sweeping statement but I've seen a decline across central Blackpool of what were once know as the feminine type.
The mum's (being polite there) that wait outside Devonshire Rd school are a collection of porkers in leggings, bun hairdos & usually two kids minimum. Fag on, waddling back towards George St etc with their lookalikes. Who impregnates these barrels 🤷‍♂️. And so the benefit scrounging cycle continues.
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Sad but true
 
The problem with Blackpool is that since the 70s and the rise of holidays abroad, visitors have been replaced by the conversion of holiday premises to HMOs filled with a lot of people with addiction issues, and happy with a life on benefits. As a holiday resort, it has only one world-class attraction and that is the Tower, and a couple of decent day trip attractions in the pleasure beach and the zoo, the illuminations are sadly past their sell-by date now. The town is stuck in the past, without a real plan for the future.

Compare that to Singapore, when I visited 20 years ago the place was great for shopping and nightlife, but apart from Zoos, it had limited appeal as a holiday resort. But it had something that has allowed it to flourish in that it has zero tolerance for drugs and crime in general. The government is also very proactive and with the arrival of both Super Casinos, and Universal Studios, the building of world-class resorts and hotels,
is safe to walk about without fear of crime. As for the sex industry, it is legal there and there is a much more liberal attitude compared to the UK.
Singapore has become a great place to work, live, and holiday.
 
Willie Mcgrotty said:
Removed.
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Well yeah the parents have an influence.

However by providing better conditions for the kids, better education (which I believe many schools have seen significant improvements) etc and more opportunities then they can grow up and do better than their parents.

Again we need to be tougher on benefit cheats and make work pay.
 
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Danny Ocean said:
The problem with Blackpool is that since the 70s and the rise of holidays abroad, visitors have been replaced by the conversion of holiday premises to HMOs filled with a lot of people with addiction issues, and happy with a life on benefits. As a holiday resort, it has only one world-class attraction and that is the Tower, and a couple of decent day trip attractions in the pleasure beach and the zoo, the illuminations are sadly past their sell-by date now. The town is stuck in the past, without a real plan for the future.

Compare that to Singapore, when I visited 20 years ago the place was great for shopping and nightlife, but apart from Zoos, it had limited appeal as a holiday resort. But it had something that has allowed it to flourish in that it has zero tolerance for drugs and crime in general. The government is also very proactive and with the arrival of both Super Casinos, and Universal Studios, the building of world-class resorts and hotels,
is safe to walk about without fear of crime. As for the sex industry, it is legal there and there is a much more liberal attitude compared to the UK.
Singapore has become a great place to work, live, and holiday.
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There is actually a decent plan in place as discussed on the Blackpool improvements thread and much going on to undo decades of neglect.

Download the latest town prospects and there's so much happening or to happen that'll change things.

www.bitc.org.uk

Blackpool Town Prospectus: 2030 agenda for action

Blackpool Town Prospects is a report looking at the overall vision for the town and its future ambitions for 2030.
www.bitc.org.uk www.bitc.org.uk
 
The plan is not good enough, or realistic in the amount of money needed. A world-class attraction like Universal Studios Park or
Disney etc would cost 2 billion alone. There is a real opportunity with the central drive area to do that or about the compulsory
purchase of the Village hotel and golf course and do it there. Create somewhere that people who spend serious money want to visit, and the investment would flow into the town.
 
Danny Ocean said:
The plan is not good enough, or realistic in the amount of money needed. A world-class attraction like Universal Studios Park or
Disney etc would cost 2 billion alone. There is a real opportunity with the central drive area to do that or about the compulsory
purchase of the Village hotel and golf course and do it there. Create somewhere that people who spend serious money want to visit, and the investment would flow into the town.
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You say the plan, containing many different things, isn't realistic then claim they can knock down a huge area and build a Disneyland...
 
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JJpool said:
Well yeah the parents have an influence.

However by providing better conditions for the kids, better education (which I believe many schools have seen significant improvements) etc and more opportunities then they can grow up and do better than their parents.

Again we need to be tougher on benefit cheats and make work pay.
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Post removed.
 
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Danny Ocean said:
The plan is not good enough, or realistic in the amount of money needed. A world-class attraction like Universal Studios Park or
Disney etc would cost 2 billion alone. There is a real opportunity with the central drive area to do that or about the compulsory
purchase of the Village hotel and golf course and do it there. Create somewhere that people who spend serious money want to visit, and the investment would flow into the town.
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Are you joking Disneyland is 73 square miles,Paris 8 miles Universal in Orlando similar.
You Bulldozing down over half of Blackpool?

Central Drive. 😂 😂 😂
 
Universal Studios Singapore is 50 Acres, and the whole resort including hotels and casino is 120 Acres. Disneyland Hong Kong is 120 acres.
I am not talking about what they Built in the USA or Paris. Something more modest but sufficient to make the families with money want to visit Blackpool and spend money.
While you mock me and take the piss, you only have to look at what they achieved in Singapore to see what is possible with a limited area. The council has to decide if it wants to be a world-class resort or turn into Preston or Chorley with new housing estates being built everywhere.
 
Willie Mcgrotty said:
Post removed.
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Yeah well looking at that housing section on the town prospects, it says...

"The “Central Arc” Masterplan Framework has identified the potential to deliver over 2,000 homes across the Central and South area, alongside improved amenity through open space delivery, community assets and retail provision, and improved movement and connectivity. It is estimated that the overall level of public funding required to ensure the transfer of risk to the private sector could be up to £400M over 15 years including the initial £90M for the first phase across the Central Arc. The broader strategy will deliver: • With partners, 3,000 quality eco homes of mixed tenure in the inner area • Expand the Foxhall Village development, as people will want to invest, and buy, in the centre of Blackpool if the quality is right. Blackpool Council is now working with partners to take forward and complete the next phases as well as options for the wider area. The Council and its partners such as Blackpool Football Club and the local community have a plan in Foxhall for further residential development and sporting community facilities."
 
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It's time one of our political parties decided to decriminalise Brothels, Licence them as they do public houses, made sure that they were safe both criminally and health wise and so on.
Ready made income for the exchequer, a case of VAT on Tw-- paid by the punters. plus money from the licences and income tax from the providers, also, no doubt, less money wasted on curing STD's.

Before anyone suggests it, no I don't!!
 
Curryman said:
It's time one of our political parties decided to decriminalise Brothels, Licence them as they do public houses, made sure that they were safe both criminally and health wise and so on.
Ready made income for the exchequer, a case of VAT on Tw-- paid by the punters. plus money from the licences and income tax from the providers, also, no doubt, less money wasted on curing STD's.

Before anyone suggests it, no I don't!!
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Makes sense, but don’t you think there’ll still be unlicensed brothels, who want to avoid paying taxes and having h & s checks
 
Matesrates said:
Makes sense, but don’t you think there’ll still be unlicensed brothels, who want to avoid paying taxes and having h & s checks
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As you well know, there is an underground for everything, booze, cigarettes, drugs and, of course, sex. That will never alter, but I'm sure it would be easier to police.

Speaking of H&S I once had to do an H&S visit to a, so called, spa in Derbyshire. It was quite obviously a spa with extras. 🤯
 
Danny Ocean said:
Universal Studios Singapore is 50 Acres, and the whole resort including hotels and casino is 120 Acres. Disneyland Hong Kong is 120 acres.
I am not talking about what they Built in the USA or Paris. Something more modest but sufficient to make the families with money want to visit Blackpool and spend money.
While you mock me and take the piss, you only have to look at what they achieved in Singapore to see what is possible with a limited area. The council has to decide if it wants to be a world-class resort or turn into Preston or Chorley with new housing estates being built everywhere.
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Even for 50 acres you're looking at about 5 times the size of the Blackpool central development.
 
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