Coronavirus: Blackpool tourism industry faces recovery 'hurdles'

Blackpool's tourism industry faces "hurdles" when reopening as the town recovers from the coronavirus lockdown, a council report has warned.

The report said the town could lose an estimated 200,000 visitors due to the collapse of holiday coach operators.

It also raised concerns about how the resort's Winter Gardens venue could open safely with social distancing.

Blackpool Council said it wanted to provide "reassurance" the town was a "safe place to visit".

The town has approached reopening cautiously and in May, tourism body Visit Blackpool rebranded as Do Not Visit Blackpool to discourage visitors when lockdown restrictions were eased.

However, at the start of June, the council rejected a call to close the resort to visitors to protect locals and it has also been confirmed that Blackpool Illuminations will be extended until next year to help the town's tourism trade.

While the further easing of restrictions mean rail services into the town will increase, Blackpool relies on coach tours for its tourism.

In May, Specialist Leisure Group, which included two of the country's biggest coach tour operators, Shearings and National Holidays, collapsed into administration.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service stated that the report said Blackpool Council was working with "what remains" of the coach industry to find a solution to keep visitors returning.

It also said the entertainment industry in the Winter Gardens was assessing how they can open to the public.

It added that the management team were "continuing to deal with conferences, shows and events on an individual basis to determine whether they can go ahead in some form or be moved to another date".

The tourism recovery plan will be assessed by councillors on 1 July.

It was announced as the news of a bingo hall in the town, which has been in the hands of the same family for 46 years, announced it would not reopen after lockdown.

The impact of Covid-19 had been the final straw for the Empire Bingo Club on Hawes Side Lane, owners Elaine and Linzi Bottomley said.

Bingo caller Howard Batley said a "small club like this just couldn't survive with the social distancing measures which are needed now".

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