Trees, Buildings, New Chairman

It is rare that Blackpool hits the main news programmes with a hot topic featuring trees. But the town managed it this week with media attention being given to Cookson Street of all places. A neat row of ten saplings planted along a section of this town centre artery created a sensation with the price tab of £100K for this initiative of the Council. Long serving Alan Cavill, Deputy Chief Executive was wheeled out from nearby Bickerstaffe Offices to explain the reason for the high budget charge - pointing to the extensive ground work needed to ensure the tree roots were carefully controlled under pavements and roadway. Neat metal ringed fencing was positioned around each tree providing protection. Having lambasted the Council for its indifference to Blackpool's lack of arboreal content in the town centre in an earlier blog in June - it is especially refreshing to engage in compliments on a new start to a green future for Blackpool. Also noteworthy is the extended work ongoing in Layton where an ambitious park, complete with new tree planting, is underway at 'Layton Rec'.

Cookson Street and its new avenue of saplings : More Please

Cranes are a feature in the town centre for the first time in a long time with two major new structures. Leopold Grove is now hosting the town's new conferencing facility which abuts the Opera House and Winter Gardens complex - with steelwork in place and completion for 2020. Aiding the important business and corporate conferencing traffic which will benefit the central district overall and year round. Not on the scale of the main Party Conference and National events requiring extra large venues, but more mid scale venues of which there are many seeking new locations for their events, especially ones with unique flavour and complimenting leisure offer of which Blackpool is well positioned.