An iconic seaside town recently named among the most crime-ravaged places to live in England and Wales is undergoing a major multi-million-pound revamp as it looks to diversify its tourism appeal. Blackpool is one of Britain’s most famous daytrip destinations, known for its pier, seven-mile stretch of beach, and classic waterfront attractions.
But like other once-booming British resort towns, it has suffered in recent years following the proliferation of budget flights to the continent, compounded by cost-of-living pressures. Blackpool suffered another blow when it prompted headlines branding it the “most dangerous seaside town”. The latest Home Office figures show that recorded crime has continued to fall in England and Wales, with a 2% drop in all non-fraud crime in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Nevertheless, Blackpool had the highest non-fraud-related crimes per resident last year across 250 council areas in England and Wales outside London, with police recording 21,437 such crimes.
That works out to a crime rate of 149 offences per 1,000 residents. The unwelcome top ranking came despite the town seeing a 3% drop in crime in the last 12 months. Its rise above Middlesbrough, which was top last year, is fuelled by particularly high rates of violent offences.
Locals have pushed back on some of the more doomy characterisations of the town, arguing that specific areas face issues, but the town is safe overall.
However, Blackpool Council has recognised that the area needs a shot in the arm and has made progress on a £350million redevelopment of a 20-acre area around Blackpool North train station, creating a central business district called Talbot Gateway.
Projects completed under the first two phases of the work, which began around 2012, include:
- Number One Bickerstaffe Square, the new 125,000 sq ft Blackpool Council HQ
- Holiday Inn Blackpool with 144 rooms with a Marco Pierre White restaurant on site
- A more than 120,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s supermarket
- A 650- space multi-storey car park
- “Extensive” public spaces
- A new tramway extension and interchange with Blackpool North train station
A 215,000 sq ft office for the UK Government was completed in 2025 as part of a follow-up phase. More developments are on the way, including a multiversity education campus and additional offices, according to the local authority.
All the projects under the current plans are set to be completed by 2028.
The works are part of the council’s wider £2billion regeneration programme for Blackpool.
It comes as councillors look to move Blackpool beyond its reliance on short seasonal boosts to its economy, to establish itself as a more sustainable year-round tourist destination whilst adding more high-quality homes and improving living standards.
Responding to the recent crime stats, Cllr Paula Burdess, the council’s cabinet member for community safety, neighbourhoods and street scene, said: “Incident rates in Blackpool are higher per capita, due in part to the millions of visitors we welcome to our town of 141,000 residents every year,” The Blackpool Gazette reports.
She added that the local council was working with partners, including Lancashire Police, to “tackle issues that lead to violent crimes being committed”.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We remain committed to disrupting and preventing crime across Lancashire, including in Blackpool.
“We want to reassure anyone with concerns that we have dedicated teams across the town, covering a number of different aspects of policing, including community engagement, immediate response, and detectives.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
