To wonder if blackpool is as bad as they say?

[Chefpig]

I'm hoping to plan a short break somewhere and blackpool is cheap. Is it as bad as people say though?

At least you can book hotels by the hour, so need to longer than needed.

The beaches are gorgeous.

Are you sure you were in Blackpool?!?!

I'm just home from a few days in Blackpool. We had a lovely time. Yes a lot of it is derelict and mainly closed for the winter, but we saw a show, had some lovely food, did a bit of shopping, had a lovely walk down the seafront and just relaxed.
We didn't see any junkies or trouble.

I think if you’ve not been to Blackpool already, you can’t go to Blackpool. You need the warm fuzzies from your childhood to get over the state of the place now

I live about an hour away from Blackpool
It depends whst you want there is loads to do during the day
It is rough at night and it's know for Stag/ Hen do,s
Lytham St Annes is just up the road and much quieter and the beach is lovely.

I assumed it was gonna be bad but had the best week there, so much to do, clean beaches, great restaurants.

I have such lovely memories of holidays in Blackpool. I'd love to go back again, even with all of the horror stories!

I don't know if it's changed since then, but I saw the Deprivation Index of all the postcodes/areas of England - more than 30,000 of them - and positions 2-10 (i.e. the most deprived parts of England outside Jaywick) were in Blackpool.

It's a real shame, because it's been left to get rough and deprived, so people don't go there anymore; and thus it just keeps getting worse and worse in a downward spiral. If it could somehow be reversed - which it probably can't now - it could thrive brilliantly again. It's never been a high-class, genteel place; but then McDonald's isn't a high-class, genteel restaurant, and millions of people seem to like that just for what it is.

I think Blackpool is what it is and always has been. It is no worse than the seaside towns I grew up near in Yorkshire. There is so much to do for kids in Blackpool, the pleasure beach, zoo, sandcastle waterpark, madame tussaudes, the tower, sealife, the circus, the gruffalo clubhouse, the beach, piers. The hotels on the seafront are run down and you are better out of it at night. Book somewhere further out and get the tram in in the day.

No, Blackpool is not as bad as they say - it’s about 10x worse.

I have to go there for a couple of events every year and it’s an absolute shithole.

I remember last time trying to find somewhere to eat and going to Costa Coffee out of desperation. But even the Costa Coffee was the worst one I’ve ever been in. Scruffy, dirty, poor service, full of absolute weirdos.

I was born and raised in Blackpool, 1960s/1970s. Back then there was nowhere on earth i would rather have been. It was alive, lively and it rocked. Like many seaside resorts now, it seems to be a dumping ground for homelessness/mental health issues/addiction. Late90s/early 2000s was when things started to go down the toilet.
There are still nice areas, people who keep their homes nice and go to work every day etc. Around the central area is pretty rough now but its still nice to have a walk along the front on a nice sunny day x

Blackpool gets such a bad rap on here. I live an hours drive and my family live on the fylde coast and you just have to know what to do (per my post above) and stay elsewhere. If you're wandering around Central Blackpool it's not great but if you're going to the wealth of attractions and staying nearby somewhere nicer then it's good.

I live about 40 mins from Blackpool. We went lots as children, but I rarely take my children now.

If we do go it’s to walk through the illuminations with a bag of chips. The pleasure beach is great fun, clean and tidy inside. There are attractions such as sea world, ripleys believe it or not, the proms etc. There are many bars and eateries if you wanted to spend the day/night drinking- which is a common pastime for the majority. There are a couple of theatres that have shows on regularly, the tower to visit plus a decent circus that my kids enjoy. Lots to do in the daytime if you’ve got a wallet full of cash.

However, the town itself is very run down. You will inevitably see people heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol walking the streets day and night. The streets themselves are dirty and unkempt. Many, many homeless people. Plenty of unsavoury types unfortunately. In fact, the life expectancy of people that live in Blackpool is one of the lowest in the Uk.

Personally, I wouldn’t be there after evening time, but it depends if your just after attractions in the daytime and an air b n b at night.

There are a couple of haven sites not far from Blackpool, Martin mere and Cala Gran- we’ve been to both for reasonable prices and they are nice. If you have a car you’re not far from lytham, St Annes’s, Southport etc, all nice places to visit for the day.

Enjoy- wherever you end up!

I don't know if it's changed since then, but I saw the Deprivation Index of all the postcodes/areas of England*

*about 3 years ago

What do you want from your break OP?

Have you thought that there is a reason it is cheap?

My late in-laws lived in Manchester and we went for the occasional day out with them and to see the illuminations. It was quite fun. I haven’t been in 20 years though.

You most likely live somewhere much nicer (most people do) so I wouldn't waste money going somewhere like Blackpool.

I wouldn’t, honestly, OP.

I haven't been in 25 year's. I watched the police show recorded in Blackpool, it is rampant with drug addicts, crime, poverty. Very sad that the area fell to shit.

I think it may be a little unfair to decry how bad it is in the centre and/or at night, as this is effectively the case for a great many towns and cities across the country. The centre is always going to be cheaper, because people want to go there for all the exciting stuff, but not actually live there; they want to live somewhere calm and boringly quiet.

Just like none of the Man U footballers actually live in the city centre - they all live in Alderley Edge and Wilmslow and similar - as they have the money to live wherever they like.

Almost everywhere you go, it's the norm for the accommodation in the thick of the central busyness to be cheaper, hence the only people who live there will be the poorest ones (and often those with issues and vulnerabilities) who can't afford anywhere else, or those who are homed there by the authorities. It's just that Blackpool is on the extreme end of the spectrum.

We went in October half term to see the illuminations. Youngest had seen them on strictly come dancing the year before and was keen on going. The trip up took so long due to traffic, that we only ended up having one day to do everything. It was a great day: we visited Madam Tussards, the tower, the ballroom, a pier, the illuminations, went on a tram, walked back to the apartment with a bag of chips. Didn't encounter any hen or stag dos as we went midweek. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

I never went to Blackpool til I was an adult, and i like it for what it is. Yes, its a bit tired, but the tower is great to spend a few hours in. The circus is very entertaining and the ballroom is just gorgeous. I love listening to the music being played on the proper organ and seeing the dancing. The Winter Gardens is a really lovely building inside, and has some excellent shows on. The Abdingdon st area is good, with the market/food court having a great range of cuisines (pop up restaurants) and live music/djs at the weekend. Coral Island is fab for arcades if you have kids and want to kill a few hours (especially when its chilly or wet). Walking down the prom/beach is always nice. There's a lovely fudge show almost oppsite Central Pier (called Sticky). I've not been to the Pleasure beach, but that's always an option, as is Madame Tussauds and Ripley's. Also, the Gruffalo experience (if you have little ones). Stanley Park and the Zoo are good too. There's a very pleasant caravan park in Layton (near the zoo), part of the Partingtons group. Its smaller than the Haven site, and was very nice when we stayed a few years ago. I would wait til the weather was a bit warmer/nicer personally - and til Notarianni's ice cream parlour opens again! (early March I think) Google/ Facebook it - its so good!

My DS has recently stayed in Blackpool for the weekend to watch his team play Blackpool. He said it was one of the worst places he has ever visited!

Some members of my family went to Blackpool a few years back, as part of an experience organised by a charity that specialises in providing holidays for disable children and their families.

They went by train and got a taxi at the station. The driver made small talk and asked them where they'd come from. They told him - nowhere ultra posh but generally regarded as a nice, middle-class town - and he was open-mouthed, before managing to ask "But whhhyyyyy did you leave there to come to Blackpool?!?!"

I'd pick elsewhere (not Rhyl, similar vibe imo)

I went for work recently and I was surprised that how many things there was to do and how many attractions there was so for children in the daytime I think it would be really great. At night time it was pretty much deserted. I didn’t see any junkies or junk people, but it was cold. I stayed a lovely hotel called the big blue hotel, which I would thoroughly recommend. All in all, I would go back to take my kid because I think he would enjoy it