The Theatres Trust has expressed disappointment with the decision of Blackpool Council to grant permission for holiday accommodation directly above Blackpool Grand Theatre's stage door.
This was against the Trust’s advice and appears not to appreciate or understand the main issues that had been raised around threats to the theatre’s operations. The Grand Theatre had similarly objected and spoke against the scheme.
The proposed development will see conversion of upper levels of retail space—highly problematic for residential uses, even if intended for short-term stays, because of the potential for noise disruption from the theatre’s ‘get-ins’ and ‘get-outs’ for productions which occur late at night and early in the morning.
Theatres Trust’s national planning adviser Tom Clarke said, “there were strong grounds to refuse this application or at least defer a decision until more accurate information had been provided. The council’s decision is very disappointing and out of step with recent decisions made by other local authorities. We have seen from the ongoing court case involving Manchester’s iconic Night & Day Café that planning permissions granted without full appreciation of the operational needs of venues can have harmful consequences.
“The Grand Theatre is not just a major cultural venue for Blackpool which makes a major contribution to the town’s economy and visitor offer, it is also architecturally one of the country’s most significant theatres.”