'Seaside town is dubbed UK's most dangerous - but hidden gem attracts millions'

30 July 2023 , 16:02

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Blackpool is certainly still a great spot for tourists as it has so much to offer (Image: Danielle Wroe)

It's the historic seaside town that used to be the holiday jewel of the North West, drawing in visitors from all over the country.

In recent decades - and since the rise of the package holiday - the location's reputation has taken a beating amid well-documented issues with crime and anti-social behaviour. Figures released in May show that outside of London, Blackpool is one of the most dangerous places to live in the country.

But while these stark statistics make Blackpool look like a seaside crime capital, the resort was recently voted the top underrated UK destination for summer holidays - and rightly so. It gets a bad rap thanks to its association with boozy hen and stag nights and is often described as 'run down'.

But its Victorian grandness is still there for all to see. From Blackpool Tower to the ballroom that hosts Strictly every year, the resort is full of kitsch appeal. For me personally, it is a place I'll always hold dear thanks to my childhood summers spent trying to win plushies on claw machines; the famous illuminations; riding on rollercoasters and enjoying the fresh sea air.

Matthew, Stanley, Imogen and Sam love visiting the Pleasure Beach (Danielle Wroe)

One main pull to Blackpool is of course its iconic Pleasure Beach, which attracts thousands of visitors each day to its world-renowned rollercoasters such as the reimagined Valhalla, The Big One and Icon. Even as the rain poured down during my Sunday visit, I was told I was joined by 2,200 people.

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One of whom was Matthew Morris, who had travelled all way up from Essex to visit the Pleasure Beach Blackpool - a 522-mile round trip. Despite the terrible forecast which saw torrential downpours, nothing could stand in the way of his trip with his family Sam, Stanley, and Imogen.

Matthew explained he'd visited the theme park before while Sam was proudly sporting Blackpool Pleasure Beach merchandise, admitting he is a self-confessed "seasoned theme park enthusiast" who had also been there just three weeks earlier.

Gemma Smith and Lee Stafford had got soaked on the Pleasure Beach's 'Valhalla' (Danielle Wroe)

So while Blackpool mighty be down on it's luck, many people still flock to the town just for its historic theme park - which first opened in 1896 - without showing much of an interest in what lies beyond the gates. Such was the case for Gemma Smith and Lee Stafford. The pair, both in their 30s, admitted the main pull for them was Valhalla. The adrenaline junkies, from Cumbria in the Lake District, came solely to see what the ride was like, and showered it with praise.

While they argued that the Pleasure Beach was "expensive", they said it was "worth it" due to the "buzz" from the rides. "It was worth the wait, the changes are really good - there are new drops on it", Lee gushed.

Valhalla is world-famous as it's truly a one of a kind ride - and it opened in 2000

So why aren't tourists interested in exploring further afield? As one person pointed out online, the town was once known as "the place to go for families 30 to 50 years ago", but all that has changed.

They said: "It had entertainment, arcades, the beach, the theme park, and a lot of other attractions. Unfortunately like many seaside towns in the UK, other than tourism, they don't have much else in the way of employment and income. So they make for quite deprived areas. The main seafront is nice but go two or three streets inland of the beach and you will see the social issues of the area."

Indeed, crime is rife with figures on Police.uk showing that in 2023 up until May, 740 crimes were reported between Blackpool's North Pier and Coral Island Family Arcade. The majority of the crimes were 'anti-social behaviour', but there is also a high level of 'violence and sexual offences', along with 'shoplifting'.

Laura says she feels so safe in Blackpool that she could leave her front door open (Danielle Wroe)

But to put it into perspective, local Laura moved up from London 18 months ago and has never felt safer. So much so that she even leaves her front door unlocked.

Laura, who works for Blackpool Pier, explained: "You can enjoy life more up here. I live in South Shore so it's a bit quieter, away from central, but still close enough that I can get to everything. In terms of people, I can't complain at all. I could have my front door open and know that it is safe, which a lot of people wouldn't believe because they're like 'Oh Blackpool', but I could happily do that.

"I feel safe walking the streets at night even after having a drink. I like the fact it's touristy here, living in London before, I was quite used to tourists and being around everyone from everywhere, so it doesn't make a difference to me."

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Blackpool itself isn't all about high adrenaline - there are plenty of things to do for those looking for a calmer vacation, which is why it's ideal for the whole family. From relaxing on the pier to riding donkeys on the beach, and visiting the world-famous Blackpool Tower, there are loads of alternative things to do.

Some forums online brand it as "tacky", saying that it needs "more investment." While Laura doesn't agree with the 'tacky' label, she does believe more investment needs to be injected into certain areas and says there's also too much of a child-centric focus when it comes to the seafront.

The pace of life in Blackpool is totally different (Stock Image) (Getty Images)

"The council is trying to do developments and more for the area, but I think they've got issues that they need to solve before trying to put new amenities in", she said. "In central, there's an issue with alcoholism, homelessness, and drug use, and they should probably focus on that instead of trying to put new things in because we've got everything we need.

"We've got the shops, the activities, all of that - but it doesn't attract people if there are issues. They could add a few more adult-focused things in town because there are a lot of things for kids. They've just made a Gruffalo play centre next to a Peter Rabbit play centre and it's a bit much, and as an adult, you have to go to the Pleasure Beach or the piers." Also, Laura said that winter can be a problem as the town looks "derelict" when everything is closed.

Meanwhile, I didn't think my trip to Blackpool would be complete without a ride on the celebrated Valhalla, which has the tagline: "You will get wet, you may get soaked". I can confirm that was accurate. Think hurtling towards fire before being suddenly soaked by litres and litres of water.

It was throwing it down anyway, but I was truly soaked after a ride on Valhalla (Danielle Wroe)

I spoke to Andy Hygate, 48, Director of Operations, who told me about its upgrade after it's closure in 2019. "We tried to take parts of the original ride that people loved and update it to make it more sustainable. Twenty years on, we want people to have the same experience with the effects, but make it a more efficient ride to run."

Andy also said they wanted to make the ride more "theatrical", guaranteeing that the ride "is as wet as ever". "When we were making the changes, we looked at making it drier, but guests were telling us one of the aspects they love about the ride is getting wet, so we retained that."

It really is something that you have to experience for yourself, and I can see why this dark flume ride is notorious the world over and why people come to Blackpool just for this. It is a town that will always be dear to me and many others thanks to the number of memories I've made over the years there, and I'm really glad that families aren't snubbing it, recognising it still has so much potential.

Blackpool Tower is world-famous (Danielle Wroe)

A spokesperson for Blackpool Council said: "As a local authority, we are wholly committed to improving the quality of life of our town's residents, as well as continuing to attract the millions of visitors who come to Blackpool every year because they love it so much.

"Whilst Blackpool is so well known for fun and happy times, like many other seaside towns it is faced with both economic and health challenges including high levels of deprivation, dependency and social need and we are doing much to tackle these issues head-on. Working proactively alongside our colleagues in the NHS, as well as other partners we provide a number of health and welfare schemes to try and ensure that families, children and individuals get the help and advice that they need.

"At the same time, we also need to look to the future. So we along with partners are investing heavily in Blackpool in a diverse range of development projects to drive economic regeneration, create new jobs to help our communities, and deliver an improved environment for residents and visitors alike."

Have you ever visited Blackpool? Let us know in the comments.

Danielle Kate Wroe