Blackpool split over fears it is losing hen and stag party title

Blackpool is set to be less popular than non-traditional stag destinations like Cork, Norwich and Oxford this year, despite its reputation as a party town.

This was according to statistics shared by StagWeb.co.uk, a stag do planning platform.

What do the figures show?

Stag Web based this prediction on the fact that the number of people enquiring for a Blackpool stag do and thus booking an event, has reduced dramatically.

So far this year, Blackpool has seen a 25% drop in enquiries compared to 2023.

The drop is made more significant when compared to destinations that do not usually prove so popular.

In 2023, Blackpool was seven times more popular than Cork, but in 2024 Cork had 40% more enquiries than Blackpool.

Last year, Blackpool had 33% more enquiries than Oxford and 10% more enquiries than Norwich, but in 2024 both cities had 31% more enquiries than the seaside resort.

Why are bookings down?

Stag Web cites the reason behind the decline as being that they are seeing a move away from traditional big stag night out towards activity-based celebrations.

Tom Keenan, StagWeb's Blackpool Specialist, said: "Blackpool has always been a big party town, but we've actually seen a slight move away from boozy stag weekends which may be the reason for the decline.

"Since the pandemic, StagWeb have seen a drop in enquiries for nightclub entry by 37% and a rise in enquiries for adventure activities and glamping retreats."

"People are putting more emphasis on the activities and experiences, rather than the big nights out. Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty who love a party, it's just a lot of people want to make sure they do something memorable."

He added Blackpool is "undeniably" a great place for a weekend celebration, but they are "witnessing a shift in drinking patterns, particularly amongst the younger generations."

"We are optimistic that this year's trend is an anomaly rather than the new norm, plus Blackpool has plenty to offer outside of its nightlife," he added.

A town divided over its party reputation

Coun Lynn Williams spoke out against some of the 'bad press' that Blackpool has had in recent years.

The Labour leader, who is also the Cabinet Member for Tourism, compared the resort to European cities, adding that it has a lot to be proud of.

She said: "Other places are allowed to be many things to different people.

"Barcelona and Prague have a reputation for stag dos but somehow Blackpool isn't allowed to. Why shouldn't we?

"We can be a successful family resort and also still offer nightlife."

When the Gazette asked the public about their thoughts on the town's reputation as a party destination, many shared the same sentiment.

A spokesperson for Sunny Dee's Self Catering Apartments said: "Whilst we are unable to accommodate stag and hen dos ourselves, we love to see the fun so many have celebrating around the town - mostly in a compact area (Queen Street/Market Street) - so rarely an issue to the wider tourist areas! Blackpool will always be a great destination for Stag & Hens."

Alan Hudson said: "We have never had problems with stags and hen parties in our place."

Christopher Bowen said: "There's room for stag and hen dos in Blackpool, just try not to mix it with family’s etc. They bring a lot of money into the economy so let's not push them away."

But others were happy to hear that the amount of stag and hen dos in the resort were on the decline.

Julia Green said: Best news for Blackpool in years. Let them go somewhere else, the families will start coming back and maybe stay longer."

Steve Prowse said: "That's a good thing. It was targeting the Stag & Hen market that started the decline of the town centre."

Viv Bell said: "Good. It used to be a nice family resort, but now it's sleazy and tacky."

What do you think about the town's party reputation? Email [email protected]