Blackpool entertainment venues' plea to government for clarity on when they can reopen

Aside from the iconic attractions, the Illuminations, heritage and the seaside there are the world-famous sights, sounds and action from the Pleasure Beach’s Hot Ice to Funny Girls and the international touring talents of Viva’s The Jersey Beats.

These long-established commercial entertainment ventures are no mere supporting acts in maintaining Blackpool as the vibrant showbiz town for which it is famed.

But for the last three months the doors have been shut on some of resort’s biggest and long standing cabaret bars and entertainment venues and there are serious concerns some may not win the fight to reopen

Last week the government announced a ‘world leading’ package of relief totalling £1.57bn of grants and loans for cultural, arts and heritage institutions across the UK. However, the focus of this support appears on the surface to rest within the cultural sector in the main theatres, museums and galleries.

Owner of Funny Girls and four of the big entertainment spaces Basil Newby says in the arts industry they are very much the ‘forgotten businesses.’

Between 35 and 45 staff are currently on furlough, with many of their freelance performers struggling for income. With no clear time-frame for when such venues will be safe to reopen, there is huge uncertainty for what the future will look like.

He said: “With the programme and a near sell out tour planned, the pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“It’s devastating for the team and performers who had all worked so hard and really looked forward to it.

“But now we have lost the summer not just for the tour but the venue too. Blackpool is a tourist town, Funny Girls is a speciality tourist attraction - it very much feels like we are the forgotten businesses.

“Saying we can’t open in a resort made on entertainment? What about the staff, performers who need an income - we need the government to come out with something.

“We’d been getting ready for July 4 just like everyone else, we had £400,000 worth of advanced bookings for 12 months. With other costs we’re close to having lost nearly £1m.

“We need this roadmap for opening - it’s ludicrous there being no clear information.”

Martin Heywood, managing director of Viva in Church Street said with such scant detail in the current package it is very difficult to know whether any commercial entertainments business would be eligible at all.

He added:“Obviously venues such as ours The Globe Hot Ice, Funny Girls and many more in town fall in the commercial sector but are every bit as important to the culture and fabric of entertainments in Blackpool.

“This package is very much welcome news. But this is an industry which has been decimated.”

Martin doubts whether the government quite recognises the significance of business like his and many more across the resort.

He added: “We have been working hard to get ourselves ready to re-open. We’re getting the enquiries and interest, we could meet the social distancing requirements but it has to be viable. We’re down to our bare bones.

“What we desperately need above all else is some clarity - there is some hope and optimism but a time frame is what as business owners we need.”

“At the minute we’re working in the dark - we have a limited time to turn this around.”

Resort singer Joanna Shorrock, who for the last 17 years has worked across many hotels and venues, said she had been forced to seek alternative employment in lockdown.

She said: “I haven’t had a season like this in 17 years of performing in venues and hotels in Blackpool - my nights have never been as quiet.

“I heard of a sandwich shop needing extra pair of hands and honestly it was the best thing I could have done. I’ve loved it, loved the girls, made some amazing friends. I will keep it up as I just don’t know yet what the future holds.”

Chief executive of the Arts Council Darren Henley, one organisation responsible for administering the funds, said from July 22 applications would re-open for Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants, with freelancers in particular set to benefit.

He said the relief package was ‘a massive vote of confidence’ in the sector but funding will be focused on supporting cultural organisations through the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “There has been an audible sigh of relief right around the country. But I want to be honest: there are some truly tough decisions to make and difficult times ahead.

“And I fear that not everything that we want to save, can be saved.”