BLACKPOOL - THE BUTLER MODEL

BLACKPOOL - THE BUTLER MODEL

1. STAGE 1 - EXPLORATION

   • 18th century - Only people to visit were the landed gentry who used the beach

2. STAGE 2 - INVOLVEMENT

   • Henry Banks bought Lanes End estate
     • built the first holiday cottage in the 1820's
   • Railway line built from Poulton to Blackpool - thousands of day trippers now visited

3. STAGE 3 - DEVELOPMENT

   • 1856-1870 the promenade was built
   • 1863 North Pier opened

4. STAGE 4 - CONSOLIDATION

   • In 1872 there was 850,000 visitors
   • 1878 the winter gardens opened
   • 1891-1894 Blackpool Tower was built
   • 1931 brought 3,850,000 visitors

5. STAGE 5 - STAGNATION

   • 1972 Blackpool Zoo opened
   • Now 3 railway stations in Blackpool

6. STAGE 6

   • DECLINE
     • Visitor nights declined from 16million to 10.2 million
     • Average annual hotel occupancy dropped to 22%
     • In 1990 the Sea Life centre opened to try and rejuvenate the town
   • REJUVENATION
     • In 2003 the rejuvenation project started
       • 26,700 jobs created
       • expected 7 million extra visitors per year
     • 2004 11 million visitors
     • 2009 new coastal defence scheme developed costing £80 million