Blackpool is seeking planning permission and money from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a brand new museum telling the city’s story.
If both bids are successful, the £25 million attraction will be built inside the Horseshoe and Pavilion areas of the Winter Gardens.
The redevelopment of the 140-year-old Pavilion will include the protection of historical features.
Designers have reportedly said the building will be ‘conserved, enhanced and adapted in order to begin a new era’.
Leader of Blackpool Council, Simon Blackburn, described the latest submissions as a ‘really exciting step forward’.
He added that the museum would be a great addition to Blackpool’s top-class attractions.
“It will also create real, full-time jobs and bring even more people in to the Winter Gardens to spend money,” he said.
£15 million is being sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the project. Blackburn said the council was confident it had created a strong bid.
The current business plan intends to offer free admission to local residents.
A proposed new entrance on Adelaide Street would require the partial demolition of some storage buildings.
Elaine Smith, President of Blackpool Civic Trust and a board member of the Winter Gardens Trust, was upbeat about the proposal. She also warned that it must be sustainable.
She said she had been trying to get a museum in Blackpool for 20 years.
Image courtesy Buttress
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/our-region/blackpool/new-25m-museum-to-tell-blackpool-s-story-1-8446755
