Row as famous seaside resort likened to ‘Chernobyl’

A slanging match has broken out after a politician said a seaside resort looked little better than a city left in ruins after a nuclear meltdown.

A huge row has broken out after a famous British seaside resort was condemned as being so rundown it “looks like Chernobyl”, an area abandoned after a devastating nuclear meltdown.

The local politician who made the remarks about the town of Blackpool in England’s north west was slammed as being “disrespectful”.

Ironically, the coastal resort which features an amusement park and several piers, regularly welcomes children for holidays from Belarus which was severely affected by the disaster at the Chernobyl power plant in the then Soviet Union.

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Blackpool’s most famous landmark is its tower modelled of the Eiffel Tower.

Chernobyl disaster wiped city off the map

In the early hours of April 26, 1986 a safety test at Chernobyl – now in modern day Ukraine – went disastrously wrong. Explosions ruptured the core and the reactor building sending plumes of radioactive contamination across Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and much of Europe.

At least two people died from the explosion and around 30 other fatalities can be attributed directly to the incident. There are claims far more people may have died or been injured by to the toxic cloud.

The city of Pripyat, which was close to the power station and housed around 50,000 residents, now lies abandoned with its buildings decaying and its amusement park and Ferris wheel rusting away.

The former Chernobyl Nuclear power plant seen from Pripyat. AFP PHOTO / SERGEI SUPINSKY

The ghost town of Pripyat that was built to house workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant now lies abandoned.

Blackpool ‘looks like Chernobyl’

It was this ruined town that councillor Paul Hayhurst evoked at a meeting of Fylde council on Monday. Fylde is the region which neighbours Blackpool in the county of Lancashire.

Elected officials were discussing proposals for councils in Lancashire to work more closely together.

But councillor Hayhurst was having none of it saying Fylde was “prosperous” while Blackpool was the opposite.

According to the BBC, he said Fylde faced the prospect of being consumed by Blackpool which was a “bottomless pit” and “looks like Chernobyl no matter how much money you put in there”.

Rather than building on new sites in Blackpool, which has 138,000 residents, it would be better off starting over, said Mr Hayhurst.

“Blackpool needs probably half its hotels knocking down. It needs redeveloping because it’s never going to be the sort of place it was in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s.”

The Ferris wheel in Pripyat that was due to opens just days after the meltdown. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)

A deserted residential building in 2016 in Pripyat. PHOTO / GENYA SAVILOV

Blackpool’s heyday

In its heyday in the first half of the 20th century Blackpool bustled during the summer as people from the large industrial cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds sought some rest and relaxation.

Many of the attractions from that time remain to this day including the three piers, tram network, theatres and the Pleasure Beach amusement park.

The resort’s most famous landmark is the soaring Blackpool Tower which was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and can be seen for miles around. It’s sumptuous ballroom is the UK’s spiritual home of ballroom dancing.

In 1951, 17 million visitors descended on Blackpool attracted to its cheap hotels and distractions. But the rise of cheap airfares in the 1970s that could whisk Brits to the decidedly warmer climes of Spain and Italy saw Blackpool’s popularity plummet.

Blackpool is still one of the UK’s top resorts. But it’s fair to say it’s had a rough few decades. Although maybe not to the level of nuclear meltdown. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Blackpool: less healthy, less wealthy

It’s not just tourism. Blackpool residents are also less healthy with men in the town having one of the lowest life expectancies in England. They can expect to live until they are 74 compared to wealthy Westminster in London where men hold out to 85 on average.

Poor housing is an issue with now unneeded bed and breakfasts being turned into poor quality boarding houses.

Income in Blackpool is also significantly lower than the UK average.

In the 2000s a so called “super casino” – similar to the large casinos in Australia’s major cities – was mooted for Blackpool to lift it out of the doldrums. But public unease with the proposal meant it never got off the ground.

While other UK coastal towns like Brighton and Bournemouth have thrived in recent decades Blackpool has had a harder time reinventing itself.

Nonetheless, Blackpool is still Britain’s favourite seaside destination as counted by overnight visitors. It’s also invested in its promenade and tram network, spruced up hotels, and is an important centre for conferences.

The spectacular Blackpool Tower ballroom.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a ride on a tram in Blackpool this week. (Photo by Peter Byrne / POOL / AFP)

Blackpool councillors slam comments

Not surprisingly, councillors in the town were riled by Mr Hayhurst’s Chernobyl comments.

Blackpool Council’s leader Lynn Williams said his comments were “disrespectful” and “sour grapes”.

She said all councils in the region needed to work together.

“If this councillor wants to come to Blackpool, as he’s clearly not been for a while, we can show and explain all the many things we are doing to regenerate the town,” Ms Williams told the Blackpool Gazette.

“We can start with our new state of the art conference and exhibition centre, Fylde don’t have one of those so I am sure he will enjoy having a look round.

“But most deplorably to make that connection with Chernobyl and our having that connection through the generosity of local charities and residents of Blackpool hosting children is just really deeply unpleasant and unnecessary.”

In the end Mr Hayhurst’s protestations came to nothing. His fellow Fylde councillors voted to work more closely with their bigger neighbour.