Government commits £20m to explore new Blackpool Arena

The government has committed £20m to explore the development of a new indoor arena at the Blackpool Central site, marking a major milestone in plans to create a world-class entertainment venue for the town.

- by Jack Marshall

Calls for a new state-of-the-art indoor arena in Blackpool have been spearheaded by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, who started a petition backing the proposal in November last year, arguing that a town aspiring to be a cultural destination and bidding to become UK City of Culture 2029 should have a major venue at its heart.

Thousands of local residents have since signed the petition, backing calls for government investment in the new arena project.

Meanwhile, Mr Webb has been making the case to ministers that Blackpool deserves ambitious investment to strengthen its economy, create jobs and cement its position as one of the UK's leading entertainment destinations.