Look local: NHS services are Blackpool’s rock

Few coastal towns possess the celebrity status Blackpool has gained over the years. In days gone by, the Lancashire town was a booming resort where holidaymakers would travel miles to see the iconic Blackpool tower, take a stroll down the pier or ride a donkey on the beach. As attitudes shifted and travelling abroad became an easier and cheaper option, the town’s once unequalled popularity has decreased, resulting in high levels of unemployment and plummeting property prices.

‘Blackpool is quite an interesting town, it’s changed a lot over the years from a thriving seaside town to a bit underrun,’ says Mike Howcroft, practice manager of Leesons Opticians. ‘The flow in population has changed meaning lots of hotels have closed down and people have moved out.’