Odds on

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced proposals on Tuesday (March 26)to relax the laws on gambling which could see the resort transformed into the gambling capital of Europe.

But not everyone is happy.

Vern and Caroline Millar own the seven-bedroom Marine Hotel in South Shore and are worried that their traditional business would suffer.

Vern said: "We are a small, family-run hotel and have only been trading for two years. We are scared we might lose our customers and end up out of business.

"Casinos would brighten up the town, but the only people in pocket would be Leisure Parcs.

"Also gambling might bring the wrong sort of people to the resort.

"Blackpool Borough Council should be helping people like us to survive by lowering our council tax for a start. We pay £600 a year and only live in one room. Plus I wish they would sort out things like refuse collection. We have to leave black bags out of the front of our hotel. Is that the image that they want to promote along with their new casinos?"

Nellie and Bernard Tirebuck from Worcester have been coming to stay at the Marine Hotel for more than 15 years and in 2001 they stayed no less than seven times!

They said: "We love Blackpool because there is so much to do and we stay at the Marine because it's family run and reasonable rates. We wouldn't want to stay anywhere else." But would they gamble? "Oh no!" said Nellie.

But managing director of Leisure Parcs and the man behind the vision Marc Etches disagrees.

"It is clear that our proposals for the introduction of a resort casino hotels as a catalyst for the economic regeneration of Blackpool and the surrounding region have been well received," he said on March 26.

"Blackpool has the history, the infrastructure, the support and determination to succeed. The opportunity now exists to set a new international standard of how gaming can be used as a tool of economic regeneration and social inclusion for the benefits of tourists and residents alike."

The owner of Raffles Hotel on Hornby Road, Graham Poole, similarly backed the law. "I'm absolutely over the moon," he said. "It's the best thing that could happen to the town. The future of Blackpool now lies in a new type of audience that we will need to attract in order to survive.

"In all the time I have been in Blackpool there has been lots of talk about this and that and the regeneration of the town but this is the only idea that is to come to fruition."

Janet and Fred Porter of Kneps Farm Holiday Park in Thornton Cleveleys said: "It will be a good thing for us as we are five miles from the centre of town. We get people from many countries now and are hoping we will get even more trade. We can take 60-odd tourers plus some static caravans.

"It will tidy up the Prom and bring it upmarket a bit. And anything already on the Prom will surely find a new location elsewhere."

Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South also commented: "I am very pleased with the Government's response. The most important part of what was announced was that they would not be restricting fruit machines with small prizes. Which is very important as we have lots of pubs, clubs and arcades in the town.

"In general I think it is very good that gambling has been liberalised and we can now look at the issues in Blackpool and all the pros and cons of Leisure Parcs proposal."

Even Steven Bate, spokesman for BCAGE (Blackpool Coalition Against Gambling Expansion) said he was pleased about the laws as he said: "The proposals do not give the go-ahead for the big resort casinos in Blackpool when you analyse them properly.

"The proposals do not mention whatsoever the crucial issue of local levy and local tax and without those there will be no political and public support in Blackpool. Thus BCAGE is quite pleased about this as if these two key elements are not there we are no nearer than before of getting a casino resort."