Blackpool ‘dying as a community’
The closure of a beloved café in Blackpool is the latest devastating blow to a community that feels more and more neglected each year.
That’s according to Denis Fitzpatrick, long-time resident and Chairperson of the Blackpool Regeneration Committee. This week, Dunleas, previously the Coffee Pot, on Thomas Davis Street in Blackpool added its name to the ever-growing list of businesses and services forced to close in the area. The business was opened more than 30 years ago by Bill Dunlea. Mr Fitzpatrick said he feels “gutted and devastated” that such a longstanding and beloved family-owned small business has been forced to close its doors. “We're dying as a community here,” he told the Cork Independent.
“The services have been devastated because we don't have independent local funding. We have to go cap-in-hand to central government or to the EU to get funding to do anything in the area,” he added.
Mr Fitzpatrick said many of the issues faced by Blackpool can be traced back to the opening of the N20 bypass in 2001, a move that officials at the time said would lead to a 70% reduction in traffic in Blackpool village.
“The whole idea was that the bypass was to regenerate us and rejuvenate us and the reality is it hasn't, it has devastated us,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.
He added: “Now we're only a rat run. We're jammed packed with cars going from where Dunlea’s café was on the bridge all the way out to the shopping centre near Dublin Hill. Then on the N20, there's not a car on it.”
Looking forward, Mr Fitzpatrick said it is hard not to see more businesses closing unless there is massive injection of funding and a radical rethinking of the traffic situation.
“City Council is very much curtailed. They carry a certain amount of responsibility but they’re curtailed, they don’t have funding,” he added.
Responding to news of the closure of Dunleas, local Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould slammed Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, saying they have failed to protect businesses and to support Blackpool.
“This closure is made even more stark by the office of Minister for State Colm Burke directly next door. His office, in the former post office building, acts as a constant reminder that Fine Gael have prioritised big business and vulture funds over family-run enterprise and workers and families,” said Deputy Gould.
“This year alone, we have seen the loss of multiple businesses in Blackpool and the loss of a doctor, dentist, physiotherapist and counselling hub thanks to the vulture funds Fine Gael welcomed into this state with open arms,” he added.
Responding to the comments, Minister of State at the Department of Health, Colm Burke TD, who has an office on Thomas Davis Street, said he was saddened to hear of the closure of the Dunlea family business. “This is a coffee shop where I and my staff would have visited on a continuous basis,” said the minister.
“As someone who is self-employed, I am very much aware of the challenges of running any small business and that is why Fine Gael while in government provided supports to businesses during the difficult Covid period and we will continue to provide those supports which we have included in the manifesto for the General Election.
“I want to wish Bill and his family and his staff the very best in the future,” added Mr Burke.