It’s the former site of a shop which will eventually become the location of a new tramway terminus and hotel complex and has featured extensively on these pages over the past couple of years. We are, of course, talking about the plot of land on Talbot Road which was once home of Wilko’s which we take a look at in this latest pictorial update thanks to Tony Armitage.
While the below photos don’t seem to show much progress a recent story in the local paper, Blackpool Gazette, gave news that work on the building of the new hotel will soon commence along with further work on the tramway extension. The construction works on the site will see High Street closed to traffic for 26 weeks from mid-May with traffic being diverted.
For the tramway there will not only be work to extend the track from where it currently ends at what was the entrance to the store but also to install the overhead wires and associated infrastructure along Talbot Road. No daytime road closures are said to be required for this work with everything taking place overnight and starting during July.
It is suggested that all this tram work will be finished to allow for a tram service to run later in 2021 – although as we’ve been here with deadlines for the extension before we’ll wait and see just when it may open to passengers. Meanwhile, the hotel is planned to open in 2022.
The current state of the site where preparation works before construction can commence are still taking place.
Another look at the site showing the site offices. (Both Photographs by Tony Armitage, 16th May 2021)