A shipping container complex with street food and outdoor seating could bring new life to a derelict part of Blackpool’s seafront.

Plans have been submitted which could see Flagstaff Gardens become home to the town’s premier dining destination as well as offering live music. Named Southbeach Streetfood, the development would be created through the siting of 18 shipping containers with with outdoor seating and entertainment area in the centre of the complex.

The site has previously been used for a ghost house attraction but has sat empty for several years in a prominent location near to the Pleasure Beach and Sandcastle Waterpark. The firm behind the application, Southbeach Streetfood UK Ltd, says it will create jobs, boost the local economy and make better use of a “currently vacant and visually unattractive parcel of land”.

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If approved, the family-friendly venue will offer a range of international options from street food stalls, “catering for all ages and food tastes including vegan, vegetarian, low-calorie and those with food allergies and intolerances”. The applicant argues that such an option has become common in big UK cities but is largely missing from Blackpool’s current offering.

The application states: “The ethos for Southbeach Streetfood is to deliver high quality, authentic streetfood in an ethical, considerate, and sustainable way for both passing tourists and local Blackpool residents. We believe this can be achieved using locally sourced ingredients and employing local people.

“Preliminary conservative sales projections will enable the creation of over 30 full time local jobs. The directors have past experience of collaboration with B&FC and hope to recruit with the help of the collage and off eran exciting career path for local students. We also believe this will be an exciting opportunity for new industry recruits to gain experience and engage with us to develop the streetfood experience as a whole.

“We expect to be able to offer appropriate staff year-round employment where they are kept retained even when the venue closes for the winter period to provide fair and considerate employment. It is not our intention to utilise so-called zero-hour contracts for any staff .

“Ultimately the success of the venue relies on committed, engaged and motivated staff and we hope this collective responsibility will result in a profit share scheme to further reward their achievements. The directors all live, and have existing businesses locally and are committed to providing a venue which will be an asset to Blackpool and help increase both visitor numbers and sustained, fair and rewarding local employment.”

They also say the food will be complimented with live music from local artists and that it will aim to show its eco-credentials with LED lighting, energy efficient appliances, menus designed to minimise food waste and recyclable containers. They also say that their aim for the Southbeach to “become the food experience in Blackpool”.

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