Dallas on Sea

[David Johnson]

Well as most of the world heads towards recession, here in Blackpool we are on the verge of boom times.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... sfeed=true

Apparently, Cuadrilla, the exploration company drilling in the Blackpool area for shale gas have found reserves sufficient to fuel the UK for 50 years. Allegedly the biggest find since North Sea gas thirty years ago.

It does sound a tad unlikely........... but hey, where's my DVD set of JR in Dallas.

CHeers
D

[Gusset Sniffer]

Good news. I guess Blackpool is expendable for the sake of English gas. Alex Salmon can kiss our ass.

[andy at handiwork]

You do know what fracking tends to do to the local environment dont you?

[max_tranmere]

Wasn't John Prescott going to give the go-ahead for a huge casino there a few years ago? Didn't happen as far as I recall. Now you have 'struck oil'. Good luck.

[David Johnson]

Yep, I think that this has to be treated with extreme care. Hardly renewable energy is it?

They use huge amounts of chemicals in each "fracking" operation. And earlier in the year I think they put drilling on hold as a result of a couple of minor earthquakes in the Blackpool area. Report out in a week or two as to whether there is any connection.

CHeers
D

[andy at handiwork]

I'd sell up now and move if I were you.

[David Johnson]

Yep we were hot favourites for a huge casino until the buggers on the selection panel gave it to Manchester. Then Gordon Brown became PM and his Scottish religous upbringing was brought to bear on the horrors of gambling and the idea was shelved altogether.

Never mind though, there has been a huge amount of investment in Blackpool. ?82 million upgrade to the sea wall defences. Renewal of the entire tram system. The council taking control of some of the 19th century architectural wonders like the Tower Ballroon and the Winter Gardens as well as getting Merlin, one of the biggest entertainment entrepreneurs in the world involved in running some of the attractions.

But in the new world of we have no money, no money, no money, that is the end of all that.

CHeers
D

[David Johnson]

Yeah, I'll sell it to a Cuadrilla worker.

But hey being positive, although you can't drink the tap water, you can always set fire to it to heat the house up!

Cheers
D

[max_tranmere]

So all those plans for Blackpool were talked about, approved, then scrapped? Did any of them go ahead?

I remember going to Blackpool and going up the Tower. There is a glass floor you can stand on (as I'm sure you know) when you are in the viewing area at the top. Underneath, a very long way underneath you, there is a roof with the pained outline of a person - obviously not for real, but the gag is that someone fell and landed there. I remember it being quite scary to stand up there. You can see Liverpool and also planes, flying lower than you, as they begin their descent into the airport.

[Jonone]

Maybe 'The Beverley Hillbillies' a better comparison ? There's some rum uns in Blackpool