From next week, people will be able to register online to be in with a chance of getting a ticket to the Lights extravaganza on September 3.
Tickets will be allocated at random in a lottery-style.

And Real Radio and Smooth Radio, who are behind this year’s Switch On weekend, will announce the rest of the star studded line up in the coming days.

Hoteliers and tourism leaders have hailed the announcement that music legend Robbie will be man behind the switch this year as a massive coup for the resort.

Claire Smith, vice-chairman of StayBlackpool and owner of the Number One guest house, said: “You can’t really top Robbie can you?

“The news just keeps getting better and better for Blackpool at the moment.

“I am sure many of the smaller hoteliers will have been flooded with calls for rooms after the announcement was made.

“He appeals to everyone, from teeny bopper girls to women of a certain age.”

FOR THE FULL STORY SEE SATURDAY’S GAZETTE.

BLACKPOOL Council has awarded the management of the town’s 18-hole municipal golf course to a private company for the next 25 years – if it hits investment targets.

Mack Trading, based in Kent, was awarded the contract last week. It will take over the day-to-day running of Stanley Park Golf Course from the council.

The initial contract will last 10 years but will be extended by a further 15 if the operator invests at least £300,000 during the period.

The council said the search was spurred by the decline in income from the course and the need for investment and a sustainable long-term plan. It also wants to explore the possibilities of linking the course to corporate events in the town.

Under the terms of the deal Mack will pay the council at least £70,000 a year and agree a profit share arrangement if higher levels of income are achieved. The business already runs 10 other municipal courses and was a clear winner in a council evaluation comparing it with its rivals.

The council said: “Company A [Mack Trading], who operate ten municipal golf courses scored highly, with a subsequent visit to one of their courses and business meeting confirmed they are a suitable company with a wealth of experience and expertise in relation to golf course management and development and in particular the development of junior golf programmes.”

The course is owned by the council but leased by Blackpool Park Golf Club.

A £39m deal to take Blackpool Tower, the Winter Gardens and the Golden Mile into public ownership will not be affected by Government spending cuts according to the town’s council.

The local authority said the deal had been completed and refurbishment work is now being carried out. A new operator, Merlin Entertainments, will take over the day-to-day management in November.

There has been some speculation that the new Government’s eagerness to slash budgets could derail the scheme which has been funded by a collection of public bodies.

The European Regional Development Fund committed £14m, the Northwest Regional Development Agency put in £7.9m, Blackpool Council committed £10m and the Homes and Communities Agency paid £7m. As well as buying the attractions, the funding will also be used for a £10m programme of repairs for the Tower.

Following the Chancellor George Osborne’s decision to announce cuts worth £6.2bn some reports have suggested an £8m grant for the refurbishment of the tower was being withdrawn.

A spokesman for the council said he was not aware of such a decision and the Homes and Communities Agency – part of the Department for Communities and Local Government, which is facing a 7.5% budget cut – said its contribution of £7m was already committed.

“The funding has already gone to Blackpool from the last financial year’s budget”, he said. But the Northwest Development Agency could not clarify the position with its £7.9m contribution. All the UK’s RDAs are expected to share cuts of £270m.

The decision to buy the assets from Trevor Hemmings has been made with the belief that heavy investment in the landmark buildings will secure the long-term future of the area by rejuvenating tourism.