How Blackpool could lead the way in fixing our broken food system

Blackpool faces some of the highest levels of food-related health problems and deprivation in the country. With the second highest density of fast food outlets in the country and high levels of poverty meaning a lack of access to nutritious food, obesity is one of the most difficult issues we face.

72% of adults in Blackpool are overweight or living with obesity. In children at reception age, its 27.4% and by year six, a shocking 42.3%.

These are some of the reasons that the House of Lords’ Food, Diet and Obesity Committee visited Blackpool earlier this year. Its new report Recipe For Health: A Plan to Fix Our Broken Food System, not only highlights Blackpool as a critical case study but our potential to lead meaningful change too.

The report demonstrates that Blackpool is a “food desert,” with many areas lacking access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Instead, fast food outlets dominate the landscape, offering cheap, high-calorie options that are often the only affordable choice for families on a budget. In fact, Blackpool is one of the places where food insecurity is most deeply felt, with rising reliance on food banks and emergency food parcels.

The report stresses that communities like Blackpool need better access to healthy, affordable food. For Blackpool, this could mean revitalising local food markets, setting up food hubs, and creating partnerships between local farmers and residents to bring fresh produce directly into the community. This would bypass the high prices and limited options of supermarkets, offering a more sustainable way to source food locally.

At the same time, the report suggests reforming the food environment in Blackpool and areas facing similar challenges, where fast food outlets are prevalent. By limiting the number of unhealthy food outlets and supporting the growth of healthier businesses, the town could make it easier for residents to make better food choices. Small changes like these could have a big impact on public health.

One of the most important recommendations of the report is that food education needs to be a priority. In Blackpool, where diet-related illnesses are rampant, providing nutrition education could make a real difference. This could include teaching people how to cook healthy meals on a budget, as well as offering workshops in schools to help children understand the importance of good nutrition.

Earlier this year I visited Blackpool Learning Rooms where this approach is already underway. The Clifton Street site has kitchens where I met adult learners on their Eat Well Spend Less course – fun and informal classes teaching the basics of cookery and budgeting.

The report also highlights the importance of local food initiatives. Projects like community kitchens, urban farms, and food co-ops are already taking root in Blackpool at the likes of @TheGrange. Committee members visited the community centre which has an on-site growing project, Grow Blackpool, and cafe offering affordable and nutritious food on an estate that has no shop selling fresh food. Projects like this could be the key to transforming our food system, helping people access healthy, affordable food and create stronger and more resilient communities.

Grow Blackpool @TheGrange

The food landscape in Blackpool clearly needs urgent attention but the town also holds an opportunity to lead the way in transforming the food system. The Recipe for Health report paints a picture of a better future – one where communities like ours are healthier, more sustainable, and more connected to the food we eat.

Local organisations like the Blackpool Food Partnership are already making strides in this direction. By working together, community groups, local authorities, and businesses can create a more equitable food system that puts health at its centre. The key will be to invest in these community-led projects and ensure that everyone, no matter their income, has access to healthy, affordable food.

If Blackpool can implement the changes suggested in the Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s report, it could serve as a model for towns across the UK. Local food hubs, healthier eating habits, better education, and a shift in the food environment could change our future.

It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t be easy, but the foundations are already there. With the right investment, support, and local leadership, Blackpool can become a shining example of how we can build a more sustainable food system and a healthier community.