The popular seaside resort of Blackpool is struggling with a drugs crisis, after stark figures show that is has the most number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales
The iconic seaside resort of Blackpool has been dubbed ‘Crackpool’ after figures show that it is the most drug-blighted town in England and Wales.
Between 2022 and 2024, the popular resort suffered 128 drug-related deaths, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest in England and Wales.
In total, figures show 5,565 deaths registered in England and Wales last year were related to drug poisoning. Once a jewel in Lancashire’s coastline, now it has 35 people dying from drug-related deaths last year alone.
Blackpool’s public health chief has acknowledged the “ongoing challenge” of drug misuse in the town, with emergency antidotes for overdoses rolled out.
For people living in the once iconic seaside town, it is a grim reality playing out on street corners every day. Central Drive, under the shadow of the famous Blackpool Tower, has become one of the worst areas for drug use.
Residents say empty buildings and shuttered shopfronts provide cover for dealers and desperate users alike. Gregory Barker, 48, a former serviceman who runs a soup kitchen in town, sees Blackpool’s drug crisis on a daily basis.
He said: “It’s really bad, to be fair. There doesn’t seem to be anything done about it. The police know what’s going on. They say there’s a war on drugs – but nothing’s ever done.
“People just turn a blind eye all the time. Every now and again there’ll be a big bust, but drug use is pretty in your face in Blackpool.”
Every Monday, Gregory works with a team of volunteers serving soup and sandwiches from the boot of a car behind the Metropole Hotel.
He said: “Some people spend all of their money on addiction – if you don’t feed them, they’d starve. They’d rather get their fix than food. But it could happen to anyone. I’ve been in the forces and I’ve seen people who’ve had drink addictions.”
“You can see people doing drugs in shop doorways in sleeping bags. When spice came along, there were people just keeling over in the street. People do it because it’s cheaper than doing heroin.
“If people want to talk to us, they can. But we’re just Christians on the street – we’re not trained to help them. Perhaps they need a team of people physically encouraging them to go and get the help they need.
“There aren’t enough mental health services, but I always try to point them in the right direction.”
One victim to Blackpool’s drug problem was “well-known and well-liked” Sabrina Marilyn Lyttle, who was just 47. She died from a mixed drug overdose, found dead in the toilets of a restaurant where her body had lain undiscovered for three days.
Police discovered her body face down in a cubicle alongside a crack pipe and Valium tablets. A coroner concluded that it was a “drugs related death”.
Dr Arif Rajpura, the director of public health at Blackpool Council, said: “While data shows a fall in deaths related to drug poisoning and drug misuse between 2023 and 2024 by a third, we recognise that sustained progress takes time.
“Looking at trends over the past three years, the figures continue to highlight the ongoing challenge we face in reducing drug-related deaths.
“We have implemented a range of evidence-based initiatives to address this issue, working closely with partners across the system, including local substance misuse treatment services, the NHS and voluntary sector organisations, as well as teams with lived experience.
“Our shared goal is to ensure that people can access high-quality, accessible treatment and support that helps improve both physical and mental health outcomes.”
He added: “A key focus has been the widespread rollout of naloxone, the emergency antidote for opioid overdose, to frontline staff, volunteers and the friends and families of people who use drugs, enabling timely intervention in the event of an overdose.
“In 2025, Blackpool opened a dedicated Recovery Hub and, regionally, led a new initiative with the local ambulance service (NWAS) to ensure that individuals who experience a non-fatal overdose are referred into outreach and support services for follow-up care.
“We continue to monitor the outcomes of innovative harm reduction initiatives piloted elsewhere, such as Glasgow’s Safer Drug Consumption Facility, and adopt those that align with our approach to supporting people in need.
“We remain committed to reducing our rates further and to supporting our partners who work every day to help people stay safe, feel respected and find a way forward – no matter where they are starting from.”
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