BLACKPOOL Tower and Winter Gardens' new owners aim to help revitalise the town centre along with their latest acquisitions.

That was the report of Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden after his first meeting with Leisure Parcs director Eric Kilby.

The company, which took over the Tower, Winter Gardens complex, three piers and two hotels from First Leisure for £74m at the end of August, immediately pledged to upgrade the landmark buildings, conference and leisure facilities.

And after meeting company bosses on Friday, Mr Marsden said he was pleased they saw their role bound up in improving the town centre as well as their own properties.

"They have some interesting thoughts about the way the Tower and Winter Gardens could be used together, in conjunction with revitalising the town centre," said Mr Marsden.

"I was impressed by their quick grasp of many of the major problems of the town centre and their willingness and enthusiasm to make links with the community and to take things forward."

Company bosses say as yet it would be premature to go into detail as they are still researching the way forward, meeting Blackpool Council chiefs (currently in the midst of their own town centre improvement programme) and business organisations.

But the Labour MP confirmed: "They said one of their top priorities was to get the situation regarding conferences right."

Labour caused uproar this spring when it pulled its conferences out of the resort from 1999-2001 in favour of Brighton and Bournemouth, saying the Winter Gardens facilities were inadequate for modern conferences.

"Leisure Parcs didn't rule out the idea of a new conference centre," said Mr Marsden, "but they also said they were well aware that the Winter Gardens has a unique appeal as a conference centre because of its historic background and atmosphere."

He sought assurances that jobs were safe under the new rgime and was told they may even be expanded as the company's plans develop.

Leisure Parcs is a consortium led by 61-year-old Chorley multi-millionaire Trevor Hemmings, including his own family interests, private equity group Electra Fleming and the Bank of Scotland.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.