A hotel guest at Blackpool Football Club's unique stadium accommodation was left stunned after being warned he could face a staggering £2,500 fine for a seemingly innocent act: opening his curtains.
The £137 Room with a Multi-Thousand Pound View
Journalist Ben East paid £137 for a night in one of the hotel rooms located within Bloomfield Road, the home ground of Blackpool FC. The room, situated behind one of the goals and converted from an executive box, advertised a pitch-view as a key selling point.
However, the experience was severely undermined when East was informed that opening the curtains during a match was prohibited. He was told that doing so could result in a jaw-dropping financial penalty of £2,500.
A Baffling Rule and Mixed Messages
Puzzled by the instruction, Ben East sought clarification from hotel staff. He reported that while they stated the hotel itself did not police the rule, guests could "apparently" be fined if caught with their curtains open during play.
This left him listening to Blackpool's match against Bradford City on the radio, hearing the crowd's roar from outside his window, while being unable to watch the action. He described the situation as "absurd – or at least conceptually flawed," arguing it negated the very purpose of staying in a room with a pitch view.
East also noted that other football clubs with similar stadium hotels, such as Bolton Wanderers, do not enforce such a restriction.
Club Cites Football Authority Regulations
When questioned, a spokesperson for Blackpool FC defended the policy, stating it was necessary to comply with EFL and FA regulations. The club explained the rule is part of broader limitations, including those on "the consumption of alcohol within sight of the pitch whilst a match is in play."
This incident comes amid positive news for the wider Blackpool area. According to the independent STEAM report, the seaside town saw a significant boost in tourism in 2023, attracting 21.5 million visitors—a six percent increase on the previous year's figures.
Blackpool Council leader, Councillor Lynn Williams MBE, credited a diverse events programme and extended illuminations for helping to cement the town's status as the UK's most visited seaside resort.
