What makes ArtB&B unique
Why Art B&B?
Rollercoasters, sandcastles, rock and the traditional bed & breakfast. These have been the hallmarks of seaside holidays in Blackpool throughout the last century. And while many of us didn’t grow up visiting galleries, we did visit the seaside. But Blackpool is also home to a thriving creative community and has an incredible artistic spirit. At Art B&B these two aspects of this unique seaside town collide to make every stay a masterpiece.
The traditional B&B is reconfigured and reimagined by a mixture of established and emerging contemporary artists here at Art B&B. Each of the 19 rooms in our seafront hotel has been carefully commissioned, curated and installed to create a one-of-a-kind overnight experience.
With nods to Blackpool’s heritage including its Victorian and Seaside Moderne architecture, its role as an entertainment capital and its significance to the LGBTQ+ community, Art B&B is a reflection of the electric nature of our seaside town. Blackpool, like art itself, means different things to different people.
History
Art B&B first opened its doors in 2019 after Blackpool Council bought the former Ocean Hotel between Banks Street and Springfield Road for £203,000 in 2016. It was operated at a Community Interest Company by socially-engaged arts organisation LeftCoast which raised £1.3m for the project from funding sources including the Coastal Communities Fund and Arts Council England.
A mixture of notable and emerging artists, many of them local, were commissioned to create the 19 unique rooms within Art B&B as well as its communal spaces. With a cafe-bar, outdoor space and an events and workshop space, Art B&B became more than a place for visitors to sleep surrounded by art, but a place for the local community to live and breathe art too.
In 2022 Art B&B sadly closed its doors, with operators citing a difficult economic climate and a new operator was sought. In the two years it was closed it was sorely missed by the community and left a gaping hole in Blackpool’s accommodation offer for visitors.
Present day
When Hamza Anwar saw the chance to be involved in bringing Art B&B back to life he jumped at the opportunity. Hamza has lived locally since he was 10 and learnt his trade working in his dad’s clothing business from the age of 13.
After graduating, Hamza had a brief corporate career before pursuing his passion for business and property and setting up a letting agency in Blackpool at the age of 23. In thistime he saw how poor housing had become in the central areas of Blackpool and how the poor standard of space had an adverse impact on local families. A decade after setting it up, Hamza left the letting agency to instead focus on investing and redeveloping empty and tired properties in Blackpool.
“I firmly believe positive spaces have a positive impact on people's lives,” says Hamza. “I saw the town change from its peak and gradually decline over the years. Over the last five years or so, it has been great to see the regeneration of the town, with various schemes, initiatives and significant Investment projects supporting its comeback.
“The growth potential of Blackpool is huge and I continue to invest and work in the area to have a lasting and positive impact.
“I have watched Art B&B’s development over the years and I thought it was fantastic for the area. Blackpool is a vibrant and creative town with an artistic spirit and that’s nowhere more evident than within our walls.
“I continue to offer a venue with great shared spaces for community and creative events and unique accommodation to compliment any visit to our wonderful town.”
