Wanted: Domain Appraisal Please share your thoughts on Blackpool.co.uk

[Edwin]

Blackpool.co.uk is my most recent major acquisition (and my most expensive purchase to date - NDA so no specifics, sorry) so I'm curious to hear what you think about it?

 

[woopwoop]

Great name - I have Morecambe and so I guess you could do something similar. (but put more time in than I did!)

Wordpress, forums, business listings etc.

About your NDA, you're the buyer so you probably could tell us if you wanted to!

 

[ScottJ]

Very nice, I'm sure I enquired about it at some point... yep just checked and I emailed Phill in June. I'm crap at valuations... however I do know that domain has plenty of potential to be developed out into it's own business, sky is the limit with the amount of shows & accommodation. If you had a B&B/Hotel there you would constantly get hassled to be in this or that directory, listing, site so you may need more than a good generic to entice people. Someone once said to me if you develop a geo domain at the start when there is little traffic it's important to get advertisers on board and get them to pay something, even if it's £1 a year. Much easier to go back to them and increase their listing when the site takes off than going from free to paid.

Anyway, lovely domain name Edwin, congrats on your purchase you must be pretty happy with it.

 

[retired_member16]

Lovely name, I think its the most popular seaside town in the UK?

However, I went there once and Jesus Christ, what a toilet. The place is an absolute hole, covered in top to bottom in filth.

 

[bb99]

Great domain, although much easier to develop if you live in Blackpool rather than Japan

 

[bb99]

However, I went there once and Jesus Christ, what a toilet. The place is an absolute hole, covered in top to bottom in filth.

I wouldn't quite go that far but I can understand where you're coming from...
Went to the Blackpool Magic Convention a couple of years ago and had a superb time, although didn't stay overnight.

 

[Edwin]

Lovely name, I think its the most popular seaside town in the UK?

I believe it still is, though Wikipedia suggests its popularity is waning. Still, the name itself averages 50 typeins per day so it seems plenty of people are still hungry for information.

Great domain, although much easier to develop if you live in Blackpool rather than Japan

Yes, that's a good point, though I think I've managed a reasonable crack at some other places (e.g. Cambridge.co.uk) remotely, from what I was able to trawl painstakingly out of the search engines. Having said that, I've never even been anywhere near Blackpool

Thanks for all the feedback so far - I'd love to hear more opinions!

 

[philiporchard]

Stunning Name :mrgreen:

Tried to buy this a while back.
Well done Ed on a cracking domain

 

[woopwoop]

It's not as bad as that. Sure, a few decades ago seaside resorts were more popular and Blackpool was the best, but it's still up there for many people. People from around the country still make trips to Blackpool when the illuminations are on (a yearly switching on of lights all down the promenade). Usually switched on by a celebrity...

I think that the area will have some investment - the only question is when?

 

[Jeewhizz]

Nice domain for sure - I'd rate cambridge higher however.

Congrats on the purchase.

 

[mally]

nice domain, congrats.

With the credit crunch, I though people were planning onspening more time at places like blackpool rather than going abroad..

Could get you the extra traffic!

 

[andydw]

Its still very, very popular for stag and hen nights. Maybe good to look at companies that offer packages for this type of thing
Blackpool Airport have flights to a few European destinations so room for something there.
Great domain, far better than a lot of other town names!

 

[Juniper]

IMO this is a serious domain, think about ALL THE 1000's of small B&B's that have no website but would take a page on the major Blackpool site, then the bars and then the restaurants etc.

Its potential is massive, it could just be a pension scheme if developed well, bringing you an income every year - forever!

 

[DNSales-com]

very nice name good luck with it

 

[doodlebug]

Hi Edwin, I was brought up in Manchester and when i was 13 to 16 years old i use to drive with friends upto blackpool nearly every night.

I can say yes dirty - dodgy - cheap - sex - novelty and use to have a sewer pipe emptying directly onto the beach just beside the Donkeys.

It's a place where Manchester Gangs and Liverpool Gangs frequent but it is very popular and got probably 500 bed and breakfast, it as the tower with its world famous ballroom and the annual lights but it as got dirtier over the years and run down.

I am sure this place will get some big funding soon, wether Lottery funding, business funding or Goverment ?

it's to bigger place to just let slip, this is a very good name to have, keep at it and prosper !!!

ps. A very comprehensive guide you have there lol

 

[Edwin]

I found an article the other day - can't put my hand on it just now - that suggested there were over 3,000 hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs in Blackpool. That's pretty crazy! I didn't even know that when I bought the domain, but it's nice to find out

 

[cm1975]

nice domain, congrats.

With the credit crunch, I though people were planning onspening more time at places like blackpool rather than going abroad..

Could get you the extra traffic!

Yeah, the credit crunch, rising unemployment and the low exchange rate against the euro will see many people choosing to holiday in the UK. It may be a complete hole, but for some people, it's all they can afford!

 

[peterm]

Yeah, the credit crunch, rising unemployment and the low exchange rate against the euro will see many people choosing to holiday in the UK. It may be a complete hole, but for some people, it's all they can afford!

It's not only a hole but very,very expensive. It's far cheaper to go abroad than stay in Blackpool. The weather is shocking, the whole place needs a lick of paint at the very least.

I go there quite a bit for meetings and i hate the place.

It's popular with hen/stag nights and as you've said there are loads of crappy b&b's with the odd decent ones mixed in, most are stuck in a time warp and the 1970's. Only decent place is the casino which is a good night out even if you don't gamble, although the food is attrocious.

Popular with poker players at the weekends and home to one of the largest card rooms in the UK since the extension (G Casino)

Great place to buy tat and rock which is still for sale in every single shop you pass. I have heard a lot about the investment needed and what some of the proposed plans are, the Super Casino was there shot at a quick fix and it was given to Manchester of all places, which made no sense. Not that it made any difference as it was knocked on the head anyway.

Great domain to develop and in maybe 5 to 10 years it could be a revamped, trendy place to visit

 

[cm1975]

It's not only a hole but very,very expensive.

Compare the £ to Euros exchange rate of a few years ago to that of today. You could get around 1.41 Euros to the £ compared to 1.04 now.

Those people who go to Blackpool are generally on low incomes and a 27% decrease in the value of the pound means Europe is very, very expensive.

The decrease in the cost of petrol compared to last summer means Blackpool is now cheaper to get to by car.

 

[woopwoop]

CM you're missing out a lot there, if you just think fuel cost and exchange rate.

Especially the fact that there are still cheap package holidays that families can get to the costas. What many families on a tighter budget do is travel during term time, taking their kids out of school to go away for a week or 2.

I think that just the fact that this thread is getting so many posts is a good sign for the domain. People love to talk about Blackpool and holidays!