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Southport Town Deal

Tens of thousands enjoy brand new Southport Market in just 48 hours

29 July 2021
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Borough Of Culture, Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Front Page, InvestSefton, Latest News, Southport, Southport Town Deal

More than ten thousand excited and hungry customers passed through the doors of the brand new Southport Market in its first 48 hours of opening.

After much excitement, Sefton Council opened the doors of the refurbished £1.4m Southport Market on Thursday, July 22 and immediately traders were made to handle the heat of what is the North West’s latest place to be for good food and drink.

In fact nearly 15,000 tasty treats, from wood fired pizzas to mouth watering bubble waffles, were served up to customers in the first 48 hours of the market’s launch, as thousands descended on the resort’s market quarter for a taste of the action.

Gavin Williams and James Kennedy, co-owners of Allotment; one of the ten stunning food stalls in the new look market, said they were delighted to be firing up the grills and serving up a selection of burgers, hot dogs and loaded fries meals.

Gavin said: “The council have been phenomenal and the market is already buzzing! I am sure this is the start of something amazing for Southport.

“We chose to be a part of the market after walking into the building for the first time and became instantly struck by how spectacular it looks.

“It is a real eye catching site and we know it will draw in so many people to the town.”

James added: “The investment that has been put into the market is fantastic and it is something that is completely different and we are very excited to be a part of it.”

Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “It’s no surprise that already we are seeing tens of thousands of people visiting Southport Market in its first few days of opening.

“Across the region word is spreading quickly about the market and we cannot thank our incredible traders, bar team and council staff enough for all the hard work that has been put into making this a reality.

“We look forward to welcoming even more people through our doors this coming weekend!”

Southport Market’s opening hours:

Mon and Tue closed
Wed 10-10
Thursday 10-10
Friday 10-11
Sat 10-11
Sunday 10-8
/Ends

Doors open on North West’s newest food & drink gem

23 July 2021
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News, Southport, Southport Town Deal

Pizzas were baked, pies rose and ice creams were scooped as the first customers of the brand new Southport Market enjoyed its launch yesterday (Thursday, July 22).

Hundreds of Sangdrounders and tourists visited the refurbished market to sample mouth-watering delights and delicacies from around the world, with ten stalls and traders, as well as a feature bar and drinks space, to choose from.

Incredible mix

Southport Market is the North West’s newest food and drink experience. It combines an incredible mix of local talent from across the resort and an array of international delicacies at the heart of the town’s revamped market quarter.

The £1.4m scheme, which is a early success in Sefton Council’s Covid-19 recovery plan for Southport, also features a flexible events area able to host high-quality pop-up markets along with other events.

Outstanding venue

Cllr Marion Atkinson said: “Our new Southport Market is an outstanding venue that represents Sefton Council’s strong appetite for success.

“The wide range of high-quality food and drink on offer complements the rejuvenation of the market quarter and wider Southport town centre.

“Not only is this a much-needed addition to the hospitality on offer in Sefton but it also generates local jobs and provides a further boost to the economic fortunes of our Borough as we look to bounce back post-pandemic.

“Southport Market has something for everyone and already we have seen hundreds of happy diners and drinkers as we welcomed people here for the first time.

“Every single trader comes to the market with a passion and desire to succeed and we are incredibly confident Southport Market will very quickly become one of the North West’s best food & drink gems.”

Southport Market’s opening hours are

  • Wed 10-10
  • Thursday 10-10
  • Friday 10-11
  • Sat 10-11
  • Sunday 10-8

It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

For more information visit www.southportmarket.com

Southport Town Deal

In May, it was announced that Southport would receive £37.5 million of Town Deal funding from the Government.

The key themes of the town’s Investment Plan are

  • Marine Lake Events Centre – transforming the existing Theatre and Convention Centre into a high quality, distinctive entertainment and business events venue.
  • The Light Fantastic – UK’s first light, water and sound show created in the Marine Lake.
  • Enterprise Arcade – refurbished Crown Buildings space for new business incubation and the town’s emerging creative, digital and tech sector.
  • Les Transformations de Southport – turning the streets that inspired Paris’s famous boulevards into high-quality public spaces, connected with an accessible and well-connected transport network
  • Building Better Customer Experience – to pull all these developments together and extend an even further welcome.

Find out more about the Southport Town Deal.

Southport Market work now underway

19 February 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Southport, Southport Town Deal

Southport Market is a step closer to being transformed into a leading food, drinks and events space, with work now underway. The market is scheduled to reopen in Spring 2021.

The £1.4m scheme, which is a key enabler and an early part of Sefton Council’s Covid-19 recovery plan for Southport, will see 10 new food units and a feature bar installed.  This will be supported by a flexible events space able to host high-quality markets along with other events.

External funding from The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Southport Town Deal acceleration fund has been secured making the scheme possible.

Once complete it is hoped the revitalised market will act as an enabler for Southport, and forms early plans of an ambitious regeneration programme for the town following the Town Deal Board bid for £50 million from the Government’s Town Deal. 

Medlock have been appointed to undertake the works, on behalf of Sefton Council, which are scheduled to take 12 weeks to complete, and have committed to a number of social value measures such as using local supply chains and sub-contractors. A number of extra measures will be put in place to ensure the site is Covid safe and meets all of the requirements with regards to construction sites.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “We know just how much of an important asset Southport Market is to the town, which is why this project is such a cornerstone of the Southport Town Deal. 

“But we’ve also managed to secure additional external funding to completely transform the building, which shows real commitment from Sefton Council.

“I’m thrilled that a number of new food and drink traders have already signed up to be a part of the new Southport Market, demonstrating a real confidence in the scheme. This will see a number of new local businesses established, creating substantial new job opportunities in the hospitality industry which, as we know, has been hit so hard over the last 12 months.

“The new flexible events space will also create many opportunities for individuals or local businesses to trade again demonstrating that Sefton is not only business friendly but open for business.”

The project will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Southport and surrounding area and will provide a vital boost to the local economy and continued regeneration of Southport’s market quarter and King Street.  The market will also include units for fresh produce stalls, creating a true market feel to the building.

Chris Addy, Project Director Medlock FRB Ltd said: “We are excited to be working alongside Warrington architecture and interior design specialist @DV8 to transform the historic Southport Market for Sefton Council.  We will be delivering a full remodelling and fit-out.

“We’ll be refurbishing the existing market to create a new food hall and plenty of extra space, rejuvenating this beautiful social hub. While there’s a range of exciting new features to add, we’ll be retaining some existing features.

“We’re excited to be working on such a huge project for Sefton Council and eager to get the market up and running for a great start to the summer.”

Enabling works already completed mean Blackhurst Butchers, who have been trading in the market for over 20 years, will move to a brand new, self-contained unit at the front of the market, and will continue to trade throughout the works.

 

Les Transformations de Southport

20 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Business and Economy, Front Page, Latest News, Southport Town Deal

Plans have been revealed that are set to support Southport’s return to the grandeur of Victorian England, when it was the country’s second most popular tourist destination.

The project, dubbed “Les Transformations de Southport”, looks at interconnectivity across the whole town centre, from improved pedestrian and cycling routes in the town centre and waterfront, to the creation of new public spaces for hosting events.

What the proposed events space for Southport Town Deal will loo like outside Southport Town Hall

A key proposal of the Southport Town Deal submission included a bid for funding to facilitate the early phases of this project, which could deliver around 30,000sqm of new, accessible, well-connected high-quality public spaces, providing priority for walking and cycling in support of clean growth. The first phase would include a new civic events space on Lord Street, and public realm enhancements in areas adjacent to the key strategic projects identified within the Town Deal bid.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, explained: “While living in exile in Southport in 1838, Prince Louis Napoleon, later Emperor Napoleon III, was so inspired by the grandeur of Lord Street that he ordered Baron Haussmann to model the reconstruction of Paris on it. Les Transformations de Paris made the French capital the “Southport of the South”. Les Transformations de Southport will ensure we again fulfil the potential of our public realm spaces, on Lord Street and beyond.

“When we carried out our extensive consultation on the Southport Town Deal bid, the connection between Lord Street and the Promenade, the need for maintenance of existing infrastructure to create safe spaces accessible for all emerged strongly as priorities.”

The illumination of Lord Street, lighting within the landscape of the iconic town centre

Boulevard, will be a key feature of this exciting project, which aims to address connectivity and congestion issues between the seafront area, the town centre and the railway station, including elements of improved signage and wayfinding around the town.

The recently launched Southport Townscape Project (a partnership between the Council, Southport BID and the Heritage Lottery) recognises the links between Lord Street and the Promenade as an area of priority investment.

The hope is that this project will deliver significant improvements on key routes, providing an improved visitor experience on arrival and in the town centre, resulting in increased focus and footfall for the town centre.

Cllr Atkinson continued: “The town centre is dominated by north-south movements, particularly by vehicles, resulting in relatively poor (east-west) connectivity between the seafront area and the town centre and there are many competing demands for highway space which can be difficult to accommodate. The post Covid-19 decline in public transport use may also create additional pressure on the highway network to accommodate private vehicles.

“If we can address these issues, provide infrastructure which allows for more walking and cycling in the town centre, along with the associated health and well-being outcomes, it will provide an entirely different proposition for visitors, strengthening Southport’s vibrancy, attractiveness and accessibility, and enhancing visitor numbers.”

All eyes on the enterprise in Southport

18 November 2020
Martin Driver
No comments
Categories: Business and Economy, Front Page, Latest News, Southport, Southport Town Deal

Southport is set to have its first purpose-built incubator spaces for start-up businesses.

Forming part of Southport’s Town Deal Bid, Crown Buildings, located within one of Southport’s famous grand shopping arcades, Cambridge Walks, is proposed to undergo extensive refurbishment.

Repurposing an historic, empty property to create a new business incubator space to support Southport’s emerging creative, digital and tech sector, the working title for the space is the ‘Enterprise Arcade’.

The Town Deal bid proposes to acquire and repurpose one of the town’s former department stores. The ‘Enterprise Store’ has been designed as move-on space from the Enterprise Arcade, supporting further growth and diversification of Southport’s economy, and bringing new footfall to a declining area of Southport’s town centre.

The near 3,000m2 flexible workspace, allowing for event and networking space to encourage cross collaboration, innovation and business growth, can house around 54 Creative, Digital and Tech focused SMEs in co-working and private office spaces.

Artist impression of what te outside of the arcade may look like

These two distinct and exciting projects will support the development of a focused Creative and Digital District in the town to play host to a vibrant cluster and community of businesses and like-minded individuals.

The redeveloped Southport Market, near to the Enterprise Arcade, will in turn benefit from custom generated by the new business hubs, playing host to informal meet ups and socials which are known to be vital to the success of these collaborative business spaces.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “I’m delighted that, as part of the Southport Town Deal Bid, we will be able to repurpose and fill key empty properties in the Town Centre attracting more people to work in the town, supporting the retail and hospitality sector and providing more reasons for young people to stay and work in Southport.

“The Enterprise Arcade and Enterprise Store will offer a space for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, creating a community for our existing and future talent.

“The designs won’t be like any other traditional workplace setting and will capture Southport’s distinctive entrepreneurial character.

“Together with the redevelopment of Southport Market, all three projects will work in tandem bringing new uses to underused and vacant buildings while generating substantial footfall to the area.

“Our bid has now been submitted and we have done everything in our power to make Southport an attractive proposition for the Government to invest in. Without Government support these fantastic schemes won’t go ahead. We eagerly await their response.”

Inside of a similar office space that the enterprise hub could look like

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