Southport [Archive] - SkyscraperCity

scouserdave

April 28th, 2005, 05:33 PM

Hover from Southport to Blackpool in 15 minutes

Apr 28 2005
By Graham Davies Daily Post Staff

Pete Walton with the hovercraft
http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icliverpool/apr2005/5/7/000984D0-979E-1270-A3E380BFB6FA0000.jpg

A HOVERCRAFT service which will transport people between Southport and Blackpool in less than 15 minutes is to be launched next month.

Councillors in the Lancashire resort have approved plans for the service which will see people paying £10 for a round trip.

It is hoped the hovercraft will have major tourism benefits for both resorts and increase numbers at events such as the Southport Flower Show.

Conservative councillor Tony Brough, Sefton's spokesman for tourism, said last night: "If it is viable, it will be a very welcome attraction to the town.

"Southport's programme of events is quite extensive and is expanding. This would provide a direct link with a significant airport, and therefore it enhances the offer we can make on our events.

"It also provides an opportunity for people from Blackpool to make a trip to Southport and vice versa. We have many visitors to Southport who, as part of a touring holiday, wish to visit Blackpool for a day as well. The hovercraft would allow them to do that conveniently.

"It takes what is now a less than direct route and turns it into a direct one into Southport." Pete Walton, of Walton's Coaches in Freckleton, submitted the plans to Blackpool council, and hopes passengers will be boarding the craft by May.

He said: "We want to get it up and running as quickly as possible and we're already getting lots of support for the scheme.

"I've had people getting in touch with me who are flying visitors into Blackpool for the Southport Flower Show in August and they want to be able to transfer them over to Southport using our hovercraft." Mr Walton added that he would eventually like to link Southport with Lytham St Annes.

Judy Haselhurst, marketing manager for the Southport Flower Show, which this year is being run in association with the Daily Post, said she hoped to make special offers to people travelling to the event by hovercraft.

She added: "With flights coming into Blackpool now, we could see people coming to the flower show from any part of the country.

"At the moment, a journey from Blackpool to Southport takes quite a long time, especially in the summer traffic. Something like this would mean people could get here cheaply and quickly."

On Monday, Blackpool council's development control committee, approved the use of land for the hovercraft, which planners say would be a "sustainable means of transport".

grahamdavies@dailypost.co.uk

Trip will lop 30 minutes off journey time

* THE 16-seat craft would carry 12 passengers.

* IT will make a one-way journey in less than 15 minutes, travelling at around 38mph.

* A JOURNEY from Blackpool to Southport by road would normally take around 45 minutes.

* THE last hovercraft service between the two resorts was in place in the early 1990s.

Paul D

April 28th, 2005, 05:35 PM

Merseyside to Blackpool in less than 15 minutes. :)

Accura4Matalan

April 28th, 2005, 06:59 PM

I wonder where the service will operate from at Blackpool. From the article it sounds like it would be operating somewhere at Starr Gate, next to the airport. Its quite a distance from the centre of Blackpool but there is a direct tram link to the centre (and soon to Lytham) and a rail link from Squires Gate station.

scouserdave

April 28th, 2005, 07:29 PM

Comments from another group (Irish Sea Shipping)
-----------------------------------
"First come first served - this service isn't going to last, people need some
kind of reservations system and guaranteed way of getting them home if the
weather cuts up rough.

Incidentally many, Many years ago there was a plan to bridge the Ribble
Estuary with a giant transporter bridge. An artists impression once appeared
in a book on the history of transporter bridges. Would have been like the
one at Runcorn, but much, much bigger.

To be honest, given the fact that the Ribble only now sees pleasure craft
since the closure of the Port of Preston I wonder why a conventional
causwayed road from Southport to Lytham with lifting span has never been
considered. Could be financed by tolls. Would be much more useful.

John"

Accura4Matalan

April 28th, 2005, 07:39 PM

LCC will never approve a Ribble Estaury bridge lol. They want as many people to go the long way round through Lancashire as they can get! Its not because they are pro-Preston (in fact LCC are anti-Preston and pro-Lancaster, fuckers), they just hate the fact that Blackpool isnt under their admin anymore, so they will do as much as they can to piss them off.

Blabbernsmoke

April 30th, 2005, 12:06 PM

30 storey apartment development proposed for Southport.

Kingsway flats plan 'no chance' Apr 29 2005

By Vicky Anderson, Southport Visiter

A CONSORTIUM of local businessmen want to make a dramatic addition to Southport's skyline by building a 30 storey tower of luxury flats off the Promenade.

But the plans, for the site of the old Kingsway nightclub, have been dismissed as "outrageous and ridiculous" and "have no chance at all of being successful."

Councillor David Tattersall said "I nearly choked on my cornflakes" when he heard of the plans.

The consortium of business people from Southport are set to apply for planning permission to build the £35 million development, which would rival Liverpool's Beetham Tower, incorporating 140 luxury apartments and possibly a hotel on the lower floors.

Costing upwards of £225,000 each, the apartments would be aimed at young professionals.

The news follows plans to build a seven-storey block of luxury flats on the site of Club Code, nearby.

Beetham Tower architect Ian Simpson would be commissioned to design the proposed tower - if approved work would begin in 12 months and could be complete by 2009.

Terry Riley of Ascot Property Group is at the helm of the project and says that it would be "an iconic building."

"It would be similar, but not identical to the Beetham Tower.

"Southport definitely needs this type of building to re-establish itself as an up and coming resort.

"This will be a major luxury development and will be head and shoulders above everything else around the seafront," he said.

That, Cllr Tattersall warns, could be exactly the problem.

"The last thing we need is a tall tower," he said.

"The whole Promenade is a conservation area for a start."

He adds that the development has little chance of impressing Sefton Council ' s planning department.

He said: "Please, public, don't feel the whole world's gone mad! This is just one idea, and lots of ideas come forward that are automatically kicked into touch by the planning committee - this will be one of them."

Town centre councillor Sir Ron Watson said: "I haven't seen the plans yet so am unable to say whether it would be a good or a bad thing.

"It would be a very dominant building. The Beetham Tower is a spectacular piece of architecture in my view, but it is overlooked by a waterfront and the surrounding buildings are of similar sizes."

The old Kingsway site, Bliss in its later years, has laid dormant since January 2004. The Beatles played their first ever date with Ringo Starr at the venue in 1962. Plans to turn it into a luxury casino after its closure never materialised.

Accura4Matalan

April 30th, 2005, 07:23 PM

Stop spamming blabberfish. There is absolutely no way that a 30-storey tower would get proposed for Southport...

Blabbernsmoke

April 30th, 2005, 10:57 PM

Oi! Accy! It was in the bloody Echo I'll have you know!

Accura4Matalan

April 30th, 2005, 11:07 PM

Then how come it says its in the Visitor in your fake article? ;)

Liverdude

April 30th, 2005, 11:31 PM

HERE (http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/icsouthport/news/tm_objectid=15460330%26method=full%26siteid=60252%26headline=kingsway%2dflats%2dplan%2d%2dno%2dchance%2d-name_page.html) you go.

Blabbernsmoke

April 30th, 2005, 11:34 PM

Then how come it says its in the Visitor in your fake article? ;)

Aaaaahh!!! Now I understand, young in-bred one! I must have selected an article from the Southport section of the Echo. You see, I didn't know the Southport bit was called the Visitor.

Martin S

May 1st, 2005, 12:10 PM

I remember reading in the Daily Post about that a week or two ago. I was always surprised that it didn't get a mention on this thread, not even by 'Mr Southport' MV BunnyBadger.

I think the article is confusing the Liverpool and Manchester Beetham Towers. According to the Daily Post, the Southport tower would be very similar to the Liverpool tower but not designed by Ian Simpson, the architect of No.1 Deansgate.

Paul D

August 26th, 2005, 03:33 PM

It's somewhere to take the kids so I shall look forward to this one,it'll be bigger than Rhyl sun centre and will be on site in the next couple of weeks. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Merseyside's first waterpark. (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=15898389%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=%2dpound%2d8%2d5m%2dseafront%2dwater%2dpark%2dplans%2dgiven%2dthe%2dgreen%2dlight-name_page.html)

Accura4Matalan

August 26th, 2005, 06:07 PM

Great news. It wont be long before Southport will be rivalling places like Brighton and Blackpool.

Paul D

August 26th, 2005, 06:14 PM

There's only me and you interested in Southport Accura:) I agree Southport is definitely on the up and will become a destination in its own right in years to come,I can't wait. :cheers:

Scarecrow

August 26th, 2005, 06:56 PM

Dunes Leisure centre is alright now. Bit expensive mind, but at least they've figured out how to heat the pool water now. :)

Gareth

August 26th, 2005, 07:46 PM

How much is expensive?

Scarecrow

August 26th, 2005, 07:56 PM

£40 per hour to hire out the sports hall for footy.

Accura4Matalan

August 26th, 2005, 08:41 PM

£40 per hour to hire out the sports hall for footy.
Thats reasonable. At Penwortham Leisure Centre its £30 per hour (bearing in mind that Penwortham is only a suburb, not a tourist destination) for the sports hall and £10 for the Gym, which is 1/3 of the size of the sports hall.

Scarecrow

August 26th, 2005, 09:13 PM

Netherton Activity Centre is £20p/h, similar to Fernhill Rd and around £8 cheaper than the indoor astro turf pitches at Bootle Stadium.

At the moment Accy, Dunes certainly aint a tourist destination. :cheers:

Accura4Matalan

August 26th, 2005, 09:21 PM

I know the leisure centre isnt, but the area is!

Paul D

October 10th, 2005, 11:20 AM

Southports (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16229940%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=resort%2ds%2d%2dpound%2d8%2d5m%2daqua%2dpark%2dis%2dset%2dto%2dmake%2da%2dbig%2dsplash-name_page.html) water park goes on site today. :)

Chris B

October 10th, 2005, 12:19 PM

It's been many years since I last went to Southport baths - long before the Dunes re-fit. Even then it was a clean, pleasant, and attractive place to have a swim. Hopefully this new development will make it even better.

I think it was a good choice to expand here rather than at Ocean Plaza. I know many don't like Ocean Plaza (I think it's inoffensive enough, and is a lot better than what was there before i.e not much), but I think in order for a town to grow, regeneration and investment needs to be spread out, not just focused in one place. A good choice.

Accura4Matalan

October 10th, 2005, 11:17 PM

That water park looks pretty cool :)

pjmulholland

October 11th, 2005, 07:55 PM

I did used to wonder what would have happened to the old municipal pool if the original proposals for the waterworld on the leisure park had gone ahead. The common sense solution seems to have been arrived at now though.

Pietari

October 11th, 2005, 08:26 PM

Great news. It wont be long before Southport will be rivalling places like Brighton and Blackpool.
:nuts: :clown: :nuts: :clown: :nuts: :lol:

LiverOdysea

October 12th, 2005, 09:46 PM

Please Please Please
Somone Kill Sefton
give,
Southport to Lancshire
Bootle to Liverpool
Maghull & Aintree as independant Councils together

From
LiverOdysea
RASH Residents Against Speed Humps

Pietari

October 12th, 2005, 09:58 PM

Great news. It wont be long before Southport will be rivalling places like Brighton and Blackpool.

Sorry Accy, I was a little hash.

Southport has resisted being a small Blackpool for decades and as for being like Brighton not even remotely similar overall and besides Brighton is generally scruffy and full of grafitti and from that point of view Southport is ahead.

Smaller but nicer.

On the downside Southport really needs to decide if it wants to be a `resort` as it`s tried for too many decades just to be a retirement home - not unlike New Brighton.

The `Merseyrail Northern Line` is essentially open for the `workers` travelling to `Bootle` and `Liverpool.`

New Brighton very nearly lost the `Wirral Line` connection because it wasn`t being used from were they are.

Southport needs to learn from New Brightons demise.

Suburb, retirement home, resort the choice is for each area to make.

A friend has recently started some work in `Margate` and it`s basicaly closed as a resort and as a town - not impressed at all.

Brighton is basically scruffy and needs a paint job plus a kick in the behind - relies far too heavily on being `London by the sea.`

Southport needs more `customers` but will never be kiss me quick ..... IMO.

Blackpool needs better beaches and some solid town centre developments.

And New Brighton needs more commuters and a ferry service plus some forward thinking planning as to what it thinks it is.

LiverOdysea

October 12th, 2005, 10:08 PM

I do think the Death of Sefton or Southport Leaving Sefton would be good for Southport and the people there,
Sefton has just tried to pave over some street, but ran over budget.

But preston town centre (meant in no way to upset the residents of preston) also needs this so maybe going to Lancashire isnt that good

plus Thousand of NEARLY DEAD PEOPLE who get the train will lose there Bus pass, arr.

Gareth

October 12th, 2005, 10:12 PM

LiverOdysea

October 12th, 2005, 10:21 PM

good idea!!
Much appraised

LiverOdysea

October 12th, 2005, 10:28 PM

Formby & Crosby should be both in it as they are UP THEMSELVES

Scarecrow

October 13th, 2005, 08:30 AM

Sefton has just tried to pave over some street, but ran over budget.
Not true at all. Sefton Council was granted money from the NWDA for the pedestrianisation of Chapel Street, but the NWDA ran over budget, leaving Sefton to foot the entire bill. It'll take another year or two for Sefton to fund it themselves.

Accura4Matalan

October 13th, 2005, 07:24 PM

Southport (and possibly Formby) should merge with West Lancashire and become a Unitary Authority away from Lancs County Council. It should continue to affiliate with Merseyside in things such as Merseytravel, Merseyside Police etc.
I dont think that West Lancashire could meet the appropriate requirements to become a unitary authority. The only places where there is a real population is Ormskirk and Skem. The rest is just farmland and small villages.

LiverOdysea

October 13th, 2005, 09:58 PM

thats the problem with sefton no one lives there they have to take care of empty farm land

Gareth

October 14th, 2005, 12:08 AM

I dont think that West Lancashire could meet the appropriate requirements to become a unitary authority. The only places where there is a real population is Ormskirk and Skem. The rest is just farmland and small villages.

Read post 61 but properly this time. :)

Accura4Matalan

October 14th, 2005, 07:09 PM

Read post 61 but properly this time. :)
I read it properly the first time!
Doesnt a unitary authority have to be an urban area? Even merged with Southport, I doubt it would be enough to qualify as one.

Gareth

October 15th, 2005, 12:04 AM

Accy, Southport has a population of c100,000. Add to this West Lancashire 108,994, to make a population on c209,000. That's more than adequate. Note that Halton's population is a mere 118,429 and Knowsley has a little more, 150,236, I see no problem with the size.

Paul D

April 26th, 2006, 04:16 PM

Southport is a classic Apr 26 2006

SOUTHPORT is to relaunch itself as " England ' s classic resort" for 2008..

Tourism officials hope it will propel Southport towards the top of people's wish-lists when deciding where to go and what to see during Capital of Culture.

They have already had two years of talks with the Culture Company about Sefton's role during the celebratory year.

Head of tourism Tony Corfield said: "The way we look at it, Sefton - particularly Southport - is Liverpool's resort. "In the run-up to 2008, we are going to relaunch Southport as England ' s classic resort, and that will complement Liverpool's Capital of Culture year."

With events like the Grand National at Aintree and the 2008 Open Golf Champion-ship at Royal Birkdale, Sefton has a lot to offer Capital of Culture.

Southport remains the jewel in the crown and is now undergoing a rebirth.

Main shopping streets are getting expensive facelifts, while a new four-star hotel and conference complex is planned for the promenade.

The number of visitors is going up each year, 13 million in 2004, the most recent figure, and the council is determined not to miss out on the flood of tourists in 2008.

Its £28m-a-year cultural service has just received a clean bill of health from the government, getting two stars out of three in a recent Audit Commission inspection.

Sefton will not try to compete with Liverpool in 2008.

Mr Corfield said: "Liverpool has obviously got an awful lot going on, but we have as well. We have the Open golf at Royal Birkdale in 2008, the same weekend as the Tall Ships, as well as the Grand National."

kung_fuzi

April 26th, 2006, 05:13 PM

Sefton Bs,the Grand National is ours.

Pietari

May 2nd, 2006, 06:30 PM

Victoria returns to seafront home after £80,000 facelift Apr 28 2006

By Graham Davies Daily Post Staff

FOR most travellers, the drive from Liverpool to Southport is a reasonably short and comfortable one.

But if you were 102 years old and tethered to a truck, you would want it to be over as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, Southport's Queen Victoria statue made it home to her seafront pedestal safely yesterday following an £80,000 facelift.

The bronze landmark, which was cleaned with lasers at Liverpool's Conservation Centre, is now the centrepiece of a £1.5m development in the resort's centre.
Still standing on Nevill Street near the Promenade, a few yards from her original location, she forms part of a new civic area.

It is designed to link her in a straight line to the town's war memorial obelisk on Lord Street.

Set among trees, Yorkstone paving and lighting, she will greet visitors as they make their way from the town's Parisian-style boulevard to the seafront.

1 2 3 Next

http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/icsouthport/news/tm_objectid=17005127%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=victoria%2dreturns%2dto%2dseafront%2dhome%2dafter%2d%2dpound%2d80%2d000%2dfacelift-name_page.html

Pietari

July 4th, 2006, 03:04 AM

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/business/news/tm_objectid=17324893%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=jobs%2dfor%2dlocals%2dpledge%2din%2d%2dpound%2d14%2d5m%2dfloral%2dhall%2dproject-name_page.html

Jobs for locals pledge in £14.5m Floral Hall project Jul 3 2006

By Sophie Freeman Daily Post Staff

NEPTUNE Developments has vowed to use only local labour when it begins the £14.5m transformation of Southport's Floral Hall.

The Liverpool-based property group said it is seeking commitment from the appointed contractor that it will sign up to, and actively participate in, Buildsefton - a new Sefton-wide construction initiative.

Buildsefton has been set up to help construction-related businesses and individuals take advantage of the predicted £3-£8bn Merseyside building boom over the next few years

The plans for the development, on the current site of the Floral Hall Gardens, include a 133-bed four-star hotel, a casino, restaurants and bars together with an additional 10,000 sq ft conference and exhibition space for the neighbouring Floral Hall conference venue.

Stephen Osuhor, senior development manager for Neptune, said: "Neptune recognises the importance that physical projects have in driving forward the wider regeneration agenda in terms of training and employment opportunities for local people and is fully committed to working closely with public sector partners to ensure that the wider regeneration benefits are captured and maximised for the local area.

"We would require the contractor on the promenade scheme in Southport to work with Buildsefton which has been set up to assist in local resourcing of goods, services, employment and training."

Neptune expects to appoint a main contractor shortly after advertising for tendersn.

A key objective of Buildsefton is to raise awareness amongst developers and contractors of the local resources and skills available and pre-empt them sourcing their requirements outside the area.

It is also spearheading a range of schemes to equip local residents with the skills to gain building-related employment to satisfy the current demands of the sector.

Charlie Green, Buildsefton manager, said: "Many lead developers are sourcing suppliers and skills from outside the area unaware of local employment and procurement opportunities. Working with Buildsefton the construction industry can help make a long lasting economic impact on the area."

Buildsefton also aims to help construction companies secure their share of the works planned over the next few years and has launched a web-based scheme enabling registered businesses to win a higher proportion of construction contracts

sophiefreeman@dailypost.co.uk

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Now if only `The Wirral` would get its act together and not miss a golden opportunity.....

I remember going to an archdiosan meeting at `Upholland` many years ago and we had a work shop on `Credit Unions` and debt issues.

We presented our findings and deliberations and a member from `Formby` said "Why would we need to use a `credit union` - what use would it be to us?" and totally missed the point. :scouserd:

Gari

July 4th, 2006, 06:49 PM

Pietari

July 5th, 2006, 02:42 AM

Flyglobespan is to fly LPL to New York Newark Intl from May 2007

To date Globespan/Air Transat only flew Europe to Canada and the full story has been posted today at AirNews

http://www.freewebs.com/airnews

Good boost for Scouseland for the important year coming up but also a good boost for Southport and surrounds as the USA has a lot of avid golfers

I planted this into today's information release at AirNews

Gari

Well done Gari and welcome......

Yes it`s generally good news for the whole area - whoever they seem to concieve themselves to be ..... :)

Pietari

July 5th, 2006, 02:51 AM

Flyglobespan is to fly LPL to New York Newark Intl from May 2007

To date Globespan/Air Transat only flew Europe to Canada and the full story has been posted today at AirNews

http://www.freewebs.com/airnews

Good boost for Scouseland for the important year coming up but also a good boost for Southport and surrounds as the USA has a lot of avid golfers

I planted this into today's information release at AirNews

Gari

Just imagine Gari,

Getting on the `Merseyrail` train from Southport direct to Liverpool South Parkway and after a short taxi or bus journey arriving at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and then flying off to New York.

And of course New Yorkers and Americans can do the same in reverse.

That should generally blow a few cob webs away don`t you think.

Easy peasy ..... :)

Liverpool8

July 5th, 2006, 08:45 PM

Whatever happened to the plan to have scheduled hovercraft services from Blackpool to Southport? Vaguely remember reading something about this in the Echo last year?

Pietari

July 8th, 2006, 01:08 AM

Whatever happened to the plan to have scheduled hovercraft services from Blackpool to Southport? Vaguely remember reading something about this in the Echo last year?

Hovercrafts used to be able to make it across the `English Channel` but seem stumped on the `Mersey` and across from `Southport to Blackpool` - obviously they are not using large enough `Hovercraft`?

The `Liverpool to New Brighton` idea didn`t get far except a few trial runs.

We need some `fast ferries` or a proper dedicated `Hovercraft service` worthy of the name for some coastal runs between North Wales and Blackpool (including Liverpool obviously......)(and New Brighton and South Port and Liverpool John Lennon Airiport.......)(there has to be a viable and profitable means available.)

Accura4Matalan

July 8th, 2006, 03:44 PM

It would be very difficult to get a boat to dock at Southport, especially a large one. The 'beach' just goes out too far. I've only seen the tide in once at Southport. Even further down the coast, the beaches still go out very far.

LiverOdysea

July 8th, 2006, 03:48 PM

Accura4Matalan

July 8th, 2006, 03:50 PM

LiverOdysea

July 8th, 2006, 03:53 PM

Okay just for you the super fery service can stop at Preston Docks along side the wonderful carpet world building.

Accura4Matalan

July 8th, 2006, 03:55 PM

The soon-to-be-demolished Carpet World building ;) I prefer the Tustin Court building myself... or Royal Locks? The old crane perhaps?

Accura4Matalan

July 8th, 2006, 03:56 PM

BTW, whats with the sig?

Liverpool8

July 8th, 2006, 03:58 PM

Create a Mersey Ferry network that rivals New yorks. Bring back a Stop at New Brighton, stop at Llanduno more often, more Manchester Cruises, Cruises up the Dee and Cruises to Blackpool, The Ferry Service should lead the way!

There are a few cruises to Llandudno, Menai Bridge from the Pier Head this year and it should be possible to get a boat into Mostyn Harbour on the Dee. I know Blackpool has a pier but is the sea at the end of it deep enough for a ship to berth? I have been on the odd Liverpool Bay cruise with Mersey Ferries and it was OK except for some wildlife expert who never stopped talking over a loudhailer. I think, in answer to Pie's post, there were complaints about nesting birds being disturbed, or something to that effect. I'm told that there used to be a hovercraft service from Moreton to Rhyl. It would be great if we could make use of the wider Bay area for day-trips by ferries/ships from the Pier Head.

LiverOdysea

July 8th, 2006, 04:09 PM

BTW, whats with the sig?

Why its a quote from the poem ozymandias, a poem about death and that evrything we do is useless.
and the other part is out of my modern day version of romeo and juliet, for my english coursework.

LiverOdysea

July 8th, 2006, 04:10 PM

I know Blackpool has a pier but is the sea at the end of it deep enough for a ship to berth? .

I Think it is deep enough, I'm unsure though.

Accura4Matalan

July 8th, 2006, 04:27 PM

It is deep enough. Ferries used to dock there.

Pietari

July 17th, 2006, 09:55 PM

http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/icsouthport/news/tm_objectid=17398692%26method=full%26siteid=60252%26headline=our%2drebirth%2dunder%2dthreat%2d%2dadmit%2dsouthport%2dleaders%2d-name_page.html

Our rebirth under threat, admit Southport leaders Jul 15 2006

By Robert Merrick And Graham Davies, Daily Post

SOUTHPORT'S rebirth is threatened by run-down hotels, poorly-trained staff and a lack of cultural attractions, the town has admitted.

In refreshingly honest evidence to a Commons committee, the Southport Partnership has owned up to weaknesses undermining the £80m regeneration of the resort.

The Partnership - made up of councillors, business leaders and voluntary groups - told the MPs that Southport's "long, slow, shabby and genteel decline" had been turned around.

The strategy was to create a "Classic Resort", modelled not on other British coastal towns, but on the best in Europe - Deauville and Le Touquet, in France, and Baden Baden, in Germany.

But a large number of smaller hotels were of too poor quality for modern tourists and would have to be turned into flats, the Partnership warned.

It attacked the "negative attitude" of many hoteliers towards improving staff skills and warned visitors in search of the best culture had to head to Preston, Manchester or Liverpool.

A further problem was that more than 400 recently-created jobs had been snapped up by migrant workers, leaving jobless locals out in the cold.

The evidence said: "Hotel stock and services are generally poor and reflect the decades of under-investment. Customers now expect better standards."

It added: "There is a failure of substantial parts of the leisure and retail industries to engage in the long term process of training and improvement of staff skills."

But hoteliers last night branded the claims as "unfounded", saying small hotels had created significant investment for the resort's regeneration.

Adam Urbanowski, chairman of Southport hoteliers' Association, said he was "shocked and surprised" by the claims.

He told the Daily Post: "This is the first time I've ever heard anything like this.

"I certainly wasn't aware of any shabby, run-down hotels in Southport. How can there be when we are in fact virtually 90% rooted under a national quality assurance scheme.

"I am very puzzled by where the statements have come from and I would invite the person who has made them to quantify them with some statistics, rather than using a sweeping generalisation.

"What they are saying is contrary to what is happening. " Noting that St Ives, in Cornwall, boasts a Tate gallery, the Partnership's evidence admitted: "Southport's art gallery, theatre and library are all in desperate need of remodelling, refurbishing and development."

The town boasted the largest man-made marine lake in Britain, but it was in "dire need of improvement" because it was "silted and unkempt in many places".

On the plus side, a new sea wall had brought investment to the seafront, the pier had been renovated, a new bridge built and the town's potential to host conferences improved.

But the Partnership also attacked the North West Development Agency for failing to make a long-term commitment to Southport.

graham.davies@liverpool.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Let`s be careful that were `New Brighton` went yesterday `Southport` doing continue down the same route.

`New Brighton` is currently squandering its chance to bounce back as is the Wirral in general - it would be a great pity if Sefton didn`t learn from others mistakes.

Pietari

July 17th, 2006, 10:07 PM

The attraction of the fairground Jun 13 2006

IT is Britain's most popular paid-admission attraction outside London. David Charters samples the charms of Pleasureland, in the genteel resort of Southport

etc.....

Indeed, I was riding a painted horse for the first time in 50 years, a half century that has seeped slowly into my memory, all the way back to New Brighton when the teddy boys leered and their girls pouted to Bill Haley and his Comets.

But this was Southport and I was there to explore Pleasureland, which has consistently been among the most popular locations in the UK; finishing top in the provinces and only behind the London Eye and the Tower of London, in a survey of paid-attractions published this year for, the national tourism agency, VisitBritain.

The 40-minute train journey from Liverpool to Southport is in itself a micro-tour of the country, passing by the tight streets and high rise flats, overlooking the docks of Bootle, into suburban Crosby, before the land opens into the fields, squirrel woods, lush lawns and golf links, which serve the well-heeled communities of Formby, Ainsdale and Birkdale, on the final stretch into the resort.

1 2 3 4 Next
http://icseftonandwestlancs.icnetwork.co.uk/expats/localhistory/tm_objectid=17221590%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=the%2dattraction%2dof%2dthe%2dfairground-name_page.html

Awayo

July 18th, 2006, 11:20 AM

I worked in Pleasureland. It was shit.

Scarecrow

July 18th, 2006, 11:32 AM

They charge entry now Aled. It's about £2 or £3 I think. Mostly to keep the scallies out. You still have to pay for the rides though. Load of bollocks that.

Pietari

July 18th, 2006, 01:46 PM

They charge entry now Aled. It's about £2 or £3 I think. Mostly to keep the scallies out. You still have to pay for the rides though. Load of bollocks that.

"Admission is £10 each, but then there is no charge for the rides. There is also a £25 deal which allows you "unlimited riding" for seven consecutive days. Bookings on 08702 200 205 or www. pleasureland.uk.com"

These are the details from the article posted ..... which I think could make for an expensive day out with two or three kids and adults but then I suppose all `Funfairs/Theme parks` are expensive these days. :bash:

Awayo

July 18th, 2006, 01:57 PM

The owners and operators of that fairground are utter shitbags.

For fear of opening myself up for libel action, I'll let you know more about that place at a future Liverpool meet up.

markonasty

July 18th, 2006, 03:19 PM

There has been a lot of investment in Southport over the last few years; we are finally starting to see bigger developments come to the town such as the Floral Hall Gardens and new Hotels on Lord Street. In the next year there will also be substantial work on the Gardens in Lord Street. There has also been the public realm works on Nevill Street and now on Chapel Street.

What needs to happen next is for the promenade and Gardens to get substantial investment, with the likes of the Flower Show and Jazz Festival if this space is remodelled with better public realm, public Art and Space Southport could really put its self on the map.

The major problem with Southport is that the majority of the Town is owned by a few people who are not willing to do anything to their properties. If you walk between the linkage streets from the Promenade to Lord Street you will see a large number of rundown buildings. A large number of owners are not willing to improve them even though there is a 40% grant on offer through the Southport THI.

There is a lot of potential and money for Southport but there are a large number of people at the moment that are blocking the investment and holding back Southport.

Scarecrow

July 18th, 2006, 03:31 PM

Yep. Scarisbrick Avenue springs to mind. I'm also a bit pissed off with that new block going up in the Prom. Very 70's. The new public toilet blocks aren't really fitting in with the whole clssic resort theme either. You'd expect to find the Smash Martians living in them.

Louis1986

July 18th, 2006, 04:10 PM

i thought the pleasure beach in blackpool was the most popular paid attraction in britain

Scarecrow

July 18th, 2006, 06:32 PM

You don't have to pay to get in do you? I thought it was free entry, rip-off everything else?

Louis1986

July 18th, 2006, 08:20 PM

oh rite yeah ok

Pietari

July 18th, 2006, 09:05 PM

You don't have to pay to get in do you? I thought it was free entry, rip-off everything else?

Give the man a coconut you are correct.

Pietari

July 26th, 2006, 01:09 AM

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17442250%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=southport%2dlosing%2drace%2dfor%2dcasino-name_page.html

Southport losing race for casino Jul 25 2006

By Rob Merrick, Daily Post

SOUTHPORT is falling behind in the race to win a licence for a new casino boasting up to 80 slot machines, it was revealed last night.

The town's bid to open a so-called "small" casino, offering maximum jackpots of £4,000, was ranked only the 22nd most impressive application on last month's shortlist.

With just eight licences available in the small category, it means Southport faces an uphill fight to be successful when a final decision is made in December.

However, a spokeswoman for the independent Casino Advisory Panel insisted there was still time for struggling bids to improve their ranking.

She added: "This data is not a prediction for what will happen in December.

"We will be asking the shortlisted authorities again about the strengths and weaknesses of their proposals."

Last month, the panel announced that Southport had made the shortlist for the casino licence, knocking St Helens and Chester out of the race altogether.

Now it has revealed how each application was ranked on a set of eight different criteria, each of which attracted a possible score of ten points.

Sefton scored 39 points, a long way behind the likes of East Lindsey (59), Great Yarmouth (54) and Luton (53) in the "small" category.

Of the two Merseyside and North Cheshire bids rejected last month, Chester scored 34 points and St Helens just 30.

The eight criteria were: social impact, need for regeneration, willingness to licence, probability of implementation, regional context, community benefits, unique characteristics and range of areas. The data was released to give local authorities a better idea of how they needed to improve their initial applications when it came to the second round of judging.

Sefton Borough Council is eager to attract an operator to Southport as part of £4m plans to transform the town centre, although there is no specific proposal yet drawn up.

Although "small", the casino would still dwarf the town's only current casino, on Lord Street, covering up to 750 square metres and possibly boasting a major bookmaker.

However, some experts have warned towns and cities will be "haunted" by the decision to go for a casino, claiming it will send local businesses to the wall and fail to put the jobless back to work.

The panel also revealed the Millennium Dome, in Greenwich, is the front runner for the sole licence for a Las Vegas-style "super" casino, boasting up to 1,250 slot machines and unlimited jackpots.

The Dome, at the centre of allegations about Deputy Prime Minister's John Prescott's stay at the ranch of its millionaire American owner, is ahead of Glasgow and Blackpool.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I`m a penny in the slot machine man myself ..... :)

Pietari

July 26th, 2006, 01:19 AM

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=17444314%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=crowning%2dglory%2dfor%2dtop%2dpark-name_page.html

Crowning glory for top park Jul 25 2006

Liverpool Echo

A MERSEYSIDE park has been named one of the best in the country.

Coronation Park in Crosby has been awarded a Green Flag, the national tribute for top-quality parks.

Southport's Botanic Gardens and Hesketh Park have also been given the accolade.

Lord Ronnie Fearn, Sefton council's cabinet member for leisure, said: "Our parks maintenance team and 'Friends Of ' groups work exceptionally hard to keep our parks looking good and making them clean and safe places to visit."

Sefton won flags for all three of the nominated parks.

The Botanic Gardens claimed its flag for the sixth year in a row, while Hesketh Park retained its flag for a second year.

Criteria for an award include cleanliness, maintenance, involvement by local community and conservation and heritage

Accura4Matalan

July 27th, 2006, 02:33 AM

Hesketh Park is fantastic. The streets around it compliment it well too.

Pietari

July 27th, 2006, 10:10 AM

Hesketh Park is fantastic. The streets around it compliment it well too.

You are quite correct Accy, I spent some wonderful summer days there on `outings` as a kiddie wink. :)

I can`t remember does it still have Peacocks?

Awayo

July 27th, 2006, 10:59 AM

My earliest memory is of Hesketh Park - falling off a slide there and being driven home along the coast road by my dad in our Mk 1 Ford Capri.

Pietari

July 27th, 2006, 11:51 AM

My earliest memory is of Hesketh Park - falling off a slide there and being driven home along the coast road by my dad in our Mk 1 Ford Capri.

Tsk, drunk again :cheers:

Pietari

March 21st, 2007, 07:01 PM

Builders appointed for £20m scheme Mar 21 2007

by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

NEPTUNE Developments has appointed Allenbuild as the contractor for the initial phase of a £20m scheme to transform the seafront area of Southport.

The development of the Floral Hall Gardens site will include a four-star hotel and casino, extended conference facilities for the nearby Floral Hall conference centre, a new public plaza, and new bars and restaurants.

Pedestrian areas along the promenade and marine lake will also be upgraded and improved as part of the works.

Preliminary work began on site earlier this year and now Allenbuild, a construction company with over 50 years experience and already working on several schemes in the Southport area, will begin the main works shortly.

Neptune managing director Steve Parry said: “The scheme in Southport is a very exciting one which we believe will have a dramatic and extremely positive impact on the area.

“The facilities we will be offering are all of a high quality, and will help to create jobs and opportunities for the people of Southport.

“Allenbuild has an excellent reputation and we are looking forward to working with them to deliver our redevelopment of Southport's waterfront.”

Up to 500 jobs could be created by the development, which is a major element of Sefton Council’s initiative to establish Southport as a “classic resort” and will help to cement its position as a leading North West tourist destination.

Jeff Sawyer, managing director at Allenbuild Northwest, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this landmark project for Neptune Developments who, together with ourselves, are working closely with Sefton Council to make this project a success.

“Redevelopment in the Southport area is very buoyant and we hope that, through this project and others with which we are involved, we can continue to positively contribute in bringing further prosperity to Southport and the borough of Sefton.”

tonymcdonough@dailypost.co.uk

markonasty

March 21st, 2007, 07:30 PM

They started work on the Floral Hall Gardens site a few weeks ago, it will be a great addition to Southport but sadly I do not agree with some of the design and it is far to high (I am all in favour of high build and get very frustrated with EH in Liverpool) but in this context the proposed development is to high and is going to cut off the Promenade from the pier.

There are exciting developments going on in Southport and I am very lucky that my job allows me to see this first hand.

The Vicent hotel on Lord street is now on site:

http://www.falconerchester.co.uk/Resources/Images/a00bdc65-e7ed-4b0f-87d7-ee93252a3083.jpg

http://www.falconerchester.co.uk/Resources/Images/3ad5fcb7-984d-4525-8857-37f173528a56.jpg

Also the Post Officer development is well underway. Also Scarisbrick Avenue and the adjacent car park site will come on site soon and this will be a 10 million plus scheme involving new apartments and retail.

I will try and get some photos of the new developments next week.

Awayo

March 21st, 2007, 07:36 PM

Grand old building, the Southport GPO. What are they doing to it?

markonasty

March 21st, 2007, 09:29 PM

Grand old building, the Southport GPO. What are they doing to it?

Hi Awayo, are you referring to the old Post Office? If you are Magull developments are building 30 apartments behind it. They are on site and not that far off completion. I will try and get some photos up next week.

http://www.maghull-group.co.uk/postinghouse.htm

woody

March 21st, 2007, 11:59 PM

Floral Hall Gardens....................

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7950/2006051220floral20hall2co6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

URL=http://imageshack.us]http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/1832/2006052420fhg20plazaxn1.jpg[/URL]

Renders off Neptune Developments web site.

Awayo

March 22nd, 2007, 12:19 AM

Hi Awayo, are you referring to the old Post Office? If you are Magull developments are building 30 apartments behind it. They are on site and not that far off completion. I will try and get some photos up next week.

http://www.maghull-group.co.uk/postinghouse.htm

Cheers markonasty.

Pietari

May 17th, 2007, 07:38 PM

New jobs plan for old Rolls site May 17 2007

by Paula Owens, Liverpool Daily Post

PLANS to create up to 2,000 jobs by regenerating the site of the former Rolls Royce factory, in Sefton, were last night approved.

A meeting of Sefton’s planning committee unanimously voted through modified plans to redevelop the site at Atlantic Park, in Dunnings Bridge Road, in Netherton.

Owners Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Ltd want to create the new jobs over five years, including roles in skilled manufacturing, professional services, management and support.

The proposal also includes plans to rebuild the current Rolls Royce office and warehouse which provides around 450 jobs.

These jobs would be retained and the 1950s-built office would be demolished and rebuilt on another part of the site.

Also included in the bid is a four or five storey landmark building to stand at the gateway to the park.

There will be pedestrian and cycle routes throughout Atlantic Park, which is 2km from the M57 motorway and near to Netherton Park Primary School, Savio High School, Bootle Golf Course and Netherton Industrial Estate.

Royal London has said it will spend a minimum of £10m creating speculative new office and industrial space at the site.

The first phase of development is already under way and construction will be split into 10 phases.

The investment followed the recent emergence of a strong edge-of-town office and industrial market in Merseyside and is designed to compete with successful schemes in south Liverpool such as Estuary Commerce Park and Boulevard Industry Park.

Last year, Martin Hanratty, of Royal London, said: “North Liverpool has an established industrial and commercial base but has lacked high quality infrastructure of the type we’re proposing. We’re confident of the demand, which is why we’ll develop the first phase speculatively.

“Our partners at Sefton Council have been instrumental in encouraging our investment and we’ll repay them with an excellent product that will help the borough compete for occupiers.”

Atlantic Park is part of the Atlantic Gateway strategic investment area which makes it eligible for cash from the European Objective 1 fund. Sefton Council played a strong role in encouraging Royal London to invest in Bootle.

paulaowens@dailypost.co.uk

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Probably not the correct thread but near enough. :)

Awayo

May 17th, 2007, 07:49 PM

Oi! Bootle projects thread for that one Pietari.

Pietari

May 18th, 2007, 06:53 PM

So sorry, I get confused! :nuts:

markonasty

June 29th, 2007, 02:48 PM

Some updates on what’s going on in Southport. Below are some pictures of current developments and completed public realm works. Also it might be worth noting that Lord Street Improvements a £3million scheme that will start on site in July.
http://www.sefton.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=6376

1. Floral Hall Site.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7950/2006051220floral20hall2co6.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0176.jpg

2. Splash World

Why didn’t they clad the existing building :bash:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0171.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0172.jpg

3. Vincent Hotel

http://www.falconerchester.co.uk/Resources/Images/a00bdc65-e7ed-4b0f-87d7-ee93252a3083.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0162.jpg

4. Club Code Site (Apartments, Sorry I have no renders for this development)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0167.jpg

5. The Posting House

http://www.liverpoolpropertyguide.com/img/Dotm/postinghouse/phouse2.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpropertyguide.com/img/Dotm/postinghouse/phouse1.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0184.jpg

6. Another residential development

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0185.jpg

7. Nevill Street public realm improvement with new shopfront in the back ground (Southport THI scheme http://www.southportthi.co.uk

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0178.jpg

8. Chapel Street

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0187.jpg

And just 1 last picture of the gardens with the new bridge in the background

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0170.jpg

There is a lot going on in Southport, if you have any questions I will try and answer as many as possible.

Awayo

June 29th, 2007, 03:07 PM

Excellent update, Marko. Cheers. It is great to have a man on the ground in Souey.

Scarecrow

June 29th, 2007, 05:40 PM

There's at least one on every corner on a Fridy night Awayo. You should know that! :lol:

Paul D

June 29th, 2007, 05:52 PM

Take the plunge at £8m water palace

A QUARTER of a million people are expected to visit Merseyside’s first water park in its opening 12 months.

The £8.5m Splash World opens tomorrow, bringing steep slides and an aqua adventure area to Southport for the first time.

Its paciest ride is even fitted with a speed gun, so thrillseekers can see how fast they are going.

Leisure chiefs opened up the waterfront facility for youngsters to try out during the week after finally turning on the taps and filling the pools.

Now the water park, attached to Dunes leisure centre and with tropical temperatures of 84 degrees Fahrenheit at all times, is ready to welcome its first official visitors.

Lord Ronnie Fearn, Sefton council’s cabinet member for leisure, said: “Splash World is set to be a major tourist attraction for Southport and the whole north west.”

It features:

A 120-metre flume which snakes its way outside the main building from a height of 14 metres.

A 90-metre “lazy river” rapids, which swimmers will descend on doughnut-shaped inflatables.

A wet children’s play area with fountains, jet sprays and tip bucket.

Call 01704-537160 or go to www.splashworldsouthport.com

ferge

July 26th, 2007, 10:38 PM

http://www.falconerchester.co.uk/Resources/Images/a00bdc65-e7ed-4b0f-87d7-ee93252a3083.jpg

This development is taking some bashing in today's 'Champion' paper in the readers comments.. Someone saying that new developments do not belong in Southport. It has really frustrated me! I've lived in Southport for a year now and I love the place, and I can't think of many other towns of its size that are deservant of new developments. There is nothing wrong with this nor the other developments, they are all in keeping with the scale of the streets and do not tarnish Lord Street! Nuff said

ferge

September 16th, 2007, 05:21 PM

An update on the Floral Hall development by the lakeside, its going to be such a prominant feature of the lake and should look stunning, I believe. At the same time it makes me even more angry that facing it is a retail park, what a waste of land surrounding one of the finest inner-urban beauty spots in the north west.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1430/5875668/16921559/278476544.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1430/5875668/16921559/278476538.jpg

and a panaroma of part of this massive lake

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1430/5875668/16921559/278476535.jpg

Scarecrow

September 16th, 2007, 05:24 PM

You can't polish a turd though, Ferge. Nice to see the seaward side of Ocean plaza rusting away too. :ohno:

Good update though. :)

ferge

September 16th, 2007, 05:30 PM

'W'

Chris B

September 16th, 2007, 09:07 PM

Nice photos. Only a little bit more than the corner section had gone up last time I was there, so it's good to see some speedy progress. I remember thinking that it had quite an impact on the area despite only being 5-6 floors in height.

With regard to the Ocean Plaza development. I don't think the bowling, cinema, and hotel were a bad idea - although having the backside of the building face the seafront was a cock-up. They add to the leisure offer of the immediate area. The retail part is badly sited, and wrong for the area. However it is extremely popular, so I can see Sefton Council looking to go down a similar route in future.

My big concern is the current site of New Pleasureland. I really hope Sefton Council agree to allow the current leasees to extend the lease beyond the end of next year. That land isn't zoned for retail, but Sefton could easily change that (it is their land). Southport needs leisure attractions, and when someone has suggested an investment of £100m in the resort, I hope they see the big picture and allow Dreamstorm (the company behind New Pleasureland) to plough on with their long term plans. Southport is starting to shape up with worthwhile developments like the Floral Hall development and the Splashword complex. It would be very sad to see the Pleasureland site in five years transformed into Ocean Plaza 2.

Chris B

September 17th, 2007, 12:58 PM

Funny I only posted about the New Pleasureland site last night, and a bit of news has come forward this morning. The current lease Dreamstorm has for the 2007/8 season covers only the Pleasureland site and the former zoo site. Sefton Council are inviting tenders for a much larger site, encompassing the go karts on the promenade, and the large field between the former zoo site, and Ocean Plaza. See here -

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/chrisbatesuk/NPLS-Aerial2.jpg
Image from Google Earth

The yellow outline is the area covered by the lease held by Dreamstorm (although the go karts on the promenade are also currently operating). The red outline is roughly the area to be offered to tender by Sefton Council. The larger area is more what Dreamstorm was looking for - a site with room to expand into in years to come. Whether Dreamstorm, or any one else tenders an offer (and I really hope Dreamstorm do) is commercially sensitive information, but suffice to say, that area of Southport will no doubt be transformed over the next five years.

Chris B

October 4th, 2007, 12:07 PM

Malmaison celebrates with plans to expand

THE Malmaison group is to extend its portfolio of properties in the region by opening further boutique hotels in both Chester and Southport.

In a bid to capitalise on the success of the Malmaison Liverpool, situated on Princes Dock, the group – which owns and operates 20 Malmaison and Hotel du Vin hotels across the UK – hopes to have secured its city centre Chester property by the end of the year and Southport soon after.

Full article - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/10/04/malmaison-celebrates-with-plans-to-expand-64375-19892237/

From the article it looks like they are returning to their previous practice of buying older buildings for their hotels.

kennyrouge

October 4th, 2007, 04:34 PM

alright mate, is that bridge floodlit at night and is it worth a 40 mile round trip to do. :)

:cheers:

kennyrouge

October 4th, 2007, 04:37 PM

You can't polish a turd though, Ferge. Nice to see the seaward side of Ocean plaza rusting away too. :ohno:

Good update though. :)

is right, you cant polish a turd but you can spray it silver:lol:

:cheers:

Scarecrow

October 5th, 2007, 05:28 AM

Aye, the bridge is floodlit, but isn't worth the trip itself. Wait until there's something you want to see at the cinema and make an evening of it. :)

kennyrouge

October 5th, 2007, 11:44 AM

cheers bunny mate,thanks for the warning:lol:

:cheers:

Paul D

October 5th, 2007, 12:13 PM

Fireworks to light up Southport sky
Oct 5 2007

FIREWORKS weighing the equivalent of five Mini cars will light up Southport’s skies this weekend as the town prepares to welcome around 60,000 visitors.

Around six tonnes of colourful pyrotechnics will be blasted into the air over three spectacular evenings as part of the British Musical Fireworks Championships.

Southport’s Kings Gardens, overlooking the Marine Lake, will be the setting for the firework festival from tonight to Sunday.

During the annual Championships, six top pyrotechnic companies from across the UK illuminate the Southport skyline with displays choreographed to a backdrop of music.

An estimated 60,000 people are expected to attend the three-night event which is being held slightly later in the year than previous championships, enabling an earlier launch time so children can enjoy the show.

Event organiser, Carolyn Lowry, of Sefton’s tourism department, said: “It’s amazing to think the weight of five Mini cars in fabulous fireworks will be blasted into the skies of Southport at the weekend.

“Six great competitors will go head-to-head at the British Musical Fireworks Championships which promises to be three evenings of great entertainment.”

Each night, two exciting musical displays from the UK’s top professional firework companies will be staged. casting magnificent reflections across the lake.

Each display lasts around 20 minutes, and an eventual winner will be announced on the final evening of the championships.

Before the competition starts, a show entitled Lake of Dreams will be performed for the crowds.

The Lake of Dreams will be presented by previous competition winners and British Fireworks “Champion of Champions” Jubilee Fireworks.

Gates open each evening at 7pm for the 7.30pm start with tickets costing £4 in advance or £5 on the gate.

Entry is free for those aged under five.

For details, including how to buy tickets, call 01704 533333 or visit www.visit southport.com.

Scarecrow

October 5th, 2007, 02:03 PM

Sounds like a good enough reason to photograph the bridge to me. :D

ferge

March 14th, 2008, 03:00 AM

Hopefully revive this thread (after finding it in the dark depths) with a photo update of whats new..

The Floral hall is coming on champ, so I'm lead to believe (I work at the Architectural firm that is doing it.. but I'm not involved :( ).. so I'd go take pics but don't want my colleagues seeing me be a nerd, lol.

Other than that, major revamp of the Lord street gardens, the new pavements are substantially done, nice paving slabs too.. reeeal smooth, and they've redone a lot of the stonework to the gardens, the Obelisk is covered in scaffold. Also the sheets are down on the new apartment block on Houghton street, and the new Hotel on Lord Street.. so when we get some nice weather, and I have some free time.. I may try and document these projects :)

Chris B

March 14th, 2008, 01:36 PM

^^

Nice to hear that the developments in Southport are progressing well. Although there is a vocal minority there who like to distance themselves from Liverpool, it remains a part of the wider city region, and plays it's role in attracting people to the region, and as such should be supported accordingly.

In the future, from what I've heard through the grapevine, the New Pleasureland site is certain to see huge investment over the next few years. The current lease-holder will be operating fun fair rides on the site again this summer. If they aren't granted a lease extension, they have to vacate the site by the end of October. Despite not being short-listed, they are still confident that local support could change Sefton Council's mind on their proposals for a Ski Dome, Aquarium, and fun fair development on the site. It's a case of wait and see of course, but Southport needs leisure facilities like these. More retail like Ocean Plaza isn't going to cut it.

Chris B

March 19th, 2008, 10:52 PM

Paul D

March 20th, 2008, 05:59 PM

A meeting will be held at 10:00am tomorrow morning to discuss Sefton Council's preferred developer for the Pleasureland site. I really hope they see sense and grant Dreamstorm an extended lease on the site. I understand them being cautious after the Pleasure Beach burned them badly, but really, someone turning up willing to invest tens of millions of pounds into the resort doesn't happen every day, and as such Sefton Council should be grabbing this with both hands.

Developer chosen for resort site

Developer Urban Splash has been chosen for the multimillion pound regeneration of Southport seafront.
The stretch of land, known as Southport Marine Park, includes the site of the now closed Pleasureland amusement park.

Sefton Council said it was impressed by Urban Splash's idea to create a quality, eco-friendly development in the historic Merseyside resort.

A consultation will take place later this year to help devise a detailed masterplan for the site.

Urban Splash has won more than 200 industry awards and is currently working on major schemes across the north west of England.

'New attraction'

Tony Corfield, Sefton Council's head of tourism, said: "We are delighted to have an opportunity to work with Urban Splash who have an international reputation for delivering the levels of design and quality we are determined to achieve.

"During their impressive submissions, Urban Splash has vowed to create a distinctive new attraction featuring a wide range of activities.

"The company is also keen to work with the local community to produce a quality, eco-friendly development which includes exemplary architecture and embraces our reputation as England's Classic Resort."

The Pleasureland fairground opened in 1913 but was forced to close in 2006 due to falling visitor numbers.

Chris B

March 20th, 2008, 06:01 PM

Although I'm disappointed that Dreamstorm won't be allowed to realise their plans for the site, I am at least heartened that a developer with a proven track record has been chosen - even if the plans are rather vague at the minute.

Chris B

March 22nd, 2008, 02:27 PM

From the Echo -

Lifeboat crews fear axe in funfair plans

Mar 22 2008 by Ben Turner, Liverpool Echo

A VOLUNTARY lifeboat team fear their headquarters could be lost as part of a multi-million pound funfair development.

The ECHO revealed yesterday how Sefton council had appointed developers to revitalise Southport’s Pleasureland.

Liverpool-based Urban Splash will now draw up a major scheme for the 25-acre site, along with neighbouring pieces of land on the town’s coastline.

Today Southport lifeboat chiefs said they fear their headquarters – next to the fairground’s Marine Drive car park entrance – could be in danger as part of the transformation.

Developers are promising a “distinctive new attraction” to replace the funfair which folded 18 months ago.

Alan Porter, secretary of Southport Offshore Rescue Trust, said: “The boathouse includes our new £130,000 boat, two quad bikes and a container with a smaller boat and if we have to relocate it would cost around £500,000 – money beyond our reach. Our worst fears are the developers completely flatten everything. We will be meeting with the developers to ensure they retain the boathouse or cover the cost of relocation as part of the plans.”

More here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/03/22/lifeboat-crews-fear-axe-in-funfair-plans-100252-20658845/

It makes you wonder when a service as vital as the Lifeboats even have to query whether they will be included in such plans. :ohno:

markonasty

March 22nd, 2008, 04:03 PM

eyeam

March 22nd, 2008, 04:32 PM

From the Echo -

More here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/03/22/lifeboat-crews-fear-axe-in-funfair-plans-100252-20658845/

It makes you wonder when a service as vital as the Lifeboats even have to query whether they will be included in such plans. :ohno:

Seems to me like they're just jumping to the worst possible conclusion

Urban Splash are a very good developer and usually quite sensitive to stuff like this

Chris B

March 22nd, 2008, 04:34 PM

This is great news for Southport, Urban Splash is a massive coup for the resort.

Chris there was never a chance that Dreamstorm would have got it, sadly they are not as good as the local Southport press like to make out, they did not even make it to the Stage 2 submission.

Southport needs to change in order to survive, sadly the funfair attraction is no longer viable, also don't worry about the Lifeboats.

From my perspective, an amusement park is still entirely financially viable on that site. The only reason that Pleasureland in it's former guise hit the skids is because they introduced an entrance fee in 2005. When attendance dropped by more than half that year, instead of rescinding the charge, they did the same again in 2006. It's little wonder the park started losing money. Geoffrey Thompson took out a 125-year lease on the park in 2003, and had plans for a river rapids ride, and a modern wooden rollercoaster on the former zoo site. If he had any concerns about the park's future financial potential, he wouldn't have bothered. When he died however, those plans quickly went away.

The park wasn't financially unviable. However due to rising land values, the park was worth more sold than it was to continue to operate (at least in the short term, it would have made more money in the longer term). It was a quick buck for the Pleasure Beach, and sucking the life out of the park by charging an entrance fee gave them a convenient excuse.

You only have to look at the crowds that packed out New Pleasureland last summer to see there is still a market for fairground thrills in Southport. Dreamstorm proved their credentials by sinking hundreds of thousands of pounds into clearing up the site, despite only having a short-term lease. It was a travesty that they weren't even allowed through to the second stage of deliberation, after all the money they had spent (which let's not forget that it saved Sefton Council from having to spend to tidy the site).

To me, some people have taken this 'classic resort' idea too far, to the extent they are willing to see hallmarks of all good seaside resorts be closed down, just because they are a little brash. So far, the ideas I have seen suggested for the site include an extension to the Marine Lake (like it isn't big enough already), a swimming pool (after they've just spent millions on Splash World), and a hotel complex (which I broadly support, but what's the point if there's nothing to do?).

If Geoffrey Thompson was still alive, Pleasureland would be going from strength to strength, with a larger park, containing new rides, attracting people from far and wide. Dreamstorm last summer, and this summer will prove that an amusement park is not only financially viable, but also a popular pursuit amongst Southport's locals and vistors alike. However it seems that far too many people have been taken in by the Pleasure Beach's suggestion that the park is not financially viable. After 96 years of successful operation, I find it really sad that a single untruth, has to signal the end of a park that has brought joy and happiness to millions of people over the decades.

kat2

March 22nd, 2008, 06:26 PM

Chris, *lol*
hang on hang on not sure where you get your facts from but there wrong!! I hate it when i hear stuff like this because its far from the truth, ive been a family friend of the Thompsons for years and years the reason why southport the same as Morecambe closed was nothing to do with what you report but was to do with a number of issues when all the issues compounded that was when it became apparent that savings had to be made.
true fact number one, rides need insuring and maintaining that costs alot of money.
fact 2
the minimum wage meant that the long hours the staff used to work were no longer finincially viable, hence why the pleasure beach closes earlier now. The other amusment parks are what we term black oil trades not like the traditional thompsons pleasure beach group, which has always been a family run business. and finally the other consideration which is always a killer is the industrial tarrif for supply.
it takes 600 amps to start one roller coaster log flumes took considerably more power.
when all the factors were considered fuel, wage bill, insurance, attendance, new rides!
we mustnt forget either that travelling abroad has become alot cheaper too would you be able to afford a week in blackpool, and what happens if the weathers not nice?
there all factors
the price of timber too, which they ship from canada went up (roller coasters pitch pine)!
money money money
kat

Chris B

March 22nd, 2008, 07:28 PM

Kat, since the closure I've regularly browsed various sites dealing in such issues, and have read comments from people who you can tell from their comments they were also close to the Thompsons, or to the Dreamstorm Group.

The bottom line is, Pleasureland ran into financial trouble because they started to charge an entrance fee. Prior to the fee, thousands of people would flow through the park, spending money on rides, food, and games as they went. As soon as the entrance fee was introduced, that passing trade went in an instant. People would simply walk around the park rather than pay £2 for the privelege of walking through the park - even if they may have paid more than £2 on various things once in the park anyway. People like to feel they are getting something for their money - £2 for a short-cut is not value for money.

I agree with you that running a park doesn't cost pennies. The day to day running costs do rack up quickly. However it's a whole lot more difficult to cover these costs if you only have a few hundred people on the park because the majority won't pay an extrance fee just to walk around, or watch their children/grand children on the rides.

Even if the Pleasure Beach simply wanted out, and wanted to consolidate their business, why didn't they just take what they wanted and sell on to interested parties? There were people willing to take the park on as a going concern, including Dreamstorm. Why did they vandalise the park before they left? Was it perhaps because they knew the park was still financially viable (even if they didn't want to continue to run it), and wanted to make it difficult for anyone to resurrect the park, thus giving them a competitor in their own backyard?

I appreciate that the Pleasure Beach is a family-run company, and thus has to be careful about what they spend, and any potential money drains. However all Pleasureland needed was a new ride. The Traumatizer more than doubled the parks annual attendance in it's first few years, but the British public can be demanding, and expects new rides - a Waveswinger and a paintball area didn't cut it. Business is a risky thing, speculate to accumulate goes hand in hand with risk. However I firmly believe that had a decent new ride been added in 2004/5, and the entrance fee not been introduced (or at least rescinded), then the park would still be operating now.

kat2

March 22nd, 2008, 09:58 PM

Chris, sorry your wrong
the rides were offered for sale in worlds fair, do a search on worlds fair. Dream storm were not willing to invest in the rides being offered many of the rides were very old anyway, the usual route for the rides was from blackpool to either southport or morecambe. Pleasure Land southport was in finincial trouble long before charging enterance fees, yes everyone wanted cheap wrist bands, but in the end cost was the over riding factor. Why didnt they leave the rides? a number of reasons really, 1 they were offered for sale in worlds fair which you can buy anywhere there even online. the other is liability issues. I say I know the Thompson Family might be an under statement
they were family to me in some regards, I went up to the house and went to dinner I went around with Nick Geoffreys son. I advised Amanda, one of Geoffreys daughters with regards to her business stage works world wide. I sat at the table with Geoffreys dad and mum, they lived in George Formbys old house (been there too). They reluctantly gave up southport, it was a very hard decision to make, because southport was starting to see investment on a wider front sadly however, the pleasure beach group had to consolidate their business, but let it be said the parks rides were up for sale, the Morecambe cyclone was also advertised for sale too.Where parts of a ride could not be sold but the trains could, thats where you started to see some part demolition because all the pleasure beach rides fit what is termed as the usa template most parts were from the united states. http://www.worldsfair.co.uk/wf/
kat

Chris B

March 22nd, 2008, 11:11 PM

Kat, I know some rides were offered for sale - the Space Shot to Loudon Castle and the Chaos to Lightwater Valley amongst others did sell. I also know Camelot tabled an offer to purchase the Traumatizer, before they purchased BMRX from Japan. I appreciate that selling assets is an obvious step if they had decided to consolidate, as any sales would result in some income. Also for the record the reason Dreamstorm weren't interested in purchasing any rides was because they wanted to run the park, and were willing to buy it as a whole, not buy rides piece-meal and have nowhere to operate them.

My point was that those rides they didn't want (or couldn't sell), could have been used by a new owner, but were instead destroyed, as was much of the park's infrastructure. Why did they destroy the Cyclone? Why vandalise the park and it's remaining rides? I can only conclude that they feared someone would come along and make a successful venture of the park again, which begs the question of whether the park was actually financially unviable if they feared someone else could successfully run it.

As for the entrance fee, regardless of whether the park was suffering financially before it's introduction or not (and lack of investment from 2003 onwards may have caused any slide in profits), it's what saw the park off. After attendance dropped by more than half in 2005, why did they continue it in 2006? It makes no sense.

The truth is Kat, I spent countless hours of my youth at both Pleasureland and the Pleasure Beach. I have very fond memories of both, and if Pleasureland had closed due to lack of business, I would be have been deeply disappointed, but understanding. To see the park taken away due to reasons that don't fully check out, just feels wrong. Take a browse around some Southport / Blackpool / Theme Park websites. You'll find I'm far from alone in my feelings towards the whole situation.

With an entrance fee pending at the Pleasure Beach from next year, I now have serious concerns about the future of the Pleasure Beach. If it was a blow to lose Pleasureland after 96 years, I dread to think how it will feel if we lose the Pleasaure Beach after 112 years.

markonasty

March 22nd, 2008, 11:22 PM

Chris,

The problem with Pleasureland was that it was only open a few months of the year, and when it was it was only doing really well on bank holidays. I am sure you are aware in the winter months Southport is like a ghost town something that needs changing.

We need an all year around attraction, sadly town centre fairgrounds are not the answer, these days most families have some sort of transport and go to Alton Towers or other similar ones.

I have had many arguments with people over Southport, a lot of the residents still want to cling on to the bucket and spade era well it is well and truly over and we need to move on. Millions have been invested into the town over the last few years but there is still a long way to go. We are trying to reinvent ourselves and getting Urban Splash in is just a small part of the regeneration of Southport.

Seaside towns as we know them are gone, time to move on.

Chris B

March 22nd, 2008, 11:59 PM

I don't diasgree regarding the worth of year-round attractions, but I still maintain that the crowds at New Pleasureland last year (not just on Bank Holidays), prove that a market remains for an amusement ride related attraction in Southport. The Pleasureland car parks, the site itself, the former zoo site, and the field beyond covers quite a large area of land. Would it really hurt to have offered a chunk of land to Dreamstorm, and developed other year-round attractions on the remainder of the site? A best of both worlds kind of situation? It should also be noted that Dreamstorm's plans were not exclusively for Pleasureland, Mark II. They also included schemes for year-round attractions/facilities as well.

I also wouldn't under-sell the value of the bucket and spade brigade. Many people visit Southport to let the kids play on the beach. Buying food and drink and the afore-mentioned buckets and spades all adds money into the local economy.

As I see it, Southport wants to be a resort, but without any of the attractions that go with that. Either you want to be a resort, or you want to simply be a coastal town. Southport needs to decide, as it can't be both.

kat2

March 23rd, 2008, 12:09 AM

Chris,
I cant post up amanda Thompsons phone number on here and, yes there are websites claiming this and that but take it from someone that is very close to the family that spent several years with the family not as a close friend but more like one of the family. Most theme parks in the uk seem to have oil connections, thats how they survive. You may have visited the parks, I was there with the family the rides were not trashed thats childish to make such a comment, the cyclone was an old roller coaster part of the paris exibition it too was offered up for sale running a roller coaster especially a wooden one costs a great deal of money, the timber has to be shipped in each year and every six months theirs an insurance inspection and timber grading process, with steel coasters parts are sent of to be ex rayed, all money the traumatiser was never offered for sale, it was re jigged and put on the site of the log flume at bpb.I know this will be difficult for you chris forget the rubbish you hear on websites or groups proclaiming the facts didnt stack up financially, with regard to rides being vandalised they werent, parts were stripped out to service rides at the pleasure beach a friend of mine demolished southports rides john and kenny both were told what to salvage. if you leave a ride in tact on a site and problems arise later you can be held liable for selling faulty products structures,
kat
not sure where these silly ideas come from why didnt anyone else step in if it was such a good viable buisness? why wasnt money on the table? lets be honest truth of the matter is travelling fair grounds do not have the same over heads as static ones.
kat, so chris come on tell me why no one was waiting with cash in hand when they heard in worlds fair about problems with the park which started and was reported some years earlier.
kat

Chris B

March 23rd, 2008, 01:32 AM

the rides were not trashed thats childish to make such a comment

I have read on another site that when Sefton Council re-gained ownership of the site that they found a lot of wanton vandalism. I don't see why people would invent something like that - especially if they weren't able to back it up if questioned. Also was the destruction of the Cyclone not trashing a ride?

the cyclone was an old roller coaster part of the paris exibition it too was offered up for sale running a roller coaster especially a wooden one costs a great deal of money, the timber has to be shipped in each year and every six months theirs an insurance inspection and timber grading process, with steel coasters parts are sent of to be ex rayed, all money

if you leave a ride in tact on a site and problems arise later you can be held liable for selling faulty products structures

If the Pleasure Beach didn't want the hassle of all that anymore, why didn't they just leave the ride as it is? Absolve themselves from it. I don't buy that they could be liable in future years. If the ride was in good working order and in good structural condition (and it should have been given it had a safely certificate and would have been operating had the park remained open), at the point they relinquished the lease, then any claim or problems resulting from it in the future would not be borne by them.

And for the record, the Cyclone was built on site. It was the Cyclone at Morecambe, later the Texas Tornado that originated at the Paris Exhibition of 1937.

the traumatiser was never offered for sale, it was re jigged and put on the site of the log flume at bpb.

I know that it was never offered for sale by the Pleasure Beach, but that's not to say another interested party didn't make an offer for it regardless, which Camelot did in this instance.

with regard to rides being vandalised they werent, parts were stripped out to service rides at the pleasure beach

Don't get me wrong, I understand them taking some things - the boats from the River Caves for example - as they could be of use at Blackpool. However taking a chainsaw to the Cyclone served no purpose but to damage the ride.

lets be honest truth of the matter is travelling fair grounds do not have the same over heads as static ones.

Actually when dealing with travelling operators, you naturally have to give them a cut of the profits. As such your profits aren't all yours in the way they are if you own the park and all it's rides outright. Why did the Pleasure Beach want all the rides/stalls at Pleasureland to be their own (something they had to wait until 2003 to do)? Because they made more money that way.

kat, so chris come on tell me why no one was waiting with cash in hand when they heard in worlds fair about problems with the park which started and was reported some years earlier.
kat

There is a distinct difference between reporting financial problems - something businesses in all sectors do on a regular basis - and something actually going out of business. Pleasureland reporting financial problems would not necessarily be a sufficient reason to justify a third party tabling an offer for the park, as businesses often weather the storm, and continue to operate. However once the business has folded, then you are much more likely to get offers tabled - which is what happened. Why none were taken up, either by the Pleasure Beach or later by Sefton Council is a question for the parties concerned.

Kat, your insights are most welcome. However my senses of logic and reasoning simply won't allow me to view this as a straight-forward open-and-shut case of a failing business closed down. Whilst I appreciate you taking the time to put the case across from your perspective, I'm afraid in this instance, you just aren't going to convince me.

kat2

March 23rd, 2008, 01:46 AM

The last year saw the sudden closure of Southport’s Pleasureland after 94 years of providing fun rides to the public, there was also outrage at the demolishing of its Cyclone, a roller wooden roller coaster that had been in operation since 1937. Meanwhile, in Derbyshire, The American Adventure also was forced into shutting its doors. The problems faced for smaller theme parks are clear from a press release after the closure of Pleasureland:

‘It must be acknowledged that the UK theme park industry as a whole is facing increased competition from publicly-funded and lottery-funded attractions which have significantly distorted the visitor attractions market. This situation has been compounded by our weekend trading now competing with extended Sunday shopping rules and Sunday sporting events.’

The demise of these two family favourites probably had much to do with competition from larger and more diverse local rivals, with two parks that are often regarded within the world’s best; namely Alton Towers. It is also rather unfortunate that the theme park industry in the UK has to compete with something it can do very little about: the weather, which even in the Summer, can be quite unsavoury for a whole day outside!

kat
ps do you personally know the Thompson family? and the heartache it caused to loose southport, no offers were made. Wooden rollercoasters cost too much to maintaine.
:ohno:

Chris B

March 23rd, 2008, 01:54 AM

I'm not sure the American Adventure is a good example. It added little of significance after The Missile, and what was added usually disappeared quite quickly. Drayton Manor proves that with clever ride choices, you can still turn a profit, even if you operate in Alton Towers back yard.

As for the Thompson's, no I don't know them personally. However you surely must admit that the handling of the park's closure didn't exactly do them any favours? If it was hard for them, they must appreciate it was also hard for the many millions of people who have fond memories of the place. Would it really have hurt to give people warning of the park's closure so they could get a few 'last rides'? A fantastic send-off for the park would still have been tinged with sadness, but it would have given people less reason to doubt the Pleasure Beach's true feelings over the situation.

flange

March 24th, 2008, 09:44 PM

Urban Splash picked for Southport eco-park project

Urban Splash is to develop the former Pleasureland funfair in Southport as an eco-park with hotels, winter gardens, and an artificial beach.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council awarded the Manchester-based company development partner status for the 25-acre site, now named Marine Park. It was one of 12 bidders who were whittled down to a shortlist of four.

Pleasureland has been deserted since 2006 when parent company Blackpool Pleasure Beach shut it down because of falling visitor numbers.

Urban Splash will now work up a masterplan in consultation with local residents and businesses. No timetable has been set for work to begin but Sefton council hopes the development will happen within five years.

Urban Splash has said it intends to invest £40m in the project. Its ideas include a free admission botanical garden loosely based on developments like Cornwall's Eden Project, which would link neatly to existing attractions like Southport Flower Show.

It also hopes to open one or two hotels and build beach cabins. The latter sell for more than £100,000 in upmarket resorts on the south coast and in North Wales and have become fashionable in recent years.

To get around Southport's biggest problem - the sea is often so far away - the developer proposes extending the town's Marine Lake to adjoin the planned artificial beach.

It is the second time Urban Splash has been involved in regeneration of a North West seaside resort. It is currently involved in renovating the Midland Hotel in Morecambe.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080324/FREE/613707711/1026/-/-/urban-splash-picked-for-southport-eco-park-project

ferge

March 24th, 2008, 11:54 PM

i did post a lengthy-ish post the other day but my internet died, so it was all in vain..

it sounds an interesting proposal anyway, some parts seem a little, er... un-needed, but its better than allowing the half-arsed fairground to stay, the site (and town) are worth more than that

Chris B

March 25th, 2008, 12:42 AM

it sounds an interesting proposal anyway, some parts seem a little, er... un-needed, but its better than allowing the half-arsed fairground to stay, the site (and town) are worth more than that

I agree that some of the initial proposals do make you wonder if they are needed. I mean, why build an artificial beach when you have the real thing just a few hundred metres away? Extending the Marine Lake seems pretty superfluous as well, when it isn't used as much as it could be already. Also, £40m doesn't sound like a lot of money given the size of the site, and the fact that the suggested two hotels could swallow that amount and more depending on thier size and quality.

As for the fairground. The current effort only appears rough and ready because of the short-term lease. Although Dreamstorm have spent a lot of money, there is only so much you are going to be willing to invest if you aren't guaranteed a longer lease. If a permanent lease had been granted, the reliance on travelling rides would have been reduced over time, and new rides would have been permanent, fixed installations of the like you find at Alton Towers or similar.

mike 1980

April 5th, 2008, 12:24 PM

Top hotel will be part of £30m waterfront scheme
Apr 5 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE world-renowned Ramada Plaza hotel brand is coming to Southport as part of a £30m waterfront development.

The 133-bed four-star hotel is currently under construction and will feature bars, restaurants, and a casino, together with extensive meeting facilities that will complement the newly-extended and refurbished Floral Hall conference centre.

Ramada hotels are located in many of the world’s top business and leisure destinations and are part of Wyndham, one of the world’s largest hospitality groups.

Chief executive of Sefton Council, Graham Haywood, who made the Ramada announcement via a webcast on the council’s website yesterday, said: “Southport is an ever- expanding force in the business tourism sector and this new hotel and the associated conference facilities will be a massive boost for the town.

“The whole town has embraced the improvements and developments over the past few years with extensive retail and leisure facilities, redeveloped streets and buildings, new accommodation and attractions including the new Dunes Splash World water park.

“There are even more exciting times ahead with the recent announcement of a blue-chip developer for the former Pleasureland site which is likely to generate even more prosperity for the town.

“It is easy to see why our long-term planning has attracted such big-name operators to Southport.”

Neptune Developments announced it has agreed a deal that will see the New World Group operating the luxury four-star hotel on behalf of the investor, Even Group.

Steve Parry, managing director of Neptune Developments, said: “The hotel will be a major boost to Southport as a leisure and tourism destination, and the quality of the waterfront scheme and the facilities that it offers will help to re-establish Southport as a high-quality destination.

“The impact of the waterfront, together with the extension and refurbishment of the Floral Hall Theatre and Conference Centre will enable Southport to appeal to a much broader market for conferences and events and this will have significant impact on the Southport economy as a whole.”

Nick Lebetkin, managing director of Even Group, said: “We are genuinely excited by this project, which we feel will add significant value to Southport’s offer as a classic resort.”

Andrew Pyle, operations director of the New World Group, commented: “The whole team at New World are very excited to be working on this prestigious hotel in such a great location.”

vickyanderson

I think this is also good news for liverpool as it strenghthens the regions offering. The more affluent surrounding towns become the more Liverpool will see the benefits as the centre of the city region.

flange

April 25th, 2008, 11:44 AM

No marine feat

25.04.08

Urban Splash and Neptune Developments hope their leisure schemes will revive Southport’s marine holiday heydays.

By Paul Unger

Belying its reputation as a last resort for ‘crumblies’ in their dotage, the north Merseyside seaside town of Southport may be about to become rather cool.

Urban Splash recently won an intriguing development contest to take on 40 acres of former funfair at the Pleasureland site that was closed two years ago by then owner Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Patrick Sheridan, associate director of Urban Splash, says: ‘Southport has a great history as a marine holiday destination that goes back to the 19th century. Its reputation grew on the back of its relationship with the sea, but it started to disappear as it silted up, so they built the marine lake, which worked to an extent.

‘We want to rediscover its connection to the water and effectively build our own bit of sea by extending the marine lake.’

Urban Splash will spend around £5m on civil engineering works to create the lakes and parkland on half of the massive development site – the largest it has ever undertaken.

Public funding

Sheridan concedes that the public works would ideally be accompanied by public funding – the Heritage Lottery Fund and Northwest Regional Development Agency are the most likely candidates. The developer has experience of watery projects. It developed canal extensions in New Islington, east Manchester, where it spent £12m.

Sheridan was heartened by early studies, which suggested Southport would not pose the same land contamination issues that inner city Manchester presented.

Inspiration for the buildings has come partly from the giant domes of the Eden Project and Center Parcs, which allow shelter and extensive spending space for those grotty British days at the seaside.

‘We want to do several large buildings around airy central atriums, perhaps with specialist retail inside,’ says Sheridan. ‘There is a gardening feel to Southport and we want to tap into that. The flower show is at present an annual event, but we believe the market for extending the interest in floral attractions and related retail and leisure could be significant.’

As well as 70,000 sq ft of retail and leisure, the developer proposes 300 holiday homes and two 80-room hotels, one of which it might keep under its emerging Urban Splash Hotels division, which will shortly be launching in Morecambe.

‘City breaks are getting more popular, including in historic cities like Bath, but they succeed by having high-quality offerings, from places to eat to fantastic buildings,’ says Sheridan. ‘In Southport, Lord Street is very popular, but 70% of people who visit the town head straight there and don’t see much else.’

Architect Grant Associates has been retained to design the eco-park masterplan. For individual buildings, Urban Splash pledges to work with as many as 20 architects to produce a diverse spectacle. It expects to have the first options for consultation within three months, and hopes to be on site within two years with a four-year build programme.

Waterfront under way

Already well under construction, meanwhile, is Neptune Developments’ £30m, 175,000 sq ft conference centre, casino and hotel scheme named the Waterfront. Neptune’s site extends to 4 acres, including the reclamation of a small area of land from Marine Lake.

The centre of the scheme will be a public plaza flanked on two sides by restaurants and bars. The western edge will open out on to a terrace running down to Marine Lake.

Steve Parry, managing director of Neptune, says: ‘The main aim is to broaden the offer for the conference centre. The town already gets good business visitor numbers and is an established regional conference centre. But there could be a lot more to Southport, and we hope a strong hotel and new conference centre will drive it even further.’

Neptune recently secured a deal with hotel operator New World Group to run a four-star, 133-room Ramada Plaza hotel at the Waterfront on behalf of investor Even Group.

Ramada Plaza is part of Wyndham, one of the world’s largest hotel groups, and Ramada recently signed a similar agreement with Vermont for the Quarter in central Liverpool. The council’s existing Floral Hall conference centre has been refurbished and extended by 10,000 sq ft, and leased back to the authority.

There will be four large 10,000 sq ft bars and restaurants, and talks are in advanced stages with national leisure operators new to the town. The casino has been taken by Liverpool-based group Stanley and will be the first element to be handed over in June.

‘There is a great offer for golfers, with superb courses up and down the coast, and we will be offering packages with facilities back-up for booking tee times and transport,’ says Parry.

Golf is never far from the lips of developers keen to access its affluent enthusiasts around Southport. The fact that this year’s British Open is being held at the town’s Royal Birkdale Golf Club will only underline its credentials.

In May, a further boost will come when the UK’s first PGA national residential golf academy opens nearby. Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa is the result of a £10m investment by owner Maghull Group.

A 62-room hotel, spa and leisure club, conference facilities, the PGA academy, a nine-hole, par-three course and 25-bay driving range have been added to the existing 18-hole course.

Open minded

Among Southport’s home-grown developers aiming to ride the wave of improvements is restaurateur Paul Adams with his £13m the Vincent hotel, which also opens in May.

Adams runs the popular Warehouse Brasserie and has thrown no few frills at the 60-room Vincent, which he says is already fully booked for the 2008 British Open.

The hotel’s penthouse suite – ‘one of the most expensive hotel rooms in the north-west’ at £695 a night – boasts an outdoor spa bath with built-in flatscreen TV, private steam room and free 5,000-title MP3 collection.

‘Our aim is to help transform Southport into the Brighton of the north-west,’ says Adams. ‘British seaside resorts are becoming hip once again, and more and more people are choosing to holiday in the UK.

‘Southport is a fantastic destination and has some of the best golf courses in the world on its doorstep. Opening the Vincent will help reposition Southport as a classic resort and bring a lot of business to the town.’

The council says the town has £90m of development under way and has added its own muscle with public realm works on the historic Chapel and Lord streets.

Building on the ‘England’s Golf Coast’ and ‘England’s Classic Resort’ brands will also be central to the town’s marketing strategy. Sefton Council is among six Merseyside boroughs that have doubled their commitment to inward investment and tourism agency the Mersey Partnership over the next three years.

Perhaps more than most towns in the area, Southport can be expected to keep a close eye on the results.

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=39&storycode=3112029

Chris B

April 25th, 2008, 12:10 PM

‘We want to rediscover its connection to the water and effectively build our own bit of sea by extending the marine lake.’

Am I the only one who sees the problem here? They want to replicate the sea - right next to the real sea, and they want to extend the Marine Lake, which is already over-sized and under-used as it is. What's the point?

‘Urban Splash will spend around £5m on civil engineering works to create the lakes and parkland on half of the massive development site – the largest it has ever undertaken.

I'm sure lakes and parkland will look pleasant, but in an area that isn't exactly devoid of natural beauty, why bother? I'm sure the locals will get use out of it - much like a re-generated Festival Gardens at Otterspool - but it's not something that will attract visitors to the town.

‘As well as 70,000 sq ft of retail and leisure, the developer proposes 300 holiday homes and two 80-room hotels, one of which it might keep under its emerging Urban Splash Hotels division, which will shortly be launching in Morecambe.

I'll give them the hotels, it never hurts to have add some modern hotel capacity. But surely in order to sustain a hotel, you have to offer something that people will want to visit for? As for retail and leisure, I'll hold fire on the leisure aspect until details become clearer, but more retail? Is that really what the people of Southport want on their seafront?

I just can't see what this development will bring for Southport, other than to further undermine it's appeal for visitors. It may better serve the locals, but unless it wants to stop being a resort and simply be a town on the coast (see Morecambe), it needs to think of something more enticing than yet more retail surrounded by some landscaping. If the leisure aspects turn out to be something fairly unique - a large aquarium, a ski dome etc, then it may work. But if it just going to be stuff you can find in Anytown, Anywhere, I don't see the point.

Babaloo

April 25th, 2008, 02:30 PM

I don't think marine lakes can ever be too big. West Kirby provides an example of how to run a successful one. I haven't been to Southport for a while - mainly because once you have been a few times it seems to loose its appeal, and the bar and restaurant scene isn't even as good as Formby's.

Chris B

April 25th, 2008, 02:44 PM

What I meant Babs, was that if the current Marine Lake was fully utilised, and was approaching or had reached the capacity of what it could safely host, then fine, there would be justification to investigate extending it. However, as it is, the lake is nowhere near fully utilised. The smaller section, towards Morrisons, is fairly busy during the summer months with Pleasure boats and jet skis etc. However the much larger Northern section is almost permanently quiet. I just don't see the point of of extending it.

Another issue with the plan is that the Lakeside Miniature Railway lies between the current lake and the proposed site of the extension. Depending on the how they intend to extend the lake, this railway may have to close. While in itself it wouldn't attract people to the town, it does flesh out the facilities on offer for families. By removing it, another feature that makes Southport a resort disappears. As a town I think Southport has every reason to look forward to a bright future, as a resort I'm not so sure.

markonasty

April 25th, 2008, 02:49 PM

I don't want to go over old ground about Pleasure Land but times are changing in Southport. No longer is the old bucket and trade industry pulling in the millions, vast amounts of the town have been shut for the majority of the year due to their trading patterns.

Now the Council are taking a pro-active approach and a lot of people don't like it, they are trying to cling onto the past even though it is evident Towns on the coast have to change and diversify or face a very bleak future.

Millions of pounds have been invested in the town over the last few years and continues to do so, large private developers are now being attracted and large-scale public realm works are taking place.

As for the Urban Splash development I think they have the right idea, they are building on the Towns Strengths, as you will know the sea hardly ever comes in Southport and if done right the Marine Lake will be a brilliant feature; there are plans to upgrade the existing lake as well.

There was always going to be some sort of "specialist" retail on the site in order to bring in the profit for Urban Splash, what I am told there is going to be a All year round leisure use on the site that will bring people to the Town of Southport.

I fully believe Southport has undergone some great transformation in the last few years and will continue to thrive and grow if the Residents of the town let it and realise they cannot stay stagnant forever.

Chris B

April 25th, 2008, 04:31 PM

^^

As much as I believe New Pleasureland could have worked in the longer term, sadly the decision has been made against it. As such, I deliberately didn't bring that into consideration when posting my thoughts above.

I agree with you that diversification is key these days, not just for resorts, but for towns and cities alike. However I think Southport are in a stronger position than most because although impacted in recent years by a variety of factors, they still have a viable tourist trade. As such they could have the best of both worlds with new ventures such as conferencing which they are moving into, as well as more traditional family pursuits, which the resort still has to offer.

While you do raise a valid point about the potential retail and leisure uses of the site being less seasonal than it's current use, I'd question the worth of this if they only attract the locals, and not those from further afield. In that instance would you not be winning with one hand, and loosing with the other?

The fact is that the retail aspect is unlikely to attract people from outside of Southport and it's immediate surrounding areas - Formby, Ainsdale, Churchtown etc. People won't travel very far for small-scale retail (I'm quite intrigued by what they class as specialist retail), nor will they travel for generic leisure facilities they have at home. The leisure aspects will be critical here. Unless they come up with something unique to the region, I don't see many people travelling to use the site, other than perhaps once out of curiosity.

As for the extended Marine Lake/beach idea, I wonder how this fits into the year-round use idea that is being pitched for the site? With the changeable weather we are subject to in this country, I wonder how much use a man-made beach would actually get each year.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that the tourist pound cannot solely be relied upon to support resorts these days. Even the King (Queen?) of resorts Blackpool is feeling the pinch. However I just feel that while there is still some mileage in the tourist pound, it's better to offer facilities that will be used by the locals, and will attract others from outside the local area as well, rather than limit your income by adding facilities that outsiders are unlikely to travel to.

Chris B

June 9th, 2008, 10:59 AM

From the Daily Post -

Legal fight looms over Pleasureland site

Jun 9 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

SEFTON Council is set to sue the former owners of Southport’s Pleasureland site for hundreds of thousands of pounds, the Daily Post can reveal.

Sefton bought the site from Pleasureland Ltd for £7.25m last year after the company closed the site in September, 2006, because it was no longer commercially viable to operate as a fairground.

Last night, Labour leader Peter Dowd said the council was handed back the site in a “dangerous” state, and that light sockets had been stripped from buildings.

Pleasureland declined to comment, but it is understood that the thrust of their argument is that they had permission to remove items from the site for use at its Blackpool Pleasure Beach operation, and vigorously deny any wrongdoing.

The Daily Post understands Pleasureland claim that the site was to be sold in a derelict state so that it could be re-developed.

Cllr Dowd said a hole had been left in the roof of one of the buildings after a crane had been used to remove machines from inside.

Sefton spent around £350,000 to make the site safe and secure following Pleasureland’s departure from the site, he said.

The council claims the company was in breach of the conditions of the sale and that the site had been left in a “dangerous” condition.

Buildings that the council had hoped it could lease out had been stripped and the council will claim it would not have been cost effective to repair them.

Cllr Dowd said the council would also be claiming loss of income from Pleasureland as a result of the state the site was left in.

More here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/06/09/legal-fight-looms-over-pleasureland-site-64375-21042986/

This more or less confirms what I first heard over a year ago - that the site had been unnecessarily damaged. You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet, but in this case the rumours appear to have been true.

Portobello Red

June 12th, 2008, 04:07 PM

Global television descends on Southport ahead of Royal Birkdale's Open golf showcase

Southport Visitor (http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-sport/golf/2008/06/11/global-television-descends-on-southport-ahead-of-royal-birkdale-s-open-golf-showcase-101022-21059937/)

INTERNATIONAL broadcasters descended on Birkdale ahead of July’s Open.

Four global television giants, including the BBC, were guided around Southport courtesy of Sefton Council.

Southport MP John Pugh met with a US television station to highlight the town’s credentials as ‘England’s Classic Resort’.

The broadcasters also checked up on Royal Birkdale’s preparations for the 137th Open.

Dr Pugh said: "We need to get the message out about Southport.

"Royal Birkdale is obviously famous the world over, but there are several other top class courses in and around the town as well."

Sefton’s tourism bosses estimate the prosperous tournament could net Southport and the immediate area over £12m.

An advertising value of £40m will be accrued from Royal Birkdale being broadcast to 500m homes worldwide.

Dr Pugh added: "A lot of tourism in this country is just ‘Come to London’; it doesn’t really present Britain in the right way.

"Southport has a really strong hand to play, especially in the US market, where they are infatuated by golf. Golfers and golf fans around the world are keen to know more about the town behind The Open, and we now have a range of top-class facilities to show them."

ferge

June 12th, 2008, 10:55 PM

if the weather is fair alright on saturday I might try and get a few pics in town, looking good again now the trees are back in full greenery, and now the vincent hotel is open, the edge apartments seem complete and the floral hall has come on a long way..

Mostly Lurking

June 12th, 2008, 11:55 PM

mike 1980

June 13th, 2008, 12:59 AM

As much as I like Southport, it is not a classic resort, and anyone from abroad would be a total fool to book a holiday there rather than London, or even Blackpool.

Mabye for a keen golfer they would choose Southport over Blackpool and I Southport could look pretty smart down Lord St, although it could get better. but I don't believe that they were suggesting it is either London or Southport. I think what he was getting at is that the rest of the UK is under represented by the tourist board.

Awayo

June 13th, 2008, 01:05 AM

Mostly Lurking

June 13th, 2008, 02:26 AM

Mabye for a keen golfer they would choose Southport over Blackpool and I Southport could look pretty smart down Lord St, although it could get better. but I don't believe that they were suggesting it is either London or Southport. I think what he was getting at is that the rest of the UK is under represented by the tourist board.

Totally agree that for a golfing holiday, Southport is a good choice.

The rest of the UK may be under represented, but it seems to do pretty well none the less - why doesn't Southport? Because it provides very little in the way of what people want. What is a 'classic resort' that the council is determined to be? To me it sounds like somewhere that OAPs visit on coaching holidays.

I'm not against Southport - I lived there for 12 years and I like the place, but it has done itself no favours at all in the last five years.

markonasty

June 13th, 2008, 01:19 PM

It's a decent enough ambition. Southport's historic architecture and Victorian ambience (in parts) give it potential.

The problem is that since Sefton Council came up with its Classic Resort "vision", the town has declined further and developments, such as they've been have taken the place further away from feeling "classic" or "Victorian" or whatever. The nasty tin boxes of Ocean Plaza, including Frankie & Benny's vomitorium, might not have been the type of thing the old queen was used to.

And I'm not sure how Hotel Buttplug fits in here either.

Last week I was in Biarritz (a town with better weather obviously, plus surfing). In some ways, however, Southport beats it, in theory. Bigger, a pier, a greater wealth of Victorian architecture (not a misnomer in that particular French town), fine C19th residential neighbourhood, a superior Queen Victoria statue, and so on. Sebo has told us that, more locally, Llandudno seems to pull it off also.

Why then is Southport getting worse all the time?

Sorry I cannot agree with that at all, yes we all know Southport has been on the decline for a number of years and some areas hit rock bottom.

The last few years though there has been a steady amount of investment, look at the current works going on (Lord Street, Floral Hall, Chapel Street, Private sector Investment, Southport THI just to name a few). Also Southport has slowly climbed up the retail ladder.

Yes there is a long way to go but to say it is getting worse all of the time is a complete fabrication.

Awayo

June 13th, 2008, 01:31 PM

markonasty

June 13th, 2008, 02:36 PM

Okay, sorry Marko, maybe I was exagerating. I'm sceptical about the Chapel St pedestrianisation and the Lord Street work is typical public-sector/EU funded stuff rather than a sign of revitalistion.

The new hotel, etc., at the Floral Hall site is good news. I'm pleased to hear that Souey is going up the retail rankings. I don't visit frequently but it seemed to be recently to be going the other way, with Lord Street decreasingly upmarket and Marble Place emptying out. What new shops have arrived in recent years?

My main point is that, yes, Southport does have a "Classic Resort" character to build on. It is a very attractive Victorian town in parts. However, since Sefton Council came up with its Classic Resort vision, nothing that's happened seems to fit in with it. Even the renovated pier (itself great news) has a modern glass box at the end (I like it but it's not classic) resort.

I hear the Marine Lake area is now being done up. This is "classic resort" stuff for sure and was in terrible nick until recently. I hope this work gets finished soon.

I believe I am somewhat biased when it comes to Southport as I am heavily involved.

Chapel Street might not be the best but Southport desperately needed it, we were the biggest Town in the North West thats main high street was not pedestrianised.

Lord Street works on the other hand is excellent and completely fits in with the Classical Resort. All the gardens are being refurbished, the war memorials have been cleaned, and all the materials and craftsmanship is to an excellent conservation standard.

Then there is the Southport THI which is giving grants for the restoration of historic buildings/shopfronts. Currently their is a THI scheme underway on Scarisbrick Avenue totaling over £2.5 million.

You are correct about the Gardens, Sefton are looking to inject around £5million into them, we then also have Urban Splash coming in with over £40 million investment.

I could go on for ages, there is and has been lots more happening in Southport. I really should keep this thread updated, no excuses really. I will get some photos up next week of all the works going on.

Awayo

June 13th, 2008, 03:08 PM

^^Okay, thanks for the info, Marko. I am interested in what is happening in Southport and so I will be very grateful if you are able to us up to date with what is happening.

Chris B

June 13th, 2008, 03:55 PM

This isn't so much having a go at Southport, more the highlighting of something I think holds in back to a certain extent, and that thing is access, or more precisely lack thereof.

There is no easy way into Southport. From the east, you have mile after mile of turning country road to cover. Travelling from say Ormskirk to Southport can take the better part of 30 minutes in moderate traffic. From the south, although the Formby By-pass is useful, just getting to the end of it - either via Aintree, or via Crosby - takes a good 20-25 minutes at best. Once at RAF Woodvale, you either have 15-20 minutes more on the coastal road, or what seems like an endless route on the continuation of the A565 into the town centre. In recent years, I have never made Southport in less than 55 minutes. For somewhere relatively close, that's pretty poor.

On a warm summer's day, if people want to stroll along a promenade, perhaps let the kids play on a beach, then they only have to go to New Brighton. Even with tunnel fees, it's a lot less hassle to go there than it is Southport. Similarly, Southport is decent for shopping. However when I can get to the Trafford Centre faster than I can get to Southport, why should I bother heading up the A565?

I used to visit Southport quite regularly. Several times each summer at least. Now however I'm finding the arduous trek has begun to grate, and the appeal of few hours in Southport isn't enough to attract me anymore. With other places in the region offering much of what Southport does (although admittedly not necessarily all in the same place), I may as well save myself the hassle, and go there instead.

It seems to me that Southport can and should carry on improving, however while road access remains questionable, it will for the time being remain limited in the scope of how many outsiders it can attract in.

Awayo

June 13th, 2008, 04:28 PM

Southport deserves a better link with the motorway network. Southwards things will be improved when the link between the A565 (Formby bypass) and Switch Island is eventually built - although they've been talking about this one since I was a kid.

Southports connections eastwards, ie, towards the industrial Lancashire hinterland and Manchester, which is the location of much of its traditional visitors, are awful.

markonasty

June 13th, 2008, 05:29 PM

It is something that is being very heavily looked at, along with the train links to Manchester.

I think we can all agree Southport suffers unfairly from its poor infrastructure links.

markonasty

June 17th, 2008, 09:42 PM

Some pictures of the new Floral Hall development, also some new landscaping around the Lake.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0388.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0390.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0394.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0393-1.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0398.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0400.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a110/markonasty/HPIM0402.jpg

Chris B

June 17th, 2008, 09:51 PM

markonasty

June 17th, 2008, 10:01 PM

That's looking really good. Last time I was there they were only just adding the concrete-formed stairwells to the steel structure on the corner. It looks really smart.

When is it due to open, and have they tidied up the rear of the Funland (I think) arcade? Crossing over the lake on either the road bridge or the pier and you are presented with quite an unattractive sight, which is a shame because the front around the carousel is quite presentable.

It is looking like it will be sometime around September.

They are going to tidy up behind Silcocks (Funland) and under the pier, unfortuantly the Funland building is a blight on the the area. I would like to see it dropped and completely open up the entrance to the pier.

JUXTAPOL

June 18th, 2008, 01:35 AM

That is quality, i think that New Brighton should have aimed for something more like this rather than the out of town retail park effect they went for.

Chris B

June 19th, 2008, 12:53 PM

From the Echo -

Southport shares £7m handout to swell numbers choosing to cycle

Jun 19 2008 by Helen Hunt, Liverpool Echo

The town is one of three in the north west chosen to be Cycling Demonstration Towns.

The status means Southport will be given £1.8m of government funding over the next three years to spend on a variety of initiatives.

The resort has plans for getting people on their bikes and is aiming for 15% of high school pupils cycling to school.

Elsewhere in the north west, Blackpool will receive £2.84m, and Chester will get £2.4m.

Local partners will match government contributions to create record levels of investment in cycling and help make it a more viable travel option.

The schemes will increase the numbers cycling to school and work as well as for pleasure.

Transport secretary Ruth Kelly said today: “I’m delighted to appoint Blackpool, Chester and Southport as new Cycling Demonstration Towns.

“I’m sure their innovative and exciting plans will support cyclists and encourage more people to get on their bikes, get fit and beat the traffic.”

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton council'sŠcabinet member for technical services, said: “Southport really is a town on the up and this funding will ensure that cycling plays a major part in new developments, such as the regeneration of the former Pleasureland site, the expansion of KGV college, Southport Business Park and proposed housing developments in the east of the town.

"Over the coming months and years we will be working on exciting events and proposals to help more and more people choose cycling as a safe, clean and healthy way to travel around this fantastic part of Sefton."

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/06/19/southport-shares-7m-handout-to-swell-numbers-choosing-to-cycle-100252-21104804/

ferge

June 19th, 2008, 10:16 PM

I'm Glad you managed to go take some pics of the Floral Hall.. I did as I had mentioned take my camera into Southport, although as soon as I got my camera out of my pocket to take a pic of a building, I was approached by two shifty, very drunk characters.. who were likely tramps, who then pestered me and verbally abused me as I scuttled off back home, lol :@ very disappointin

It's come on a great deal since I last saw it.

Accura4Matalan

June 19th, 2008, 10:18 PM

I was in Southport the other day taking an evening walk on the beach with a female type :P
The floral hall looks great, much better than other buildings that have sprung up around the lakeside, with the exception of one!

Scarecrow

June 19th, 2008, 10:59 PM

Scarecrow

June 19th, 2008, 11:02 PM

I was in Southport the other day taking an evening walk on the beach with a female type :P

Walkin' the dog, eh Leprechaun? I'm often sat just north of the pier with another person who disapproves of me calling her the missus in the early hours. Don't be afraid to say hello in future, will you lad? :banana:

Portobello Red

June 20th, 2008, 01:34 AM

That is quality, i think that New Brighton should have aimed for something more like this rather than the out of town retail park effect they went for.

That could also apply to the hotels on the Kings Dock.

JUXTAPOL

June 20th, 2008, 10:33 AM

That could also apply to the hotels on the Kings Dock.

Maybe. I was more making the comparison between Southport and New Brighton, both regenerating seaside resorts. The Kings dock hotels would fit in great at N.B., but would the current N.B. scheme fit in great at Kings Dock...!

Portobello Red

June 20th, 2008, 11:04 AM

Maybe. I was more making the comparison between Southport and New Brighton, both regenerating seaside resorts. The Kings dock hotels would fit in great at N.B., but would the current N.B. scheme fit in great at Kings Dock...!

That wasn't the point I made - I was pointing out that the Floral Hall buildings would look better on the Kings Dock than fake Victorian warehouses.

JUXTAPOL

June 20th, 2008, 11:50 AM

You should have said so, i missed the connection, i'm getting confused with all these points...:nuts:

My point was that N.B. should have aimed higher than Retro-retail park, at least Southport has got Retro-Art Deco and Kings dock has Retro-Warehouse.

Maybe the White Southport floral hall would match the existing Art Decoish apartments that are currently at Kings Dock.

ferge

July 5th, 2008, 07:02 PM

Haven't heard anything on this before, or ever seen it in the local papers.. so don't know much about it (I'm reading for info as I type, lol)..

http://www.southportforums.com/forums/2004/u239.jpg

10 storey 'gateway' development for Southport, by Malitia Properties

Paul D

July 5th, 2008, 07:06 PM

I don't think I'll recognise Southport next time I go there,there seems to be so much happening,I'm thinking of going to the waterpark there tomorrow,I'll have to have a mooch around first.

markonasty

July 5th, 2008, 08:13 PM

Scarecrow

July 6th, 2008, 02:59 PM

It'll never get through. Where would all the 14 year olds go to get pissed then?

ferge

July 27th, 2008, 08:28 PM

The Floral Hall today, in glorious sunshine on a busy busy marine lake,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/S73F2201.jpg?t=1217183026

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/S73F2210.jpg?t=1217183074

Town centre was packed today, loads going on and not just on Lord Street..
Brilliant to see foreign tourists too, in dozens visiting the place (presuming they've ventured from Liverpool city breaks) and all the little touristy shops having some custom for once! all the cafe's bustling, makes me really happy in these gloomy times

ferge

July 27th, 2008, 08:32 PM

Also a few other pics in the mix (had no time to take proper snaps was whilst stood at crossings, lol :|)

The Vincent, I've not heard one good thing said about this build, I can see why people are unhappy with it sneaking into the conservation frontage, but I don't think its that bad at all, (but maybe I'm just happy to see new things being built)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/S73F2216.jpg?t=1217183506

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/S73F2218.jpg?t=1217183523 Town hall

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/ferge1985/S73F2214.jpg?t=1217183659

Had some music thing going on, not sure what.. live singers, dancing performers, brassband, good crowd gathered to watch it, was nice.

markonasty

July 27th, 2008, 10:39 PM

Good photos ferge, I think a fair few are not happy with the Vincent because it replaced a grade II building that was a lot better.

Also from certain angles it is very poor. On a sunny day Southport looks great, in the winter and at night time sadly the same can't be said. Netherless the amount of projects ongoing and in the pipeline should alter this somewhat!

Paul D

July 28th, 2008, 02:03 PM

Phil’s proms spectacular
Jul 28 2008 by Catherine Jones, Liverpool Echo

PICNICKING music lovers enjoyed a night of pomp and fireworks during an open-air classical concert in Southport.

Crowds gathered at Victoria Park to watch the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Vasily Petrenko, perform some proms favourites including Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance march.

The Phil was joined by soprano Natasha Marsh and teenage singer George Gallagher from Bootle.

There was also a performance of Sefton Schools’ Project’s opera Itoku featuring hundreds of young performers.

The previous evening, M People Live and The Christians performed.

Thousands also turned out over the weekend to see Brouhaha Carnival performers on the streets of Southport and St Helens.

It ends this weekend with a colourful carnival parade in Liverpool’s Princes Park.

It seems our Lancashire cousins while retaing their posh facade had a great day celebrating some good old scouse culture.:nuts:

Chris B

August 6th, 2008, 12:16 PM

From the Daily Post -

Southport Flower Show launches programme for 2008

Aug 6 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

THE official programme for this year’s Southport Flower Show was launched yesterday.

One of the main themes for this year’s show, from August 21 to 24, is “growing your own produce”.

The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners will be exhibiting a magnificent allotment display garden at the Victoria Park event.

The programme was launched early in response to demand, giving visitors the opportunity to buy the programme with their tickets, or separately.

The show attracts up to 80,000 visitors over the four days it is held.

Advance tickets are £14, on the gate £17. Visit www.southportflowershow.co.uk or call 0844 847 1555.

From here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/08/06/southport-flower-show-launches-programme-for-2008-64375-21473530/

Chris B

August 19th, 2008, 12:55 PM

From the Echo -

Culture year theme for Southport Flower Show

Aug 19 2008 by Claire Ellicott, Liverpool Echo

GARDENERS were today gearing up for this year’s Southport Flower Show.

The UK’s largest independent flower show, which features more than one million blooms and themed gardens, opens on Thursday.

Liverpool was chosen as the theme for this year’s flower show to celebrate Capital of Culture.

Celebrity experts including Diarmuid Gavin, David Bellamy, Stefan Buczacki and Roddy Llewellyn will give advice at the show.

The event, which also features cookery demonstrations, falconry and live music, is being opened by singer Coleen Nolan.

The show’s chief executive David Jackson said: “All our gardens feature Liverpool landmarks and highlights of the city.”

Now in it’s 79th year, the flower show runs from August 21-24. It is expected to attract 80,000 people.

For more details and ticket information call 0844 847 1555 or go to www.southportflowershow.co.uk

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/08/19/culture-year-theme-for-southport-flower-show-100252-21558629/

Hmm, Liverpool as the theme. It's nice to see our neighbours getting involved in '08, but I bet it's riling a few people up the coast.

Medici

August 19th, 2008, 11:07 PM

Sorry southport is too Blue rinse for my tastes.

Chris B

August 20th, 2008, 11:26 AM

Further to yesterday's article -

From the Daily Post -

Flower show offers a taste of everything

Aug 20 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

SOUTHPORT Flower Show will blossom into life tomorrow, attracting about 80,000 visitors and some of the biggest names in horticulture over its four days.

Gardeners are putting the finishing touches to displays and tending the plants and flowers that will be on display in Victoria Park from 10am tomorrow.

This year, the show will have a 2008 Capital of Culture theme and will feature a flower-cover- ed Superlambanana called Dolly.

The show’s chief executive, David Jackson, said: “All our gardens feature Liverpool landmarks and highlights of the city.

“There is also a wealth of entertainment for children, much of which we’re providing free.

“It’s an ideal environment for children to learn about gardening from friendly, down to earth experts, like David Bellamy.”

Bellamy will join a host of green fingered gurus including Diarmuid Gavin and Roddy Llewellyn over the weekend.

Tomorrow morning, singer and ITV Loose Women presenter Coleen Nolan will officially get things under way, along with Gardener’s World expert Stefan Buczacki.

She said: “I’m a keen gardener myself so I’m looking forward to picking up some tips at the show.”

This year, some of the best tips will be for allotment gardeners, as the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) will be manning a grow your own display.

The gardeners will be helping visitors wanting to make vegetables and flowers flourish in the smallest places, such as a bucket.

The sheer scale of the show will exceed anything in the North West, and the Southport Flower Show Company has had to plough in more than £150,000 to replace the electrics on the 34 acres of Victoria Park .

The investment will pay dividends for the region as promoters estimate the economic knock-on will be close to £3.5m.

Unusual floral displays will once again be evident, and this year visitors will get an eyeful of a pink flower sculpture created to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Campaign.

The eye-catching tower has been on a mini UK tour which will end in Southport where show organisers will present the charity with a cheque for £22,000.

Children under 16 receive free entry when accompanied by a full paying visitor, and can enjoy the wide-ranging entertainment programme including live music, falconry and acrobatic displays.

From here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/08/20/flower-show-offers-a-taste-of-everything-64375-21566460/

WOTZDA POINT

August 21st, 2008, 01:12 AM

Interesting array of architecture i hope you get that 10 storey building.

Where's the sea though ? Although that lake makes up for the lack of sea in a way !

Shame about the funfair it's looks a shadow of it's former self.

The piers good although their isn't much at the end. Good view of Blackpool Tower and The Big One as you look over the sand still, no sea !

Pleasent big seaside town an alternative to the bigger faster Blackpool.

kat2

August 23rd, 2008, 10:47 PM

Southport august 23
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2790652660_2baf207789_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2789772641_fd384b2439_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/2790618074_ca53026bd9_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/2789764571_fc4604dccb_b.jpg

kat:)

kat2

August 23rd, 2008, 10:50 PM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2790606444_3ee2b6d24b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2789738895_689fbc5fd3_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2789734981_2cf32fdc30_b.jpg

kat:)

kat2

August 23rd, 2008, 10:55 PM

southport fair (ex pleasureland)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/2789750787_e6d50cc800_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2790596044_f5d0be7834_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2789742797_b3e0ac1d82_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2790602512_efab2600f5_b.jpg

kat:)

Chris B

August 24th, 2008, 12:26 AM

The new Floral Hall looks really smart, and gives a really positive impression of the town.

Speaking of the former Pleasureland site, has there been any further movement since Urban Splash were chosen as developers? The reason I ask is that New Pleasureland are still adding rides, including the pirate ship above which was purchased from a defunct park, plus required concrete foundations to be poured for it to stand on. If they were going to have to leave the site at the end of the season (mere weeks away), why go to that kind of expense and effort? Perhaps they will be granted an extension of the lease while firmer plans for the longer term use of the site are drawn up?

kat2

August 24th, 2008, 03:26 PM

Chris, they seem to be pooring more money into the fairground. One or two pleasureland themed rides had new signs on so, perhaps in this economic climate ?
kat

Chris B

August 24th, 2008, 04:43 PM

I suppose there may be a few reasons why they are continuing to invest money -

- They have been given a short-term lease extension into 2009.

- With the Urban Splash plans still being drawn up, perhaps they have/will attempt to become part of those plans, to continue to operate rides on a part of the site once developed.

- By adding new rides and attracting new customers, they are proving (as if proof were needed) that there is still a market for amusement rides in Southport. Therefore if they do have to move off site to somewhere else, (and I know of at least one other site that Dreamstorm own), and needed planning permission to operate there, by having a viable business, beneficial to the town, the council may be more inclined to grant permission.

- They simply wanted to do their best, and weren't going to skimp just because they only had a short-term lease - perhaps to convince the council that they do want to invest in Southport despite their plans not being selected for the future use of the site.

I suppose by the end of October we'll likely know what is going on, but for the time being, the site being used for a positive purpose is only a good thing.

kat2

August 24th, 2008, 11:57 PM

Chris, i couldnt agree with you more, however, its all down to costs and, in the past with the ex pleasure lands wrist band system, it wasnt always popular, i know and agree that the last straw was to charge to come on to the park. what we are seeing here is a few showmen whom have set up shop, each having their own insurance ect and no doubt like most travelling rides each will have their own costs (just like new brighton) however, the grounds itself was in poor condition, you had to watch were you walked for fear of tripping over. I think all sea side resorts should have an open area set aside for travelling fairgrounds a static site where they could hook up to services.
kat
the other factoring costs too are the cost of fuel to run the rides.

Chris B

August 25th, 2008, 12:40 AM

^^

Kat, I wasn't trying to re-open the debate regarding the closing of the old incarnation of Pleasureland. I was just addressing the fact that on many occasions (not necessarily on SSC), I've heard people comment that the operating of amusement rides in Southport isn't viable anymore, and as such isn't something that the town should be entertaining, yet clearly there is still an appetite for just that. I agree with you that all seaside resorts should have an area for amusement rides (whether transportable or static), to compliment the other ventures that our seaside resorts need to diversify into to, in order to survive.

Chris B

September 5th, 2008, 12:51 PM

From the Echo -

Waterfront hotel opens next month

Sep 5 2008 by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

A LUXURY £14.5m waterfront hotel will open in Merseyside next month.

The first guests at the four-star Ramada Plaza, on Southport’s Promenade, are set to arrive on October 23 as contractors race to apply the finishing touches to the building.

The 133-bedroom hotel is part of the massive £30m Waterfront development, which will feature an open-air plaza of restaurants and cafes and a casino when it launches in 2009.

Andrew Pyle, operations director for New World Group, the company running the hotel, said: “We have received a huge amount of bookings. Christmas and New Year are incredibly popular and we have reservations into 2010 and even one in 2011.

“We had high hopes, but the response has been even better than we thought.”

About 500 staff will work within the Waterfront complex, of which 50 will be employed at the hotel.

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/09/05/waterfront-hotel-opens-next-month-100252-21681810/

Chris B

September 5th, 2008, 12:53 PM

And in other Southport news -

Former club in danger of collapse

Sep 5 2008 by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

A FAMOUS Southport nightclub set to be turned into apartments is in danger of falling down.

Urgent work has been undertaken on the disused premises at the prestigious Kingsway building on Promenade.

Cracks have appeared in walls and parapets have become loose as fears grow about the structure’s instability.

The move by owner Bennett Property comes just weeks before it is due to unveil plans to replace the former club with a multi-storey development boasting apartments and space for eateries.

The Kingsway once hosted performances from acts such as The Beatles, Tom Jones and Cilla Black and was at the centre of the town’s dance music scene in the 1990s.

After closing for a period, it re-opened in 2006 as a nightclub, with a 6am licence.

But it later closed again and has since lain vacant.

In January 2007 the consortium Matila Properties Ltd announced initial proposals to re-develop the site with a 10-storey structure.

No planning application was lodged with Sefton council and the site was bought by Bennett Property around a year ago.

Bennett’s development director Alan Hegarty stressed that talks were still ongoing with council planners about the details of the mixed-used scheme.

A planning application to allow the development is expected to be lodged in around six weeks, he added.

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/09/05/former-club-in-danger-of-collapse-100252-21682029/

kat2

September 5th, 2008, 10:36 PM

http://www.createforum.com/newpleasureland/login.php?redirect=posting.php&mode=reply&t=162&sid=846580710a506e0dca2c3b973e62e6a2&mforum=newpleasureland

Paul D

September 6th, 2008, 01:22 PM

Airshow event to attract crowds

The Vulcan was heralded as one of the star attractions
About 150,000 people are expected to visit Merseyside over the weekend for the North West's biggest airshow.

Top military aircraft will be attending the 16th Southport Airshow to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the RAF.

As well as displays from a Tornado GR4 and Chinook helicopter, a Vulcan bomber will fly over the area for the first time in 15 years, organisers said.

Many aircraft taking off from Liverpool airport will fly along the Mersey in tribute to the Capital of Culture.

The world-famous Red Arrows display team are also appearing at the event, which started on Saturday despite the poor weather forecast.

Biggest programme

As well as air displays, the event features a host of stands, interactive and educational displays, hovercraft trips, simulators and children's activities.

Speaking ahead of the airshow, Sefton Council's tourism events manager, Peter Sandman, said: "The programme line-up for 2008 is by far bigger and better than in previous years.

"Not only is there so much to see in the form of aircraft in the sky, but on ground level visitors to the airshow will be astounded as well.

"We have really pulled out all the stops this year to make the airshow one to remember during European Capital of Culture Year, the RAF marking their 90th anniversary and John Lennon Airport celebrating their 75th anniversary."

Chris B

September 23rd, 2008, 07:42 PM

From what I'm hearing, Dreamstorm, the operators of New Pleasureland Southport, have been granted a lease extension to continue to operate amusement rides on the former Pleasureland site in 2009. I'm not sure what if anything this has to do with the recently reported difficulties being experienced by Urban Splash, but given the lack of recent news on the longer term development of the site, plus Dreamstorm installing static rides, I suppose a lease extension was to be expected. Given the situation, I think it was a 'no brainer' for Sefton Council. Either grant a lease extension and have an operating facility that attracts people to the town, or have a prominent site left derelict next year.

Chris B

December 27th, 2008, 02:16 PM

From the Daily Post -

Council calls for talks to end Pleasureland dispute

Dec 27 2008 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Daily Post

A SEFTON Council legal team wants to meet face-to-face with the former owners of the Southport Pleasureland fairground over its claim the site was left in a “dangerous” state before being sold.

The council is hoping to avoid a High Court battle as it sues Pleasureland Ltd over alleged damage done to the site.

In June, the Daily Post broke the news that the legal battle between Sefton and Pleasureland Ltd was looming.

Last Thursday, a behind-closed-doors meeting of the council’s urgent business committee confirmed a High Court hearing was approaching. Three senior councillors voted to organise a mediation hearing in the hope of reaching a settlement.

The minutes of the meeting say: “The Committee considered the joint report of the Chief Executive and the Legal Director which provided details of the intention to enter into a formal mediation process with Pleasureland Ltd prior to a potential hearing at the High Court, with the intention of reaching a settlement of the dispute regarding damage caused to the former Pleasureland site in 2007.”

Sefton paid Pleasureland Ltd £7.25m for the site last year after the company closed it in September, 2006, because it was no longer commercially viable.

The council’s labour group leader, Cllr Peter Dowd, said it was left in a “dangerous” state and light sockets had been ripped from the ceiling.

He said a hole had been left in the roof of one of the buildings after a crane had been used to remove machines from inside.

Sefton spent around £350,000 to make the site safe and secure following Pleasureland’s departure from the site, Cllr Dowd has said. He estimated the loss of earnings to the council at £500,000.

It is understood Pleasureland will argue it had permission to remove items from the site to use at its Blackpool Pleasure Beach operation, and vigorously deny any wrongdoing.

The Daily Post understands Pleasureland claim that the site was to be sold in a derelict state so that it could be re-developed.

The council leased it to Norman Wallis’s Dreamstorm group in June, 2007, until the end of the 2008 season. Mr Wallis had accused the previous owners of ‘vandalising’ Pleasureland to prevent competition.

He claimed the damage was done on purpose in an attempt to stop anyone making a success of the site.

He said: “It was completely trashed and it was done on purpose to stop people coming to Southport.

“They ripped out electric fittings, wiring, doors and windows.

“It was done to stop any firm operating on this site and competing with Blackpool.”

Pictures taken after the former owners left the site showed piles of wood and rubble, damaged Pleasureland signs, and damaged buildings.

Pleasureland first opened in the resort in 1912.

From here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2008/12/27/council-calls-for-talks-to-end-pleasureland-dispute-64375-22555980/

Tony Sebo

December 29th, 2008, 10:01 PM

ah, so much for lancashire solidarity!

Awayo

December 29th, 2008, 10:03 PM

The Blackpool Pleasurebeach Company are shitehawks.

Tom Hughes

December 30th, 2008, 01:18 PM

I agree with Tony. It's a shame since I always preferred Southport to Blackpool for several reasons. Blackpool always seemed to shout everything that was tacky and poor quality about the aging British seaside resort. Southport on the otherhand seemed to have at least a bit of grandeur and was far superior in layout and architecture IMO. However, the misplaced snobbery and insistence by so many Southport residents regarding their Lancashire as opposed to Greater Liverpool identity as backfired on them as Blackpool attempts to turn Southport into Lancashire's New Brighton. Southport forgot who its real friends were and always seemed too quick to ignore the fact that probably the greatest proportion of people spending money in their resort were Liverpool people. Perhaps we should reclaim our crabbing rights at the real New Brighton which is also trying to turn back the years, and at least didn't harbour such snobbery (or did it?).

Babaloo

December 30th, 2008, 02:56 PM

I prefer New Brighton to both. Southport is one dull town. I do have sympathy for its angst about 'Merseyside' though - unlike Warrington and Ellesmere Port that are actually on the banks of the Mersey, Southport faces the Irish Sea. Choosing the term 'Merseyside' to describe the metropolitan area was ill thought through and geographically inaccurate.

Southport does have quite a history of being a Lancastrian resort and lots of people from Preston, Leyland and Chorley still go there to shop and have a bit of a day out. 50 years ago it would have been much more conspicuously Lancastrian than it is now. The same goes for St Helens and Widnes, Prescot, too! In such areas ambivalence and resentment is to be expected and except for a few extremists it's just people enjoying themselves having a moan.

Historically the first people to complain about Liverpool were ex-Liverpudlians themselves after they fled over the water from the mid 18C onwards to breathe in the sweet Cheshire air. If you see maps of the Wirral peninsular for this time it's dotted with the large residences and halls of Liverpool's merchant class. The Eastham ferry was once a busy commuter route!

Interestingly, in the past, quite a few commentators on the BBC have talked about Southport in Lancashire. Post Gerrard's arrest, Southport is firmly reported as being in Merseyside. No doubt this will ruffle the feathers of the few dozen people in the Lancs, thanks brigade and letters will be sent to the local paper. We all need something to whinge about.

Paul D

December 30th, 2008, 06:08 PM

Some say some day one of these fine nights
The council’s gonna ask Radiohead to switch off Blackpool lights.

Chris B

January 7th, 2009, 02:35 PM

From the Echo -

A night of music and fireworks

Jan 7 2009 by Helen Hunt, Liverpool Echo

SOUTHPORT will host the 2009 British Musical Fireworks Championships.

It is the 11th time the resort has hosted the event which attracts thousands of spectators.

Seven firms have been picked to compete and will battle it out for the title in autumn.

Last year’s Champion of Champions event saw Jubilee Fireworks crowned as winners.

Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Paul Tweed, recently made the official draw for this year.

The 2009 line up includes Dragonfire Ltd, Selstar Fireworks, A40 Fireworks Ltd, Fireworx Scotland, Essex Pyrotechnics, Star Fireworks and Fantastic Fireworks.

They will fight for the title through a series of spectacular displays, which will be held on three consecutive evenings.

Two on Friday, October 9, three on Saturday, October 10 and a further two on Sunday, October 11.

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/01/07/a-night-of-music-and-fireworks-100252-22623225/

kat2

January 14th, 2009, 06:30 PM

http://www.camserv.co.uk/neptune/

now regularly updates of southport.

ferge

March 16th, 2009, 05:56 PM

Does anyone know how the Scarisbrick Avenue development is going? It's been about 5 months since I last saw progress (before I moved away from the area) yet I'm using it as a case study for my dissertation, and the internet not giving away any clues of progression..

..Wouldn't want to trek all way up to Southport to see work is no further (need to take some photographs).

kat2

March 16th, 2009, 09:35 PM

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.asp?MId=1554
on the above agenda
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.promenadewest.co.uk/assets/images/renders/render4_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.promenadewest.co.uk/&usg=__5HuNXQUhQAwg3OQPrkXjtHMgrlU=&h=225&w=300&sz=48&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=rTHeExvM5O6NAM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsouthport%2BScarisbrick%2BAvenue%2Bdevelopment%26hl%3Den%26cr%3DcountryUK%257CcountryGB%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

More here with picture
http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=8853

markonasty

March 16th, 2009, 10:03 PM

You also might want to look at the following:

http://www.southportthi.co.uk/

ferge check your PM's and get back to me if you want to know any more information on the project.

ferge

March 16th, 2009, 10:07 PM

Thanks for the help, I've been keeping an eye on those sites.. just seem to have gone a bit quiet, I'll have to trek up and see how its going, get some snaps..

Thanks for the PM, Markonasty.. I'll drop you an e-mail tomorrow to clarify what I'm researching, ta :)

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 08:57 PM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3836942185_b6b475f5bc.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3837713264_d32d903307.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 08:59 PM

Southport updates
ramada hotel
pleasureland
prom sculptures
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3837734972_d34ae20dd5.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/3836940227_13dbde9b25_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2458/3836920715_4e3345d63b_b.jpg

Ramada hotel

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:05 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/3836919319_c8a18a75a0_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3837707298_7d633b3207_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/3836911257_cc61c329d0_b.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:06 PM

Pleasureland
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2573/3836935289_64daa7f88b_b.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:09 PM

sculptures
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3837701034_abc3754743.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/3837699508_df38c6f1b9.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3837729694_17592b37f8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3837734972_d34ae20dd5.jpg
southport

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:12 PM

Pleasureland
August 19th 2009
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3836929201_9682cc0ae5.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2427/3837718478_2e70804686.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:13 PM

Pleasureland

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2604/3836933723_7c45ebe35f.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/3837723676_3481542ec4.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/3836930719_e67ea21843.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:17 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2557/3836925527_8230d1450d_b.jpg

kat2

August 19th, 2009, 09:18 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2488/3837714950_34696c65bf.jpg

August pleasureland updates

Awayo

August 19th, 2009, 09:26 PM

^^I operated that ride one summer. Somebody shat himself on it once.

Medici

August 19th, 2009, 09:32 PM

^^I operated that ride one summer. Somebody shat himself on it once.

didn't know you were a traveller

Awayo

August 19th, 2009, 10:37 PM

It's static. Thankfully, I'm not.

CDX

September 8th, 2009, 09:23 PM

Don't know whether this is of any interest, a tender that was issued last week:
Southport Cultural Centre.
http://www.publictenders.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=94669
...
The contract is for the major refurbishment of the existing Southport Arts Centre and adjoining Atkinson Art Gallery and Southport Central Library to create a new Southport Cultural Centre. The works consist of internal reconfiguration to improve accessibility and linkages between the various facilities within the building, renewal and improvements to the M&E to improve efficiency, reconfiguration within the theatres and library spaces, introduction of new café and toilet facilities and enhancements of the gallery spaces.

The existing buildings are listed 140 year old buildings are listed and situated in a prominent location on Lord St. The project is a key element in continued regeneration of Southport Town centre and is aimed at providing facilities to attract higher profile exhibitions and performances with a view to increasing visitor numbers to the resort.
...
Funding for the project has been derived from NWDA, Sea Change, Heritage Lottery Fund, and Sefton Council. The Sea Change grant in particular has given the project a national profile and is, therefore being closely scrutinised.
...
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 12 000 000 and 14 000 000 GBP.

Chris B

September 9th, 2009, 10:38 AM

From the Daily Post -

Pontin’s reveal plans for £100m redevelopment of Ainsdale park

Sep 9 2009 by Nick Moreton, Liverpool Daily Post

PONTIN’S has revealed plans for a multi-million pound redevelopment of its holiday park in Ainsdale.

Owners Ocean Parcs say the £100m rebuild will create over 850 park and construction jobs at the Shore Road site.

Talks are now under way with local authorities and stakeholders, prior to the submission of a detailed planning application for the scheme.

Ocean Parcs anticipates the development will take between three and five years, subject to planning application approval.

Today’s announcement is further to the £50m investment announced in February.

The new park, which Pontin's says will be “unique” in the UK, will include “next-generation” eco-friendly holiday accommodation, a hotel and conference facility, shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, and an iconic Lido and health club.

It is also intended that the facilities will be available to non- guests, further enhancing Ainsdale as a leisure and holiday destination.

Article continues here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2009/09/09/pontin-s-reveal-plans-for-100m-redevelopment-of-ainsdale-park-92534-24641058/

Awayo

September 9th, 2009, 11:04 AM

I noticed that the Stalag Luft razor wire perimeter fences were gone last time I drove past and so the place is already on the up.

Paul D

September 25th, 2009, 07:01 PM

Southport Air Show, the biggest aviation display in the North West, takes place this weekend at Southport beach.

The show opens with light aircraft landing on the beach at 0900 and there is a series of displays throughout the morning from the Model Aero Club, the dog display team and a helicopter landing.

The main flying display starts approximately 1230 - 1700 on both days with the Red Arrows appearing at 1245 on Saturday 26 September and 1300 on Sunday 27 September 2009.

There is also lots of activity on the ground including the Air Show trade village, Aviation Marquee, simulators and other entertainment.

The Southport Air Show takes place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2009.

For more information, visit Southport Air Show website

ferge

September 25th, 2009, 10:56 PM

Ah the Southport Airshow.. I'd never been to it but when I lived in Southport I used to see bits and bobs of it.. Amazing stuff (and I'm not really into Aviation stuff) There's just so many different things to see, usually more than one display at a time - really good, I may have to try and go on Sunday :|

Comdot

September 25th, 2009, 11:01 PM

used to watch the red arrows from my grandparents' garden when they lived there. happy days. :)

Paul D

September 28th, 2009, 04:00 PM

Up to 90,000 attend record breaking Southport Air Show
Sep 28 2009
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/456/southportairshow2009382.jpg (http://img200.imageshack.us/i/southportairshow2009382.jpg/)

A BREATH-TAKING aerial display thrilled the aviation enthusiasts who descended on the annual Southport Airshow this weekend.

Organisers estimated up to 90,000 people lined the sea front on Saturday and Sunday for what is being hailed as the resort’s most successful airshow ever.

Seventy years after the start of World War II, the crowds paid tribute to “The Few” during a Battle of Britain memorial flight featuring three of the most prominent military aircraft in history – the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Lancaster bomber.

The 21st century’s most technically advanced fighter the Typhoon jet, otherwise known as the Eurofighter, also wowed the crowds with its awesome display of speed.

The airshow, which was celebrating its 17th year as the biggest aviation display in the North West, saw thrilling sequences from the Guinot wingwalking team as well as the Royal Navy Black Cats and the Swift glider display team.

And one of the most impressive planes ever constructed, the legendary Vulcan bomber, provided a rare treat for enthusiasts when it closed the show on Sunday evening.

The Vulcan XH558 which took to the skies last night is the only remaining airworthy Vulcan left and was flying thanks to a £7m restoration which saw it return to the skies in 2008 following retirement in 1993.

But perhaps the most eagerly anticipated performance of the weekend for the picnicking families on the sands was by the Red Arrows who roared over the beach from the east for a dramatic display.

Fran Sharples, from Leyland, was at the show celebrating her 64th birthday with her husband.

She said: “We last came about 15 years ago. But we really like the Red Arrows and we’ve just come to see them really.”

Chris B

February 8th, 2010, 01:24 PM

From the Echo -

Plans for boutique hotel in Southport

Feb 8 2010 by John Siddle

A DERELICT hotel is to undergo a £5m transformation.

The historic Carlton, on Southport’s Lord Street, is set to be given a new lease of life as a luxury boutique hotel.

Millionaire entrepreneur Mike McComb has applied to Sefton council for planning permission for the scheme.

The century-old five-storey building – once called the Red Rum Hotel – has been structurally unsound after falling into disuse in recent years.

Mr McComb intends to create a 30-bed hotel, featuring 300-capacity conference facilities, restaurant and bar. A glass-box penthouse with its own private roof terrace, would have sweeping views across Southport and the coast.

Two major hotel chains are in talks to run the hotel.

If permission is granted on Wednesday, the scheme could be completed by 2011.

From here - http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2010/02/08/plans-for-boutique-hotel-in-southport-100252-25783985/

Awayo

February 8th, 2010, 01:41 PM

They missed a trick there. Instead of burying him at the Aintree finish line they should have stuffed Red Rum and placed him in the foyer.

Babaloo

February 8th, 2010, 02:37 PM

it's just a pity that the night life in Southport isn't a bit more 'boutique'. We stayed on a few months back and it was fucking rough.

Pardon my French.

markonasty

February 8th, 2010, 09:52 PM

it's just a pity that the night life in Southport isn't a bit more 'boutique'. We stayed on a few months back and it was fucking rough.

Pardon my French.

It is something we are aware off and we are implementing the necessary priorities and actions points to address the problem.

Chris B

March 22nd, 2010, 01:28 PM

From the Daily Post -

Urban Splash reaffirms commitment to Liverpool Lime Street and Southport's Pleasureland

Mar 22 2010 Liverpool Daily Post

LEADING developer Urban Splash last night reaffirmed its commitment to two key Merseyside regeneration projects – despite progress on both appearing to stall.

The company has been working on plans for Liverpool’s landmark former ABC cinema on Lime Street and Southport’s former Pleasureland complex for several years.

But the firm, which made its name regenerating northern inner cities, was hit hard by the credit crunch and was forced to cut jobs to cut costs.

Chairman Tom Bloxham said Urban Splash is still determined to do something “very special” with the sites, but that it was not in position to make any announcements yet.

Mr Bloxham said the company was committed to both the ABC Cinema and the former Pleasureland site.

He said: “There’s no big announcement coming on these schemes. We are making progress and we have got a number of interesting ideas. But the current environment makes it more difficult.”

Full article here - http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/03/22/urban-splash-reaffirms-commitment-to-liverpool-lime-street-and-southport-s-pleasureland-92534-26081951/

I've crossed-posted this to the Lime Street thread as it's equally relevant there.

If they're not in a position to do something with these sites, I think they should do a deal for someone who is in a position to do something with them to take ownership. Dreamstorm want to invest millions in the Pleasureland site. However because Sefton Council won't give them a long term lease - it just gets renewed 12 months at a time - they understandably won't invest larger sums. When you have someone chomping at the bit to invest money, why knock them back in favour of someone who, by their own admission, is still knocking around ideas, and isn't close to even making an announcement for the future regeneration of the site?