Town enjoys an investment boom

SOUTHPORT is busy preparing for an exciting year in 2026 with some huge developments taking shape and multi millions pounds in investment flowing into the Town. Here are 10 of the biggest redevelopment projects you will see taking shape and moving forwards this year.  These schemes, some of which have been inspired by the £37.5 million Southport Town Deal regeneration support from the Government, are set to act as a catalyst for more investment coming in. There are a couple more huge projects due to be announced in the coming weeks in what will be a huge year of change for Southport, at a time when the eyes of the world will be on our Town with the 2026 Open Golf Championship taking place, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. 

1 - Southport Town Hall Gardens… Southport Town Hall Gardens will undergo a £10 million transformation this year; fuelled by love.  This substantial legacy project has been proposed by; and will be led by; the families of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar, and Bebe King. Their collective vision is for a new Town square and gardens that will be a child friendly and family focused flexible events space that will provide a lasting positive legacy for their girls. Lady Marina Dalglish MBE has been appointed as Independent Chair of the project board. She will sit alongside the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie and funders as the ambitious legacy project progresses. The historic space will undergo its most significant regeneration ever, creating a family friendly, child orientated, and safe open-air performance and gathering space as a lasting:- 'thank you' to the people of the Town. Alice, Bebe and Elsie, whose shared love of dance, music and the arts have inspired the vision, which will lead to the creation of an inclusive community focussed events space.

2 - Bebe's Hive... A few steps away from the Town Hall Gardens will be the new Bebe's Hive, after the charity unveiled plans to open its new home. Bebe's Hive was launched last year to offer a safe, creative place for children to explore grief in their own way. It was born from the loss of much loved Bebe King, aged 6; rooted in love; and guided by Bebe. It will be situated inside the former Sefton Council 1 Stop office inside Cambridge Arcade. It's just a few steps away from the Town Hall Gardens, which are about to be transformed into an exciting new family-friendly events space in a £10 million redevelopment led by the families of Bebe. Elsie and Alice. Bebe's Hive said:- "The Hive has a Home.  This location couldn't feel more right. It sits close to some of Bebe's favourite places; the library and The Atkinson, but also near the very spot where our community gathered to hold us in love after we lost Bebe, Elsie and Alice. It's also next to the future Town Hall Gardens, a place full of hope and togetherness. The site has so much unlocked potential! It's a big job ahead, but 1 we are ready to take on with love, determination, and the support of our Hivers."

3 - Southport Pier restoration… Major restoration works on Southport Pier are due to begin in early 2026. The transformation of the second longest pier in the UK;  it comprises 68 bays and is 1,108 metres in length, is expected to take 14 months to complete and is expected to reopen in 2027. In September last year, the Government allocated up to £20 million from the Growth Mission fund for Southport Pier repairs to be carried out subject to a full business case. Southport Pier is estimated to generate £15 million a year  for the Southport economy and has been badly missed since its closure in December 2022. It will complement other regeneration schemes taking shape in the Marine Lake and seafront area. 

4 - Marine Lake Events Centre and Light Fantastic… The operator of the Marine Lake Events Centre and Light Fantastic, ASM Global, is in place and ready to go. Now we await the official appointment of the contractor due to build this impressive £73 million attraction on the Promenade. It is the central scheme of Southport Town Deal. DSM has successfully demolished the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre (STCC) which has enabled them to move onto critical enabling works. As final options are being considered on the main contract the project team are bringing works packages forward to ensure site activity continues. This includes:- completing detailed design of the new ramp that needs to be constructed to allow further mains works to commence. Work is ongoing to appoint a contractor for the main works contract with a target date of March 2026.

5 - Cove Resort... Plans are progressing to create the new £75 million Cove Resort in Southport. Cove Resort will be a major new tourist attraction on the Esplanade site in Southport, with stunning views looking out across the Irish Sea.   Visitors will be able to experience multiple leisure activities including:- an outdoor lagoon, an extensive thermal spa and other facilities. A large 4 star hotel on site will complement the resort's leisure offer.  The state of the art new attraction is due to be built on the former Esplanade park and ride site, between:- Victoria Park and Southport Beach.  On Thursday, 5 February 2026, Councillors, on Sefton Council's Cabinet, will meet to discuss an options appraisal and recommendation for the proposed disposal of the Esplanade park and ride site for development by Cove Resort. 

6 - Ainsdale Coastal Gateway… Sefton Council has unveiled a new exciting vision for the future of the gateway to the coast at Ainsdale, following previous consultation exercises with residents and stakeholders. The proposed plans for Nature Led Regeneration are designed to create a vibrant, sustainable coastal destination that enhances visitor experience while protecting the area's unique natural environment. There will be an update on the Ainsdale Coastal Gateway Vision Implementation at Sefton Council's Cabinet meeting was held:- Thursday, 8 January 2026. The vision places Ainsdale's internationally significant dune systems, rare wildlife and seascape at the heart of its regeneration. As part of this nature led vision, Sefton Council is committed to maintaining and enhancing the formally protected habitats that make Ainsdale internationally significant. 1 key recommendation already made is the demolition of Toad Hall, which has been deemed structurally unsafe and beyond any viable restoration. In the short term, the demolition of Toad Hall would create space for new surface car parking. In the longer term, the site is earmarked for the development of a purpose built Visitor Centre and high quality public space. Sefton Council is close to agreeing the disposal of The Sands. The proposals would include a new hospitality and visitor accommodation offering, with improved links to Sands Lake, and enhancements including:- upgraded boardwalks and better signage. The Pontins site is integral to this vision, and the Council is in ongoing discussions with the leaseholder of the site regarding the future of the former holiday park site.  Sefton Council is keen to see the creation of:- "a world class visitor destination with high-quality accommodation."

7 - The Garrick… Work to redevelop the iconic former Garrick Theatre site in Southport to become the UK's 1st Theatre Spa Hotel is due to begin in May 2026. The transformation of the historic Art Deco building on Lord Street is 1 of the most ambitious projects taking place in the Town. Planning permission has been granted by Sefton Council for Garrick Southport Ltd. to provide residential, hotel, spa and retail units, along with a new theatre and events space.

Ambitious plans for the unique building, which opened in 1932, include:-

• A hotel providing 137 No. rooms.
  

• 11 residential apartments including:- a terrace and pool at 4th floor.
  

• Various commercial units.
  

• A gym and spa.
  

• Bar and restaurant.
  

• Refurbishment of the existing event auditorium.
  

• Construction of a lift to the rear.
  

• A rooftop extension to provide 5 additional floors.
  

• A new canopy to the front.

2 successful commercial outlets are already operating, both local independent businesses:- PWR Box Studio and Raw superfood. More ground floor commercial units will be created this year with work taking place on the facade of The Garrick. By the end of this year, the front of The Garrick should look how it does in the concept images which have been previously released. 

8 - EFT Group… 1 of Southport's fastest growing businesses is getting ready to expand into bigger new premises in the Town.  EFT Group, which is currently based in:- Cobden House, on Cobden Road in Southport and recently celebrated its 50th Birthday, is looking forward to moving into 3 large units at:- Southport Business Park, on Wight Moss Way, Southport. The Group consists of EFT Construction and EFT Systems, a combination of businesses that provides a unique partnership to build, protect and maintain clients' property, life safety and security assets.The business also aims to provide further employment opportunities through developing small starter / hybrid units to encourage further economic activity in the area. EFT Group has always been heavily invested in the local area, and last year won the Sefton Business In The Community Award at the 2025 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards. EFT Group  is due to move into plots F, G and H at Southport Business Park to enable the firm to grow.

9 - Sefton Padel... Get ready to play Padel this Spring! Players will be able to enjoy 5 courts at Birkdale Padel, plus 3 refurbished tennis courts, at Victoria Park, Southport.  In a boost for park users, a new grab and go coffee kiosk will also open to the public and park visitors.

The Birkdale site will feature:-

• 5 padel courts in total (with Phase 1 and 2 uncovered courts live for Spring, and Phase 2 and 3 covered courts ready by end of Summer)
  

• Vending for balls and racket hire.
  

• 3 refurbished tennis courts.
  

• Changing rooms, toilets and showers.
  

• A grab and go coffee kiosk open to the public and Victoria Park visitors.

10 - Footy Nation… The UK's 1st football skills park is opening in Southport this year. Construction work on the exciting new Footy Nation facility has begun at:- Ocean Plaza Leisure Park, near Southport's seafront. Footy Nation is transforming 2 units previously occupied by the Chinese Buffet and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. It will be a superb addition to the other family attractions already at:- Ocean Plaza, which include:- Vue Cinema, Premier Bowl and Laser and Playtown. Footy Nation is owned by husband and wife Michelle Ball and Matthew Ball who want to open in Southport before rolling their concept out to locations across the UK. Footy Nation will be an innovative new football skills park, with some new immersive features that children are going to love. This exciting, welcoming football themed space will be a place where people can have fun and improve their game. 

11 - Former BHS building… This is how the former BHS / Broadbents store in Southport Town Centre will look when work is complete. A team of workers is currently busy on site, with scaffolding installed to the front of the landmark Victorian era building, built in 1871, and along the Corporation Street side. The scheme is being driven by new owners APG Capital, which purchased the development from previous owners JSM Group. Planning permission was granted by Sefton Council in 2022 to convert the upper floors (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors) of the former BHS / Broadbents department store into 30 new self-contained apartments. The scheme would also include a new roof terrace. The ground floor already contains some commercial space, including:- the Hugo Lounge cafe, although some vacant space is also available.  The development will feature 27, 2 bedroom and 3 1bedroom apartments, designed to meet modern living standards in a prime Town Centre location. It will be a huge boost for Chapel Street and for Cambridge Arcade.

12 - Southport Visiter building… The historic former Southport Visiter Office, at:- 26 to 32 Tulketh Street in Southport Town Centre, is in the process of being converted into 26 self contained flats on the 1st and 2nd floors. The ground floor, adjacent to the Sports Direct complex, is being divided and converted into 3 new commercial / retail units.  The building was occupied by the Southport Visiter newspaper and website, part of Reach Plc, from the 1890s until its sudden closure in 2016. It had been in the site for over a century with dozens of journalists, photographers, printers, advertising executives and others working there at its height. The building was also a temporary home to Southport Library for 4 years, while work on The Atkinson was taking place, following a successful campaign by former Coronation Street star and librarian Jean Alexander (Hilda Ogden). Wallford Ltd in Middleton is leading the scheme.

13 - Leo's Bar building… 1 of Southport's most magnificent art deco landmarks, the former Leo's Bar building on Bevill Street, continues to enjoy building work, supported by the Southport Town Heritage Project. It was built in the Victorian era with a later Art Deco addition to the main frontage.  The existing building has most recently been occupied by Leo's Bar on the ground floor with storage and function rooms on the 1st floor, but has fallen into disrepair in recent years. The transformation of the former Leo's building at:- 42-50 Nevill Street in Southport Town Centre will bring:- "significant positive regeneration benefits" to the area.

Sefton Council has approved a planning application to divide the existing Leo's bar on the ground floor into 1 pub and 2 retail units. Change of use of the 1st and 2nd floors to form 6 new residential dwellings comprising 2, 2 bedroom flats and 4 studio flats The building has had many uses over the years, including:- Leo's Bar, Berni Inn and Thorps Restaurant. 

14 - Eastbank Enterprise Arcade… Work is now complete. Hatters Digital Marketing Agency has been confirmed as the 1st tenant, with a number of other prospective tenants in discussions on terms. The Ground Floor, a Food and Beverage led unit, is in design with an occupier and terms are in discussion. There is additional development of space within the Eastbank Enterprise Arcade to enhance the existing offer. 1 attraction of the scheme is that the public realm work on the Southport Market Quarter is now complete. 

15 - Southport Market Quarter… Last year's £6.25 million public realm improvements in the Market Quarter under:- 'Les Transformation de Southport' is now complete.

Phase 1 of the improvement works saw the pedestrianisation on Market Street - King Street becoming a one-way street, and several enhancements to Eastbank Street.  The most visible elements of the work are the introduction of new paving, the excavation for tree pits and rainwater gardens which are a feature of the completed works. It has already had an economic impact, with the opening of Harper's fish and chip restaurant on Eastbank Street, the opening of Catherine's restaurant on King Street - and with Crumbs and Grind Co due to open on Market Street in April.

Phase 2 of Les Transformation de Southport will focus on The Promenade.

16 - Waterfront Southport Hotel and Waterfront site… Numerous potential buyers have registered their interest in taking over the former Bliss Hotel in Southport. Will we see a big announcement this year, ahead of The Open golf championship coming to Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport?  The sale would be a going concern, with the 4 star hotel currently still operational. The hotel is in a prime site, next to the site for the new £73 million Marine Lake Events Centre and the light show on the Marine Lake. The previous owners of Bliss Hotel had unveiled their ambitious vision for the former:- Genting Casino site adjacent to Bliss Hotel, which included 2 multi storey buildings for a new hotel / shared office space / leisure / gym / residential / retail in addition to new winter gardens.
Could we see something similar under new owners for the site? 

17 - Wetherspoon Hotel… The Victorian building in Southport Town Centre which houses the Sir Henry Segrave Wetherspoon pub on the ground floor will be transformed into a brand new 30 bedroom Wetherspoon Hotel after planning permission was granted last year. Sefton Council says the conversion of the 19th Century 4 storey Pavilion Buildings, at 93 to 97 Lord Street will:- "restore the features of a building that have fallen into disrepair and bring back into use the vacant upper floor areas to secure its long term viability. " The Wetherspoon scheme will see the revamp of its current Sir Henry Segrave pub site on the ground floor with a bigger public house customer area. The upper floors, which were empty for several years having previously been used as Council offices, will be converted into 30 ensuite hotel rooms. In a report, Sefton Council Chief Planning Officer Derek McKenzie said:- "The proposed development would support the vitality and viability of the Town Centre." Wetherspoon is yet to announce a start date for the work.

18 - Southport FC and KGV new sports facilities… Work is progressing well on new sports pitches at KGV 6th Form College in Southport. It's the result of a promising partnership between:- Southport Education Group and Southport Football Club that is seeing significant investment in the sports facilities at the College. As part of this collaboration, the playing fields at KGV are being be completely refreshed, creating 2 full size football pitches and 1 9 a side pitch.  These top quality facilities will be used by College students during the day and will serve as the official training ground for Southport FC. This regeneration of the football fields has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Old Georgians' Association and the KGV Education Foundation, whose continued commitment to the legacy and future of KGV 6th Form has enabled this transformational project to go ahead.  Their investment will ensure that current and future students benefit from exceptional sporting facilities for years to come.

19 - Willow Grove site… There has been substantial interest in the former Willow Grove Wetherspoon building on Lord Street / Nevill Street in Southport Town Centre after it was divided into 3 new units in a bid to revitalise the site. Expect announcements over new tenants this year.  The Grade II Listed building at 387-389 Lord Street, which is believed to have been built in the 1880s, has been vacant since Wetherspoon closed the pub in April 2023. Wetherspoon still operates the Sir Henry Segrave pub at the southern end of Lord Street, and has also had planning permission granted to to build a new 30 bed hotel on Lord Street. The owners of:- 387 to 389 Lord Street say that:- "there have been enquiries made" with a real demand for smaller units but little appetite among operators to take on the whole building. A previous marketing exercise said that:- "the site has an exciting flexibility to reopen as a pub, bar, restaurant, or social / immersive leisure venue. "

20 - Next at Meols Cop retail park… Next will open its much anticipated new store at Meols Cop retail park in Southport this year.  It is part of the recent rejuvenation of the park, which in recent months has seen the expansion of Home Bargains; the opening of a huge new Sainsbury's and Argos superstore; and the arrival of other new tenants such as:- Mountain Warehouse and PureGym.  Next will open in the former Currys Unit, at:- 2A Meols Cop Retail Park with building work ongoing.  Next closed its shop on Lord Street in Southport Town Centre on:- 28 January 2023, but still operates a shop at:- Central 12 Retail Park, on Derby Road in Southport.

21 - Debenhams building… Work on the former Debenhams department store in Southport Town Centre into a thriving new development will continue the resurgence of the:-:- 'Northern Quarter' in the Lord Street area.  It will add to other quality developments in recent years such as:- The Grand, the Lord Street Hotel, the revamp of The Bold, the expansion of Volare and more.  Phase 1 of the:- 'comprehensive' Debenhams will see the restoration of the beautiful Victoria era frontage on Lord Street into 4 new shops, restaurants or bars, in order to:- "return it to its former splendour. "

The upper floors would then become: -

• Series of small retail / office / craft spaces.
  

• 20 new apart hotel rooms overlooking Stanley Street.
  

• Residential apartments overlooking Lord Street.
  

• Café in the 1st floor courtyard.

The ambitious plans have been drawn up by Southport firm RAL Architects and granted planning permission by Sefton Council.