by Over the summer we’ll be exploring the pulse of our most famous traditional seaside towns, examining the efforts being made to rejuvenate them, and wondering which are still worth visiting. This week, David Atkinson explores Southport.
Some call it the Paris of the North; others Birkenhead by sea. The seaside resort of Southport, located on the Sefton coast north of Liverpool, was a famous place for genteel recreation in its Victorian days. Lord Street, the elegant tree-lined boulevard, had shady gardens and glass-canopied arcades. No wonder Napoleon III, who was in exile in the UK, pushed the blueprint for the Champs-Elysées after a visit in 1838.
Mass sacré bleu! The town recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons after Pontins suddenly closed its Southport holiday park. Travel Telegraph Meanwhile, writer Chris Moss rated Southport as the 14th worst seaside town in the UK.
Walking in the footsteps of Napoleon III, I find a somewhat elegiac combination of rich heritage and faded grandeur. The Victorian buildings of Lord Street, as captured in Fortunino Matania of Southport’s jazz era publicity posters (on display in the Atkinson), still make a statement. The statue of Queen Victoria is still regal, and the art deco Mermaid Fountain at St George’s Place still floats with frogs spouting water. But they all need some love.
The resort first attracted visitors when sea bathing on the Sefton coast became popular in the late 1700s. By the 1840s, it was the place for rich Lancastrian industrialists to take in the salty air. These days, the big draws are the Southport Flower Show in August (celebrating its centenary this summer) and the British Musical Fireworks Championship in September.
There is, however, regenerative greenery and plans to refurbish the former art deco Garrick Theater into a 109-room hotel, spa and theatre. Local independents are opening among the back streets and there are plans for a waterfront revitalization. Hold steady my emperor! Southport is a work in progress.
What is it really like?
Southport feels like a resort waiting for something – and preferably without another Poundland, the first thing you see when you leave the train station. But exploring the backstreets pays off. Personally, I could spend an afternoon wandering around Victorian arcades. The two-level Wayfarers Arch, built in 1898, is a study in wrought iron and glass; Cambridge Arcade has been restored to its 1850s glory with a glass canopy now shielding local businesses, such as Mersey micropub the Tap and Bottle.
There’s a craft ale bar and bottle shop, with the sign outside announcing that it’s “good enough for John Cooper Clarke and the man from Countryfile (not John Craven)”. I’ve also been hit by Quicksilver Music near Southport Market, a gold mine for vintage vinyl.
A base at the Waterfront Southport Hotel (doubles from £99 B&B) on the Marine Lake offers views across the transforming sea, where plans are underway to transform the closed Southport Theater and Conference Center into the Marine Lakeside Events Center (MLEC). . for the 2027 season. The Lakeside Inn, which claims to be Britain’s smallest pub, may need a lick of paint, but a sunset walk around the lake gives a glimpse of Southport’s future.
The wider coast also has plenty to offer, with Anthony Gormley’s Another Place art installation at Crosby Beach. Sefton’s 21-mile coastline is part of the King Charles III Coastal Path, its dunes and woodland a haven for rare species, such as the grebe, sand lizard and red squirrel. The nearby Royal Birkdale Golf Club will host the first Open Championship in July 2026.
What don’t you like?
Most people wonder: where is the beach? It is situated across from the Sea Bridge, but there are much more impressive big sky views and skim-washed sand dunes to be found further down the coast.
Back on the other side of Loch Na Mara, the southern side of the promenade, dominated by Pleasureland amusement park and Splash World water park, is far from the Victorian days as one of the main health resorts in Britain with a hustle and bustle of hydropathic hotels. . In 1860, the mayor, Samuel Boothroyd, requested that the town be declared a “resort for invalid visitors”, to promote it. I doubt he had in mind the bright-pink swan pedalos dotting the lake in the King’s Gardens.
The post-Victorian baths are also crying out for a new owner and a bit of TLC. Across town, meanwhile, Chapel Street isn’t the best entrance to the city, with its seedy chain stores and vape shops. It’s a shame because, five minutes away in London Square, Southport opens itself up to reveal the heritage buildings that it carries like a treasure.
Do this…
Although the Atkinson is better known as the town’s cultural space, with its winning mix of theatre, gallery and museum, my personal favorite was the Southport Bijou Cinema. It is a charming community cinema located in an easy to find passageway behind Sainsburys. The former Victorian postmaster’s house is now equipped with a 75-seat cinema, showing classic and art films, as well as a cozy cafe-bar with vintage posters of Nosferatu and Casablanca, among others. Expect evening performances, weekend matinees and live music.
Eat this…
Forget the fish and chip tsunami and head to Southport’s revamped market hall (open Wednesday) for street food, drinks and live music all day. Locals rate Mexican and Greek street food, as well as Cake Corner for waffles and crepes. It is dog friendly and community events are held in the function room.
On Lord Street, The Grand captures some of the resort’s art deco masterpieces and adds a splash of Mersey bling with an all-day dining menu of cocktails, afternoon tea and small plates (three for £15), plus live jazz . There is a good mix of ages and plans for further expansion.
But don’t do this…
Southport Pier may be the oldest iron pier in the country – but it is currently closed. The cost of repairs to the Grade II listed timber structure has skyrocketed and is reported to be “rotting from the inside”. Charlie Chaplin once boarded here, but the attractions at the end of the pier are temporarily closed. What’s left outside the barriers is the Quayside Restaurant with its less-than-savory menu of donuts and candy floss, and the Marine Lake Café, where an Elvis soundtrack wafts across the lonely tables. Sefton Council hopes to reopen the pier in 2025 but, in the meantime, visitors are at least allowed to visit the Hall of Mirrors near Funland.
From a local
Lloyd Houghton is a civil servant who moved back to the Southport area six years ago after working in Manchester. He said: “Southport has needed an injection for some time. He is still waiting for the post-Covid bounce. Growing up here, we want him to do well. When new places open, we support them and want them to succeed, but we need to see more investment at home.”
From a tourist
Maxine Sara was visiting Southport from Bolton with her partner and dog. They are regular visitors and were taking a short break. She said: “It’s a good center for dog walking and we can see some new independent shops coming through, but it’s not changing for the better. We took a taxi back to the hotel from the Wetherspoons last night because, with so many shops closed, it felt a bit dark and dingy to walk back.”
Get there
Southport is at the end of the railway, with Merseyrail connections taking 45 minutes from Liverpool Moorfields. From the M6 and M58 by car, follow the A570 towards Southport.
