Covid in Southport: 'There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel'

Tourism bosses believe Southport has a "bright future" as it looks to bounce back from the Covid-19 economic storm.

The Merseyside resort's recovery from the impact of the pandemic has been boosted with a £37.5m grant from the government's Towns Fund.

The Southport Town Deal board said the cash would fund vital regeneration of the town and bring 1.2m more visitors.

Southport Pleasureland's boss said it was a "great catalyst for the town" after an "absolutely devastating year".

Sefton Council said the money was a sign of confidence in the resort and would help fund key projects such as rejuvenating Lord Street - the main route through the town centre - and transforming Southport Theatre and Convention Centre.

The council said the money would also help unlock regeneration projects including a £40m surfing complex called Go Surf.

"It's marvellous news," said Norman Wallis, chief executive of Pleasureland theme park and a member of Southport Town Deal's board.

"It's a great catalyst for the town."

Mr Wallis said facing lockdown for a second Easter was "absolutely devastating" for the town's tourism industry.

It has been a "very, very hard" year, he added.

Businesses that have closed in Southport since the start of the pandemic include Pizza Express, Debenhams, Frankie and Benny's, Bon Marche, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Outfit clothing, Royal Clifton Hotel, Genting Casino, and Southport Theatre.

He said the pandemic had cost his own company "millions of pounds" in revenue, while "an awful lot of money to keep people safe" such as signage and hand sanitiser across the site has also been spent.

Bliss Hotel said it had seen an 80% drop in revenue this year due to the lockdown and other restrictions.

General manager James Wood said the hospitality sector had been "crippled".

"I know there has been some government support, but it is the tip of the iceberg when you look at running costs," he said.

He said the business has had to make some "tough decisions to be able to survive" including shrinking its workforce from 84 to 54.

However, he said there were signs the hospitality industry would bounce back when hotels are set to open for holidaymakers on 17 May.

"There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel now.

"We're already seeing high demand for the summer months... and I think this Christmas will be the best we've ever had with people just desperate to get out and see friends and family."

He added golf bookings for the hotel - which is situated on the "golf coast" with championship courses such as Royal Birkdale and Royal Liverpool nearby - were also "coming back thick and fast".

Susannah Porter, who is on the Southport Town Deal board and is chair of the Southport Business Improvement Development (BID), welcomed the Towns Fund windfall but warned that recovery would take time.

The gin and coffee bar owner appealed for Lord Street, known as "the jewel in the town's crown", needed "bringing back to life" since there were a number of empty shops.

"We are going to have these things that bring more visitors in that will increase spend in the town and open some of the empty units.

"The issue [is] these projects are all going to take five years to get off the ground and finished," she said.

"There is a bright future but we have got to look that far ahead."

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