A warning that one of the most high profile town centre areas may have passed the point of no return has come from Cllr John Pugh, opposition leader on Sefton Council.

Princess Diana Gardens once a major attraction in front of the town hall and the Atkinson Library and Arts Centre, has now scarcely a paving stone undamaged and not in need of repair.

“If this was someone’s terrace or patio, they would be looking towards a complete re-vamp and replacement.

However, in all the schemes being floated for Southport’s regeneration,it does not seem to get much of a look in. The urgent need for basic investment seems to get overlooked compared to more speculative projects like another Market makeover.

Sefton has spent millions on the Atkinson, but aren’t noticing the area immediately around it going to pot.

It’s probably the one area every visitor to Southport sees."

Southport has been here before when the blot on the landscape was a concrete, unsightly fountain fallen into disuse

"It took absolutely years for the Council to wake up and address the issue. I really don’t want a repetition of that.”

John Pugh has laid out his concerns in video form (see here -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OwVW2DAbvpUIB3jmKUb-nRFob7rxtY6O/view?usp=sharing )


ATTACHED

Photos. Princess Diana (Town Hall) Gardens 2020 & 1990

That's what happens when vehicles go past the "no vehicles beyond this point" signs.

And also what happens when you use the area as a site compound during a building refurb but don't do any remedial works to where the compound was once the refurb is finished.

Its the typical Sefton way of spending millions on a project then failing to undertake any basic maintenance resulting in millions more being needed a few years down the line. (See the pier, sea wall, Splashworld, Hesketh Park, Kings Gardens etc).
Work hasn't been even started yet on the Splashworld refurb that it closed for last December. According to a freedom of information request the only new facilities will be replacement tiling.

Cllr. Pugh and/or some of his party colleagues are learning to have fun with their video editing software.

[If only the rest would go online and terminate LimpDem 'Focus' newsletters.]

Give Cllr. Pugh and his party credit for active self-promotion; they want to sustain their demesne.

Princess Diana Memorial Event Space

The fountain itself (as distinct from the adjacent event space) has had maintenance recently. The Princess Diana Gardens (— really a yard with a bit of border) is a high traffic area hosting a variety of events. Some of these events involve the construction of substantial temporary structures (and consequently vehicles). Sefton Council's priorities are a matter for the Council Chamber.

I put this item in the category: wedge issue. It is in a long succession of Cllr. Pugh's efforts to highlight political + social distinctions between Southport and Bootle. The latter was a Mersey port and dock workers' home. Southport in contrast was a genteel enclave of wealthy industrialists' families — joined at the hip since the great and the good of Westminster decreed it. Perhaps the two towns will be separated at some point in the future. However, I doubt it will ever be to Cllr. P's satisfaction.

John Pugh and the Lib Dem’s should hang their heads in shame, all they manage to do is moan about the state of the town to just create a divide to keep themselves relevant.

John Pugh was MP for 17 years as well as the year’s his colleagues have been councillors. The neglect hasn’t just crept in overnight so it’s a bit rich to launch a set of articles attacking the council for not backing them as to me all it’s highlighting is how ineffective they are over the collective decades of representing the town, you have to ask why raise it now, is this the first time they’ve noticed the paving that’s been cracked for years or the buildings that have been unkempt for over a decade.

Cllr Pugh should have done more for the town when a MP rather than vote through Southport unfriendly policies for the town, moaning about it now just shows how awful the Lib Dem’s have been for Southport as doubt anyone can list things of merit they’ve achieved for Southport.

Those marble flags received a regular pounding from new by skateboarders, before the skatepark was constructed.

Originally Posted by The PNP

Those marble flags received a regular pounding from new by skateboarders, before the skatepark was constructed.

I'm pretty sure the skatepark is older than those flags.
It's vehicle damage.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

That's what happens when vehicles go past the "no vehicles beyond this point" signs.

And also what happens when you use the area as a site compound during a building refurb but don't do any remedial works to where the compound was once the refurb is finished.

Its the typical Sefton way of spending millions on a project then failing to undertake any basic maintenance resulting in millions more being needed a few years down the line. (See the pier, sea wall, Splashworld, Hesketh Park, Kings Gardens etc).
Work hasn't been even started yet on the Splashworld refurb that it closed for last December. According to a freedom of information request the only new facilities will be replacement tiling.

That area was boarded and tarmacked before being used as a site compound and it was OK when it was lifted, what has happened has occurred since.