For the last decade our high-street – and by extension, our town - has been grappling with a reduction in footfall - like a hooker stuck in a maul. We are in a rut.




Unable to move forward or backwards but stood still. We have been paralysed by the online marketplace, maintained by rigorous self-determination and strong will, while simultaneously being hit over the back of the head by a local council beset on inflicting draconian dogmatic fiscal policies. Like the hooker in the maul, we can see the scoring zone ahead of us - and yet every time we rediscover our energy to jostle for position, the ball moves once again, with yet another manoeuvre, yet another setback, and with more foul play.

Beales Department store is just the latest example. And with every week that goes by, it feels as though there is another. If we can get Southport moving, there is millions of pounds of investment that is just waiting to flood into this town. If we can get Southport moving, businesses will have the certainty and confidence to take key decisions – increasing investment, expanding enterprise, employing more staff - that is currently on hold. If we can get Southport moving, we can instil a sense of confidence into the town and the regional economy.

And as things stand there is only one way to get Southport moving, and I'm afraid the answer is to diversify; become pragmatic; and unshackle ourselves from historic pejorative

collectivism. The red paved tarmac and the bustling Boulevard of Lord Street were great, yes - but their disposition today is without question. Both are unlikely to return as they once did. No Member of Parliament wants to admit that, especially not in marginal constituency such as Southport. But as things stand, we simply have no choice- because it is only by getting Southport moving in the next few months and years - by diversifying and becoming respondent to the conditions of economic success - that we can hope to replenish its value and kick-start its’ economic potential. And we have to start by encouraging footfall, reconsidering our ‘offer’, and how we attract tourist to our town centre.

I am working toward just that. In fact, I am very proud of what we’ve set out to achieve 2017. Achievements that will, in the future, proved to be the difference between life and death for many small businesses on our high-street: launching the campaign to reopen the Burscough Curves; reconnecting our rail service with Manchester Piccadilly; securing a £25 million Town Deal fund; and creating greater access at Hillside Station. These are not short-term successes by any stretch of the imagination, no. But they do represent bold, long-term initiatives that will set the foundations for future economic success.

And yet it is one of the lessons of our stagnant economy that there are many parts of our town that still feel left behind. I believe that footfall and access are uniformly attributed to the ability of our tourist economy to recover. Unfortunately, Sefton council do not. Sefton Council has unfairly discriminated against Southport, and now is the time to dismantle that discriminatory gap – between us and Bootle - not because it makes such obvious economic sense, but for the sake of simple social justice. We need to encourage more tourists to our beautiful sea-side town if it is to survive. That means abolishing discriminatory parking charges, dismantling spurious spending obligations in Bootle, and backing new, bold economic incentives in Southport. Or else, Beales Department store will not simply serve to be a lesson, but a victim of this town's failure to diversify.

And not helped by:

A dire Conservative Government that has helped bleed the Council dry.

Having such an inept Conservative MP (rated 611 / 650).

Wonder if the current bunch at Westminster will improve anything in the next five years.

Originally Posted by Nash

Wonder if the current bunch at Westminster will improve anything in the next five years.

Certainly better than 5 years of Corbyn and his policies, if he'd got in.....

And thank what ever your religion/deity/persuasion he didn't....

To rejuvenate Southport will take an enormous amount of investment. The South side of Chapel Street needs to be opened up completely, the Station needs to be set further back to serve all the commuting railway lines including the Burscough Curves, there needs to be brighter and more updated leisure facilities and bistros where the existing station car park is, the road needs to be opened from Tulketh Street leading towards Derby Road across the area where the station now exists - open the centre of town up make it more spacious and inviting. At present, the area is dull,dark and decrepit with large buildings blocking the sunshine on to Chapel Street. This side of Southport would be the new town while the existing Lord Street and historic areas the old town. (Anyone friendly with any rich oil Sheikhs?)

Originally Posted by said

To rejuvenate Southport will take an enormous amount of investment. The South side of Chapel Street needs to be opened up completely, the Station needs to be set further back to serve all the commuting railway lines including the Burscough Curves, there needs to be brighter and more updated leisure facilities and bistros where the existing station car park is, the road needs to be opened from Tulketh Street leading towards Derby Road across the area where the station now exists - open the centre of town up make it more spacious and inviting. At present, the area is dull,dark and decrepit with large buildings blocking the sunshine on to Chapel Street. This side of Southport would be the new town while the existing Lord Street and historic areas the old town. (Anyone friendly with any rich oil Sheikhs?)

Old town and new town? I like the idea but currently we can barely keep one town centre going let alone drum up enough custom for two. I do wonder what the effect on the town centre would have been if the Sibec Winter Gardens hadn't been abandoned.

As for Damien's rant, has he been taking lessons from Johnson the Liar with the flowery language and nothing of substance?

Originally Posted by Tentill4

Certainly better than 5 years of Corbyn and his policies, if he'd got in.....

Will will never know whether that would have been the case.

Certainly this Parliament has started poorly, but then the Conversatives picked a poor leader, with little or no ability.

Fingers crossed that the disasters are natural rather than moron made.