Southport Townscape Heritage Project

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Southport Townscape Heritage Project

Helping to transform the seaside town of Southport through heritage regeneration and community activities.

Thanks to and Lottery players.

13/04/2026

Turned the corner on to Nevill Street ... and WOW!

FKA Leo's Bar is looking stunning.

17/03/2026

Just look at that beautiful art deco detailing above and between the windows!

The former Leo's Bar on Nevill Street is re-emerging from its slumbers...

13/02/2026

Our colleagues in Sefton Council's Conservation team are closely involved in a project to bring the upper floors of Lord Street's commercial buildings back into use as living accommodation. 'Lord Street Living' acts as a kind of dating agency to bring together building owners and potential investors.

Our latest blog takes a look at how the buildings along the seaward side of Lord Street developed initially as houses, then shops, and now are meeting new needs that combine both uses: https://www.southporttownscape.org.uk/blog/lord-street-living

23/01/2026

We've researched the history of every building that has received a The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant via Southport Townscape Heritage project. The information we find - in archives, old newspapers, directories, and more - is used to create Peephole into History panels. The panels explain the repairs being carried out and reveal who lived or worked there and what we've discovered about the building itself. Once the work is complete, the panels disappear from view (though if you ask Kokomo Coffee & Wine Bar, they still have theirs), and we gradually add them to our website.

We've just added the information and pictures from the Peephole panels for 3-5 Bold Street - with fascinating new details and photos of two families who ran the shops during the mid 20th century. Take a look at the history of the building and the businesses that occupied it over the past century and a half: https://www.southporttownscape.org.uk/the-project/project-news/peephole-3-5-bold-street

19/01/2026

Great to see work in progress last week at 4a Bold Street. The first grant-aided work installed the new shopfront and The Grazing Lounge moved in. Now a second grant means the first floor bay has been repaired and new sash windows installed. It's looking good!

15/01/2026

On this day in 1873, the funeral of the exiled Napoleon III took place in Chislehurst, Kent. Did he visit Southport during his earlier periods of exile in Britain in 1838 and 1846? Did Lord Street inspire the boulevards of Paris?

Our review of the evidence is one of the most popular posts on the Southport Townscape website. Have a read and see what you think: https://www.southporttownscape.org.uk/blog/napoleon-iii-and-southport

13/01/2026

Remembering a very hot day in July 2021 filming the 'Mad Duke' next to his plaque at the end of Lord Street! And wondering why - of the three short films from our Southport's Victorians play - this one has had fewer views than the others?

Take pity on long-suffering actor Joe Shipman, dressed in full Victorian rig in the baking heat, and watch him bring William Sutton and his story of the founding of Southport to life.
https://youtu.be/cHi7JiQmC3Q

05/01/2026

Get your skates on! First day back for lots of us, so to help you slide back into the working/studying life, here's our favourite jigsaw for a bit of historical light relief.

https://www.southporttownscape.org.uk/things-to-do/get-your-skates-on-a-jigsaw

It's a painting by E Vernon called Skating on Peter's Slack from The Atkinson collections. Peter Street was the original name for Albert Road when it was a cul-de-sac at the north end of Lord Street. The tower is the first [Holy] Trinity church.

Let us know how quickly you can put the pieces together!

29/12/2025

More looking back - with a prompt to look up and Spot a Style!

When you're out and about on Lord Street, have a good look at the amazing architecture above the shops. It's the perfect time of year - with no leaves on the trees to block the view.

We made this a couple of years ago to show just how varied Southport's buildings are, even just on Lord Street (this was before we got even more carried away with choosing 50 for the trump cards - only one building is in both!).

Which buildings catch your eye most?

27/12/2025

It's the time of year for looking back nostalgically...

Four years ago in December 2021 we launched three short films of extracts from 'Southport's Victorians' - a play script written by Gemma Banks for Primary school pupils.

The play tells the stories of people and events in Southport over its first hundred years, framed by the tale of a real couple, Lily and George Bednall, who set up shop in Leyland Arcade just after Queen Victoria died. The filming was done in locations around Southport - Wayfarers Arcade, The Atkinson, Lord Street and Victoria Park.

It was another 10 months before we could perform the play in front of classes from five Southport schools, so it was brilliant to bring three of the stories to life for everyone to enjoy.

This trailer introduces the Bednalls and Mrs Atkinson - yes, as in The Atkinson! - and her friend. The other films feature the widow of one of the Mexico lifeboatmen, and William Sutton, the 'Mad Duke'.

You can watch them all on our YouTube channel, individually or in a combined version:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvmjXDAg0o5kw8WsUoB_eZGXkEAfd5A68

22/12/2025

Need a last minute stocking filler? Or a bit of fun* for after Christmas dinner? Look no further than a pack of Southport Heritage trump cards!

They've been flying out of The Atkinson shop - we had to deliver another boxful!

You can get a pack from:
🔵 MeCycle cafe, opposite Ainsdale station
🟡 Birkdale Community Hub and Library, next to Birkdale station
🔵 HARP Coffee and Games cafe on King Street, Southport
🟡 Art House on Eastbank Street, Southport
🔵 and, of course, The Atkinson!

*Some people may take the game more seriously...

02/12/2025

It was all happening on our current Bold Street projects last week!

Alongside the freshly installed traditional shopfronts at 14-20 Bold Street, a separate Southport Townscape project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund is relaying the pavement with Southport paviors. Find out more about these historic paving tiles on our website https://www.southporttownscape.org.uk/blog/paviors.

And down the road at 3-5 Bold Street, progress is underway to install a brand new verandah outside the refurbished building with its smart sash windows.

Address

Southport
Southport

Website

https://www.SouthportTownscape.org.uk/

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