Visitors enjoyed taking a look inside one of Southport’s most stunning buildings during the Southport Heritage Open Days Festival, which has been home to famous celebrities – and infamous villains.
The former Southport Magistrates Court / North Sefton Magistrates Court opened its huge doors to visitors last Saturday (12th September 2026).
The Southport Magistrates Court was built from 1938 to 1940 and was opened in February 1941, with building work taking place while the early years of World War Two were taking place with German bombers dropping bombs on Southport, Bootle and Liverpool.
With one of the original courtrooms having been retained, visitors were able to experience what a day in the life of a judge, jury member, or even defendant would be like!
The tour also included the former Magistrate’s Office, along with other original features.
It is a notable example of courtroom architecture from that era and closed its doors in 2011, with cases moving to Bootle Magistrates Court.
It has since been bought by local family-run business Access point, which has invested in transforming this beautiful landmark building into offices. Local law firm Cook & Talbot also has some offices in the building.
The owners have also preserved and enhanced many of the building’s original features, preserving one of the courtrooms, which is often used for filming by film and television productions crews.
They have also created a special museum inside too.
The firm has also supported Queenscourt Hospice through its Jail and Bail fundraising events in the building.
An Access Point spokesperson said: “Last weekend, Access Point was once again delighted to open our doors to the public as part of the 2026 Southport Heritage Open Days Tours.
“We never need much of an excuse to show off our amazing building, and Andy, our resident building aficionado, was more than happy to guide visitors around, sharing its rich history and highlighting the restoration work that has helped preserve its original character and heritage.
“The tour included a look inside our fully restored courtroom, where visitors heard stories from its past, learned about the filming that has taken place, and discovered some of the famous faces who have passed through the courthouse doors over the years.
“Guests also got to see some fascinating artefacts uncovered in our very own museum, which is packed with items, photographs and stories from the building’s past, including a WWII newspaper Andy found hidden deep within a wall cavity.
“We hope everyone who joined us enjoyed the opportunity to step inside such a beautiful historic building and learn more about its history, as well as the ongoing work to preserve it for future generations.
“Were you able to join one of our tours? We’d love to hear what you enjoyed most in the comments!”
The 2026 Southport Heritage Open Days Festival continues this week and this weekend, celebrating Southport’s fascinating heritage and the stories of the people behind them.
You can enjoy a series of FREE events throughout the festival, with some popular attractions back on the list again, along with the opportunity to explore some exciting new additions.
More details are available via the Heritage Open Days website
Some events require pre-booking while others are open to all, just turn up.
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