Manchester could be the key to Southport’s revival, as life changes as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
This is an unexpected consequence of Covid -19 when so many businesses learned the benefits of home working, says Cllr John Pugh, Lib Dem leader on Sefton Council.
Cllr Pugh says that many Manchester-based companies are rethinking their business model and questioning the need for the “horrendous daily commute” into Manchester city centre.
Some of the biggest players want to adapt the Covid-19 model and bring staff in only when their physical presence is necessary and for face-to-face meetings.
He said: “The big firms are not all going back to the status quo and welcome the opportunity to use less of the expensively rented office space and encourage further home working.
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“Pre-Covid, when a job in Manchester meant daily nightmare traffic or a daily bone-shaking, unreliable railway commute, living in Southport and working Manchester was only for the hardy and took its toll.
“Future Manchester jobs could look very different.
“That’s no excuse for a rubbish rail service but ironically Covid-19 might help to revive Southport’s historic links with Manchester.
“We are still the nearest coastal town to Manchester and traditionally used to attract business folk working in Manchester’s commercial hub who preferred the fresh sea air to city-centre fug.
People endure the daily commute into work
“The plus for Southport, if work patterns change, is that its prosperity would not be so dependent on Liverpool.
“Manchester has out-performed Liverpool in economic terms in recent decades.
“Now is a good time for Southport to reconnect with the other big conurbation and back it up with serious professional marketing.
“We have a lot to gain in terms of overall prosperity in marketing ourselves as the Costa del Manchester as well as part of the Liverpool City Region.”
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