The former Willow Grove Wetherspoon pub in Southport town centre will be sub-divided into three new units in order to attract new businesses into the site.
The Grade II Listed building at 387-389 Lord Street, which is believed to have been built in the 1880s, has been vacant since Wetherspoon closed the pub in April 2023.
Wetherspoon still operates the Sir Henry Segrave pub at the southern end of Lord Street, and has also had planning permission granted to to build a new 30-ned hotel on Lord Street.
The owners of 387-389 Lord Street, which extends onto Nevill Street, say that “there have already been enquiries made” with a real demand for smaller units but little appetite among operators to take on the whole building.
Sefton Council has now granted planning permission for the building to be split into three.
In their report, their Planning team said: “It is considered that the proposal would add to the viability and vitality of the town centre and as such is acceptable in principle.
“The existing premises have previously been used as a public house over the two floors. While the proposal would see the use of the premises as 3 separate units, it is considered that this would not result in any significant increase in terms of harm to the living conditions of any neighbouring residential properties to the adjoining first floors.
“Hours of operation are not listed on the current application. Given that the premises has previously been used as a drinking establishment, with no hours restrictions and the town centre location, it is considered appropriate to not attach any hours restrictions to the premises.
“The fabric to be removed as part of the application is not of historic interest and the removal of toilets at first floor level is welcomed as this will restore the plan form to this space, with potential to better reveal any historic fabric which remains. The proposed subdivision works would not harm the significance of the interior of the building.”
Sefton’s Conservation Officer wrote: “The lower floors to the building were previously in use as a Wetherspoons pub, with consents granted for its conversion in 2002.
“Previously separate buildings, on Nevill Street and Lord Street, the properties are now connected internally and known as 387/389 Lord Street. 12 Nevill Street was originally designed for Boots the Chemist in 1914, with an ornate interior and café at second floor level. This part of the building has the highest survival of historic fabric, although there is a large amount of plant and ducting within some of the ancillary spaces off the main staircase compartment.
“I have no objection to the application in either listed building and conservation area terms. The property has been empty for a significant period of time and a currently derelict building will be brought back into use. There are also clear benefits to the wider Conservation area which is also at risk.”
A previous marketing exercise by the owners said that “the site has an exciting flexibility to reopen as a pub, bar, restaurant, or social / immersive leisure venue”.
After Wetherspoon left two years ago, the owners embarked on a £200,000 four-month refurbishment to really make it stand out for a range of possible uses by a multitude of operators.
Paul Neal Architects submitted a planning application on behalf of Peelclose Properties to Sefton Council to sub-divide the site into three new units, with one on the ground floor with a Lord Street entrance; one on Nevill Street with a ground floor entrance; and one on the first floor with a ground floor entrance.
In their application, they said: “The landlord has made extensive efforts to secure a new tenant since Wetherspoons vacated the site in 2023. Initially the site was advertised in April 2023 through Jenics, a commercial agent with national coverage.
“Licence Trade Associates, a firm who specialise in marketing licensed premises in the north west, were then instructed to market the site in May 2024.
“Finally in March 2025 Fitton Estates, a local Southport agent, were instructed to market the site.
“All three marketing exercises have led to no serious enquiries being made.
“Despite the landlord’s extensive efforts to market the site through national, regional and local agents, the advice the landlord has received from all three agents is that there is no demand for such a large amount of space.
“The landlord has since begun to test the market for smaller units and there have already been enquiries made, which led to this planning application.
“A new partition wall will divide the existing ground floor space, resulting in one unit with access from Lord Street and a second unit with new or existing access from Nevill Street.
“The development supports the re-invigoration of Lord Street and surrounding streets, including the diversification of unit sizes to suit modern business needs.
“This proposal seeks to support the continued commercial viability of a heritage asset within Southport town centre by sensitively subdividing a large commercial space into three smaller, functional units.”
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