Stand Up For Southport Blog by Andrew Brown
The best news of 2024 in Southport? It’s in a shortlist of one.
The Garrick on Lord Street is going to be restored; brought back to its glory days; millions of pounds invested; new hotel rooms and apartments created; new restaurants opened; new jobs created for local people; huge much-needed investment in the southern end of Lord Street; a brand new theatre space introduced; quality new hotel accommodation added.
The UK’s only theatre spa hotel will even have a swimming pool and a terrace on the roof.
Glamour. Style. Elegance. All coming back to what Southport was always famous for.
As Brian Clough might say, I’m not necessarily saying this is the best Southport news of 2024, but it’s in the top one’.
Owners Garrick Southport Ltd have waited nearly a year for planning permission to be granted so they can get on and get the job done.
Not that they have been quiet in the meantime. So invested are Gary and Nikki in bringing this building back to life, they have already spent over half a million pounds – £519,000 – in the two years and seven months since their ownership.
This historic building was in a sorry state when they took it over.
Its life as a large-scale theatre was short lived, and in the early 1960s the site was adapted into a bingo hall, with the council recognising that “a number of unfortunate and insensitive alterations were carried out”.
The Garrick in Southport
The repair damages to the fly tower alone are estimated to be in excess of £750,000.
The owners say they have “stabilised the building from collapse”, at some considerable expense.
In their Planning report on The Garrick, Sefton Council said that restoring it will “provide a boost to the building’s long-term future and economy by bringing new life to this part of the Conservation Area”.
They added: “The building was designed by the renowned architect George Tonge in an Art Deco style and has been an important landmark for Southport for generations.”
Garrick Southport Ltd has had to spend a fortune in securing the tower and keeping the building wind and water tight.
These pictures, seen for the first time, show some of the cracks in the walls of the building.
It’s not been looked after inside either.
The Garrick in Southport
The Garrick has been closed for over four years now, since it was shut and abandoned by Mecca Bingo.
The bingo operator clearly decided the numbers didn’t add up to them when it came to reopening it.
The Garrick has been much missed. It is one of the most eye-catching, iconic, and most-loved sites in Southport.
Originally opened in 1932, the site will now undergo a multi-million pound development to provide:
- 109 new hotel rooms
- 12 luxury apartments including a 4th floor terrace and pool
- gym and spa
- bar and restaurant
- refurbishment of the existing event auditorium to create a new theatre space.
We have all seen what’s happened at the other end of Lord Street with the impressive restoration of The Garrick by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group.
Think back three years and the former Grand Casino was one of the most vandalised and heavily damaged buildings in town. It was in a sorry state and no developer wanted to go near it.
Now, after £4 million investment and climbing, it’s become one of the best events, dining and function venues in the North West, a destination site that’s attracting people to Southport.
The Garrick in Southport
The Grand, like The Garrick, is another example of unique, outstanding Art Deco architecture, which celebrated its 100th birthday last year.
Both are part of Southport’s ‘race to the top’ with huge investment in creating a better quality offering for visitors.
The response from local people has been overwhelming.
Local residents can’t wait to see this magnificent building back up and running again.
The changes being proposed are exciting.
The initial news about The Garrick reached more than 16,000 people on Stand Up For Southport, with nearly a hundred comments, when it was posted last week. There’s a real bizz about the plans to revamp it.
Speaking on the Stand Up For Southport Facebook group, Danny Dicks said: “Of all the recent investment announcements for the town, this is the one I am most happy about, despite objections by Theatres Trust and Historic England.
An artist’s impression of how The Garrick on Lord Street in Southport could look after redeveloment work is complete. Image by Garrick Southport Ltd
“It will be amazing to have this art deco masterpiece not only saved, but turned into something wonderful that keeps the theatre heritage and adds something new and modern.”
Danny Taylor said: “Amazing! We have such an incredible stock of historically significant buildings in our town.
“The fact that people are willing to invest tremendous sums of their own money to bring them back to life and give us inspirational new places to visit is surely testament to just how wonderful our town can be.”
Sammi Rudge said: “I’ve seen the plans in detail online and they look amazing. Can’t wait to see it completed.”
Elinor Ball said: “Wow this has been a long wait – so glad they got approved.”
Shelly Harrison said: “Sounds amazing. Much more if this sort of tourist attraction please (that will also benefit residents).”
Bobby Thomas said: “This will be so amazing, something of great quality on beautiful Lord Street.”
We can’t wait to see The Garrick opening.
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