A vibrant new community space in Southport is inviting people to call in for its soft launch 5pm-8pm this Thursday (23rd October 2025).
The Big Onion will open in the former Crave pizza cafe in the Town Hall Gardens on Lord Street this November, with the soft launch giving visitors the opportunity to discover more about what it offers and speak with the people involved.
It’s another exciting arrival for the Town Hall Gardens which welcomed a stunning life-size crochet Spitfire at the weekend, courtesy of the Southport Hookers and Southport Royal British Legion.
The initiative is being led by Merseyside Expanding Horizons and will provide a platform for a variety of local social enterprises.
Among those involved is acclaimed Southport artist Emmy Oranges.
She said: “Something exciting is coming to Southport!
“Say hello to The Big Onion – a brand-new community hub in the Town Hall Gardens, bringing together local groups, small businesses, and start-ups to grow something amazing for our town.
“Thanks to the support of Merseyside Expanding Horizons, The Big Onion will soon be a vibrant space where ideas, people, and projects can thrive.
“We’re not officially open just yet – the big launch is coming in November – but we’d love you to join us for our soft launch this Thursday, 5pm–8pm for drinks, nibbles, and friendly faces!
“Come meet some of the people working to improve our town through different initiatives, take a peek inside, and tell us what you want from your community space.
“Let’s grow something great together, Southport!”
The Big Onion will enable social enterprise members to come together and use it for community based services and activities targeted at local people and families.
Big Onion MD Chris Lewis said: “I’m pleased to announce that Merseyside Expanding Horizons will be opening The Big Onion Southport Community Hub in the old Crave Cafe building outside Southport Town Hall.
“As an organisation we are so fortunate to work with some amazing local entrepreneurs running a diversity of businesses and social enterprises. These people have been supported by our borough-wide Business Start Up Programme which Merseyside Expanding Horizons co delivers with our great friends at Safe Regeneration Ltd on behalf of Sefton Council and InvestSefton.
“In the two years we have delivered this programme of support we have engaged with over 250 local residents and helped over 80 people to set up and run their businesses.
“In working with these people we have established a unique support network that sees many of the members come together at business club sessions, networking events, training sessions and social gatherings…a real band of entrepreneurial brothers and sisters.
“But…what really vexed me was hearing, time after time, the issues these fledgling business folk face in trying to get access to affordable, accessible, habitable and well positioned premises.
“Seeking to build on our Big Onion Hub in Bootle Strand I wanted to create a space that our social enterprise members could come together in and use to deliver a wide range community based services and activities targeted at local people and families. And the response I’ve had from my socially trading colleagues has been off the charts.
“At this point I have to mention the support and belief that has been shown by our colleagues within Sefton Council. We are very grateful!
“We’re off…I think, another ‘build it and they will come moment.
“Watch out for more announcements soon.”
- For more details please email Chris Lewis at: chrislewis@expandinghorizons.co.uk
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