The sale of hundreds of fixtures and fixtures from the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre is set to raise tens of thousands of pounds for Sefton Council.
The landmark building, next to Marine Lake, has been closed since March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the UK and the building’s operator went into liquidation.
The site was subsequently deemed unfit to be reopened due to a number of serious defects.
The Southport Town Deal initiative has since been able to secure over £33million in Government funding towards creating a brand new Marine Lake Events Centre on the site, with the consultation on the proposals starting this Thursday (26th May).
NCM Auctions will manage the sale of the items, with 78% of the proceeds going to Sefton Council.
The council insists that “no historical elements will be disposed of” as they will be incorporated into the new events centre
NCM Auctions has project managed many large-scale site clearances and specialise in the disposal of assets from leisure venues, colleges, universities, hotels, plants, factories and other sites.
There are 367 items from Southport Theatre on the firm’s website, which you can view here, include:
- Rational Self Cooking Centre – £6,400
- Slush Puppie Machine – £650
- Free Standing Propane Gas Fryer – £600
- Hammond Organ – £200
- Large Quantity Of Crockey – £400
- Pepsi Max Vending Machine – £300
- Portable Dance Floor – £300
- Architectural Illustrations in Frames x10 – £50
- Red Stage Curtains – £50
- Cleaning Buckets – £20
- Contents of Prop Cupboard – £20
- Husky Ice Cream Chest Freezer – £20
- Large Quantity of Glassware – £10Large Chubb safe – £10
- Brass Effect Advertising Frames x4 – £10
- Seasonal Decorations – £10
- Children’s Merchandise – £10
The auction closes on 27th June 2022.
In his report to the council’s Audit and Governance Committee, Sefton Council Executive Director Place Stephen Watson said: “The purpose of the report is to obtain approval to dispose of fixtures and fittings currently in the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre that are no longer needed due to the plans to demolish the existing venue and to build the new Marine Lake Events Centre.
“Cabinet on the 24th June 2021 agreed not to pursue the short term re-opening of The Southport Theatre and Convention Centre (STCC) after its closure due to the operator going into liquidation due to the effects of Covid-19.
“Subsequently Cabinet has agreed to pursue a comprehensive new Events Centre on the site of the existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre that will see a new major build project take place.
“As part of the new build a new operator will be secured and as part of the wider project the Events Centre will be fitted out with new up to date equipment.
“Before the demolition of the existing facility, it would be good practice to dispose of the fixtures and fittings within the building such as catering equipment, redundant lights etc. rather than retain as part of the demolition process.
“No historical elements will be disposed of. It is anticipated that where possible these will be incorporated into the new events centre such as lighting, dance floor and projectors.”
NCM Auctions has been chosen because of the number of fixtures and fittings along with its specialist nature as a specialist auction house, which is required to oversee the process from start to finish on behalf of Sefton Council.
The firm provides a fully managed service, with a dedicated account manager as a single point of contact. The firm will lead on cataloguing, valuing, and promoting assets, and running the auctions across an advanced online platform – extending the reach and maximising sales. NCM will provide Sefton Council with a 78% rebate of the auction hammer value achieved from all sales.
The local community will shortly be invited to share their views on exciting plans for the new, state-of-the-art theatre and entertainment space and a flexible conference and business events venue and water and light show attraction, which are anticipated to greatly boost our town’s economic and tourism sectors.
The ambition is for the new centre to be open in 2025, although that would be subject to planning permissions and other factors.
The Marine Lake Events Centre is the central ambition of the Southport Town Deal initiative, which saw £38.5million Government investment last year followed by further funding through the Liverpool City Region. The Town Deal projects are being delivered by Sefton Council.
Consultation events are being held at Southport Market in the coming weeks and a live webinar will take place to provide more information on the plans, which will be revealed when the consultation begins on Thursday 26th May.
When the consultation goes live, communities will be encouraged to have their say via an online survey at https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/futuresouthport.
The consultation runs until 10th June.
The MLEC will replace the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre which closed its doors in 2020.
The new development will provide a first class theatre space, a conference and exhibition centre able to accommodate a range of events, and a café and signature restaurant, providing facilities for both visitors and the community alike.
The plans also include a new Water and Light show installation on the Marine Lake.
Consultation events are being held at Southport Market on Friday 27th May between 11am and 6pm, and Saturday 28th May between 11am and 3pm.
A live webinar will also be held at 6pm on Thursday 26th May. You can register to attend the webinar in advance at https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/futuresouthport.
A public telephone line has also been set up via 0808 168 8296. This is a freephone consultation hotline where people can call to speak to a member of the project team and ask any questions, as well as share any feedback.
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