Southport BID feature by Tony McDonough
Southport is undergoing a process of change that is looking to transform and future-proof its economy for the coming decades.
Organisations such as Southport BID have galvanised the business community to become part of that transformation. They are drawn from multiple sectors and are united in their passion for the town.
Investment in the built environment and digital technology will be key focuses but a recognition of Southport’s rich heritage and its attractiveness as a place to live and work are also a vital part of the overall mix.
And one of the town’s most established and traditional businesses has stepped up to lead the way and use its knowledge and experience to be one of the principal drivers of this change.
There aren’t many quiet moments for Serena Silcock-Prince, head of operations for Silcock Leisure Group in Southport, who oversees a business that runs every day except Christmas Day.
But occasionally she gazes out of her office window and across Marine Lake. It rarely fails to take her breath away.
She explained: “It is absolutely beautiful and sometimes, because I live here, I can take it for granted, but it really is something very special.”
It is Marine Lake where some of the building blocks of Southport’s economic renaissance are being put in place. Work is well under way on the £73m Marine Lake and Events Centre (MLEC) thanks to £37m in Government funding.
MLEC will see Southport become a major destination for conferences, concerts and theatre productions.
Les Transformations De Southport, which sees building work currently taking place in the Southport Market area, is another project to transform the town’s streetscape and built environment.
Also in the town centre, the 10,000 sq ft Enterprise Arcade will create a home for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, focused on the digital and creative sectors.
Meanwhile organisations such as Southport BID are galvanising the town towards creating the momentum for the transformation.
Southport evokes strong memories for people from across the North West. Generations offer golden recollections of fairground rides and fish and chips. But nostalgia alone cannot drive an economy forward. Southport is now crafting a new narrative.
In the 1890s Edward Silcock Senior founded Silcock’s Travelling Fairs which travelled the North of England. His four sons – Lawrence, Edward, Herbert and Arthur – all followed him into the business.
By the 1950s the Silcock name had become synonymous with entertainment and fun and Edward Senior’s grandson, Herbert Silcock and his wife Jane Silcock, established themselves with rides at Southport Fairground.
What is now known as Southport Pleasureland saw the Silcock’s depart in the late 1980s. But the family business, now run by a sixth generation, continues to thrive, with Serena at the centre of its operations.
“At the present time we have got the Funland complex with the Carousel Restaurant, Nevill Street amusements, the Embassy Restaurant, all in Southport and the Fun Palace in Blackpool,” she said.
“My mum and dad met at Pleasureland. My dad had the rides and my nana had all the ice cream shops. They were friends growing up and started dating when they were teenagers.
“I am Southport born and bred. My roots here are so strong. My dad ran Funland when I was four after the family bought it in 1982 but they still kept the rides at Pleasureland. I love art but I decided at 18 to enter the family business. That was 27 years ago and I have never done anything else.”
That emotional connection with the town fuel’s Serena’s passion to see it prosper. And although the appeal of the Silcock business is partly based on seaside tradition and nostalgia she is adamant Southport needs to evolve and diversify.
“I think Southport has lots of potential, no doubt about that. 2024 has probably been one of the worst years for Southport. Everything has felt like it is against us,” she said.
“But we are a small town with a huge heart and there are a lot of people here who love the town and want it to succeed. I speak to small businesses that have been trading for years and they are doing their best to keep afloat.
“It has been a busy Christmas and that is good. People are putting a lot of money into Southport – there are multiple projects – including the Marine Lake Events Centre.
“The majority of people here want Southport to succeed. If you really want something and your heart is in it then you can make it happen – but we all have to pull together.”
One major issue that concerns Serena, along with many other people in Southport, is the ongoing closure of the pier. The Grade II-listed structure, which originally opened in 1860, has been off limits to the public since December 2022.
Freezing temperatures had caused “significant and unavoidable damage” to the structure. It is estimated that bringing the pier back into use would cost around £13m. Sefton Council simply does not have that kind of money and is hoping for Government support.
In early January, Colin Jamieson, owner of Southport Pier Pavilion, told the BBC the attraction’s continued closure was a “big blow” to the town and “devastating” for local businesses.
Serena, who spoke at length to Stand Up For Southport on the topic, agrees, adding that any news that the pier was to reopen would provide a fantastic boost for the people of Southport whom she said had ridden an “emotional rollercoaster” over the past 12 months.
Sefton Council said it is working on a solution but there is currently no progress to report. Serena is hopeful and optimistic the pier will see a renewal. She said: “We need and deserve to have our pier reopened.
“It is an iconic beacon, a visual representation of both Southport’s rich history and its future potential. The pier is obviously critical to the businesses that directly depend on it but also important to the rest of the town. We have to believe we can make it happen.”
Serena’s work in the town goes beyond the Silcock’s business. She has just become Madam President of the Royal British Legion in Southport which will see her involved in multiple events in 2025 including a festival in June.
“We have organisations such as Southport BID, Your Southport and Visit Southport who are all working hard to let people know we are a fantastic town. Southport should have an all-year round economy and not just be a summer tourist destination.
“We have great restaurants, bars and shops. We could probably do with a few more shops. There are a lot of little niche shops. Of course we are not going to compete with Liverpool ONE but we still have a strong offer.
“I like this idea of more development in the town centre – making it more of a place to live. We do need to keep more young people here but I think Southport feels like it’s buzzing when you walk around town. The flower show is amazing.
“I am very optimistic for the future of Southport. People are investing money, which is great, but there are also a great bunch of people who are investing their time to explain what Southport is all about.”
Although people think of Southport, and its numerous delights, as a summer destination, Silcock’s welcomes customers to its venues all year round. They open every day of the year except Christmas Day.
“We have definitely had to move with the times and give people what they want. Children do want different things now but we have also noticed that people still love that traditional seaside feel,” Serena explained.
“Parents and grandparents are still coming and they reminisce about coming here as children. So it is great we have that nostalgia element but at the same time you can’t take for granted that tastes won’t change.
“We have had to get more up to date with our prizes but we don’t want to lose that link with the traditional side while still updating the offer.
“At the fish and chip restaurant we have added different meals to the traditional fish and chips offering, a balcony bar. The pier being closed for two seasons now has affected business across the whole town.
“We are very positive in our ethos. We won’t moan about the pier. We wish it was open and we believe it will reopen and people are working hard to make that happen.
“In the meantime we have built the balcony bar so people can enjoy the views across Marine Lake, outside in the summer and inside in the winter.
“Most things can be bought online including gaming. But you can’t really get that experience online. That is why there are so many coffee shops. You can have your coffee delivered but people like to sit in a coffee shop. It is about that human contact.
“Our staff are really well trained and, in many cases, have been with us for years. Some have been here for 40 years. We are up to date with the latest games. We go to the industry expo each year so we can stay up to date.”
Serena is proud she has established a strong reputation in what is still a predominantly male-dominated British leisure sector. She added: “Our trade association is the British Amusement Catering Trade Association – Bacta – and there is a lot of regulation we have to adhere to.
“When we go to the meetings it is generally a room full of men. I think the Silcock name is really well known and respected in the industry – we have a very good reputation. And I think you have to prove yourself in any position.
“You can talk the talk and you have to walk the walk. My heart is in this business and I put 100% into it and I think people can see that.”
She believes that Silcock’s commitment to staying open all year round will help people see that Southport can thrive outside of the summer months.
“I think once you establish that consistency of being open every day then people appreciate that and they will come,” Serena said.
“Every meeting I go to people are coming up with ideas to make Southport a successful town. We still have that seaside feel and it is a little bit special and we don’t want to lose that. But we are trying to alter the perception that Southport is just a summer town. We are so much more.”
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