Writing for Stand up for Southport, Rachel Fitzgerald CEO of Southport BID says;
Southport is looking magical this Christmas! I invite the people of Southport to support the businesses in our town as they all individually financially contribute to Southport BID, which enables us to make the stunning light displays possible.
By day, the historic coastal town is one of the most scenic in the UK.
At night it comes alive again thanks to 300,000 lights illuminating the iconic Lord Street boulevard, one of the longest in the country.
A sparkling Christmas tree in the Town Hall Gardens provides mesmerising colour changing displays thanks to its 25,000 LED pixels, while locally made Christmas decorations light up streets throughout the town centre.
Part of our display has been designed by local children, whose festive pictures have been manufactured into festive motifs on lampposts, creating a new Illustrate Illuminate Trail.
All Christmas decorations are provided by Southport Business Improvement District (Southport BID), We are funded by the business community and our role is to work on behalf of local businesses to make the town a stunning place to be.
The business community has also funded several Christmas themed events and attractions to attract Christmas shoppers to enjoy Southport, including a special Festive Fun Day, Christmas Carriage rides, a Christmas Grotto, a Frozen Grotto, a Christmas Elf Party and more.
Our local firms through Southport BID have invested heavily in making the town a beautiful place to visit this Christmas.
Now it is up to all of us to come out and support our local businesses.
This has been a tough year for companies with inflation rises, cost increases and energy bills rocketing, yet our businesses are still determined to invest into Southport to make it a better place for everyone. This has all been made possible through the work carried out by Southport BID.
Last year we installed 300,000 lights along both sides of Lord Street and we have provided hundreds of Christmas decorations throughout the town centre.
We have received so many positive comments about how good everything looks this year, from people who have visited from all over the country.
Southport town centre at night would be in darkness without the local business community.
We would like to extend our huge thanks to them for all they have done and continue to do.
How good would you like your town to be? The responsibility for this rests with everyone.
Please shop locally, eat locally, and enjoy local attractions this December.
We really need to see people come out and to support your local businesses this Christmas more than ever.
In addition to the festive events being organised by Southport BID, there is lots more happening in town for people to enjoy..
They include a real ice skating rink at Victoria Park, a drive-in cinema at Victoria Park, Santa and elf visits and wreath making at Southport Market, Christmas movies at Bijou Cinema, and pantomimes at The Atkinson and the Little Theatre.
Southport BID has been working alongside Marketing Southport to create a physical and digital brochure for the Southport town centre Christmas programme. This includes details on all BID-funded activities, a map for the Gingerbread Family and Illustrate Illuminate trails, and other key events from partners in the BID area.
Christmas brochures are available digitally, while the BID has also distributed 5,000 copies to venues throughout Southport town centre.
More information on all of this year’s events and activities can be found at www.southportbid.com/christmas
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