Southport Market has performed “extremely well” in its first year of operation.
Demand has been so high that 140 new covers have had to be added to keep customers happy.
The stylish food, drink and events venue has also created 30 new jobs directly while also acting as a catalyst for the surrounding ‘Southport Market Quarter’, attracting new businesses into a previously rundown area of the town centre.
Operators Sefton Council says that “the people of Southport have embraced the Market, it has brought people back into the town centre and continues to generate great reviews”.
The Market’s success has led to it becoming “a good practice case study”, with council officers from across the UK visiting in order to develop their own versions.
The venue’s ‘Extravaganza’ events space has hosted scores of events, including some sold-out Halloween themed Monster Balls last week and the popular Christmas Extravaganza last year.
A One Year Review of the venue’s operation will be presented to Sefton Council at a meeting next week.
Southport Market was repurposed by Sefton Council into a food, drink and events market and opened in July 2021 thanks to £900,000 funding from the Government’s Town Deal scheme and £500,000 from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
The ambitious project delivered the refurbishment of 1,600 m2 of mostly empty floorspace, provided space for 10 new businesses and created 30 new jobs.
It has a central bar operated by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure surrounded by 10 food units serving food from around the world, with long-standing market tenant Blackhurst Butchers at the front of the building.
Since opening, indoor seating capacity at Southport Market has been extended by around 40 covers to keep up with demand.
A new outdoor seating area was designed and implemented, which has added circa 100 extra covers to again provide additional seating in high demand areas.
A children’s play shed was installed in January, which has proved to be hugely popular and will continue to evolve.
The food outlets inside Southport Market are: Hector’s Mexicana; 600 Degrees; Down and Oot; Pitamu; Cone Head; Cake Corner; Pasta 51 Express; Kaizen; Allotment; and the Market Place pop-up stall.
In his report, Sefton Council Executive Director Stephen Watson wrote: “Since opening in late July 2021 the Market has been a great success, by the year in 21/22 it had met its business plan targets in an 8-month trading period. The food and drink offer has exceeded expectations.
“The events space has hosted a number of large-scale events such as The Christmas Extravaganza and has been booked for private bookings.
“The new Market has had a catalyst impact with many long-term empty units in The Market and King Street becoming occupied by new independent businesses, with a number of commercial sales in the area.
“Lessons have been learnt over the first year with regards to number of traders, operational hours and procedures and the market will continue to evolve and improve over the next two years.
“Many other local authorities have visited the market and requested meetings in order to learn and implement their own food markets with Southport Market being used as a good practice case study.
“Lastly the people of Southport have embraced the Market, it has brought people back into the town centre and continues to generate great reviews.”
Mr Watson also warned however that the next 6-12 months and beyond will be challenging for the hospitality industry, with concerns that rising inflation and a reduction in consumer spending expected to have some impact on future trading in the Market, as with all other hospitality businesses.
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