By Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The Engine Room in Southport town centre is going full steam ahead to create a welcoming space where creatives, freelancers and individuals can come together in a ‘home from home’.
The Community Interest Company (CIC) behind the innovative venture has big ambitions to transform Southport town centre through re-energising vacant retail space.
Engine Room Director Dr Eric Lybeck has started in the top corner of the 126-year-old Victorian era Wayfarers Shopping Arcade on Lord Street in Southport, one of the most iconic and historic buildings in the North West.
Dr Lybeck has been working closely with partners that include Southport BID and Southport College to bring the project to fruition.
He began with a cafe, and recently teamed up with 92 Degrees to offer top quality hot drinks to visitors.
The Engine Room has since expanded along the first floor of Wayfarers Shopping Arcade.
It is now home to creatives like artist Ruth Ryder; it has a quiet room which is perfect for co-working; it has a podcast room; meeting spaces; a performance space.
It complements a series of quality local independent businesses on the ground floor including shops, a cafe, a barber’s and more.
Are you wondering about The Engine Room and how to get involved?
It’s easy: just come and have a coffee.
If you need a bit more space to work quietly when you’re in town, join as a member for £30 per month.
The Engine Room Director Dr Eric Lybeck said: “A lot of people have been asking what the Engine Room is and what it’s all about.
“The entrance is off beautiful lord Street.The Engine Room began as an experiment to see if we could start to re-use some of the empty retail units not just in the arcade but in the town centre generally.
“What we did, we started with a coffee shop.
“At the back of Wayfarers Arcade is where the cafe is, at Unit 44. The reason why we started with a cafe or coffee house as we call it is because creatives like to congregate in coffee houses.
“This has al;ways been the case and research shows that if you have freelancers, creatives, individuals, working small businesses, that they need a place to have a meeting.
“So if that fits your needs, pop in, or if you just want a good crew, come and see us.
“The next part of The Engine Room is the space next to it, which we call The Quiet Coach.
“The Engine Room is nice and loud and active but we found that for co-working, people really like this really calm space. All you need to do to join this is pay just £30 per month so a bit lille a gym membership, but you’ll know that you always have somewhere in town that you could come in. It’s quiet, it’s chill, it has superfast internet, and discounts if you need bookings on different kinds of rooms.
“Next we have a Podcast Studio which can also be booked for around £30 for three hours.
“We’ve got other types of rooms available. Meeting rooms, studio spaces, performance venues, you could have corporate events.
“Really we just want to be a place that’s somewhere in town, right in the centre, right in this beautiful arcade, where you have a home away from home.
“So welcome, come and see us, drop us a line at: [email protected]”
The collection of units on Wayfarers Shopping Arcade’s first floor offers co-working desks, creative studios, workshops, meeting spaces and facilities for photography, podcasting, language learning, performance and more.
Schools, colleges and independent educators can use the space for teaching craft and artisan skills.
Developed by CivED CIC, a Community Interest Company focused on activating disused spaces, The Engine Room will be instrumental in regenerating Wayfarers Arcade and its neighbouring Lord Street area.
The initiative is also focused on the retention of creative individuals and businesses in the Southport area, providing an alternative to commuting or relocating to Liverpool or Manchester to work.
‘Youth flight’ is a concern within the town, and it is hoped that by providing a space for honing skills and working remotely this issue can be minimised.
The project is led by Dr Eric Lybeck, a Senior Lecturer at the Manchester Institute of Education, and Director of CivED CIC. He has been working closely with partners that include Southport BID and Southport College to bring the project to fruition.
- For more details about The Engine Room please visit: www.arcade-project.com/store
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: [email protected]
