The brand new Warehouse Arts Centre in Southport town centre is opening its doors this weekend, with an exciting line-up of events!
It will be the first opportunity for everyone to look inside Southport’s newest arts venue, on the site of the iconic former Warehouse restaurant at 30 West Street.
This brand new arts and cultural hub will host a wide range of live music, arts and creativity, set across FOUR floors.
The signs are now up on the front of the building, which previously hosted Werksy and the Firepit restaurant, with a huge amount of work undertaken to transform the spaces inside.
The Warehouse Arts Centre is a brand new quirky arts centre right in the centre of town, comprising: Coopers Bar, Coopers Music Shop, Tides Out Studios, Ditto Coffee, Modulart Gallery, Bell, Book & Candle Art and Crafts and Well Arty.
The first elements will open this weekend, with Ditto Coffee plus Bell, Book & Candle coming soon.
A Warehouse Arts Centre spokesperson said:
“Here it is folks! It’s what you’ve all been waiting for – the opening weekend line-up!
“There will be loads of events running over Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
“Come and see what it’s all about, we can’t wait. The Coopers vibe is only bigger and better.
“No tickets required, except on Sunday 12pm-2pm.”
Events to look out for include:
Friday 26th June 206
5.30pm-7.30pm – Modulart Art Gallery Private View
7.30pm-9pm – Dash Rip Rock & The Ton Of Lead
9pm-late – Tico Tico
Coopers Music open
Saturday 27th June 2026
1pm-5.45pm – Tides Out Acoustic Showcase
2.30pm-3pm and 4pm-4.30pm – Tides Out A Cappella Choir Performance
3pm-4pm – Local poetry readings
6.30pm-7pm – Chemical Cut
7.30pm-8.30pm – Liz Owen
9pm-late – Slim Filter & The Cigarettes
Coopers Music open
Sunday 28th June 2027
1pm-2pm – 17 piece jazz band (ticketed)
2pm-6pm – Film making drop-in workshop
2pm-6pm – Local Makers Market
3pm-5.30pm – Coopers Jazz Band
6pm-11pm – Open Mic with Babs
Coopers Music open
The stunning new Warehouse Arts Centre will become home to a wide range of live music, arts and creativity, set across four floors on West Street in Southport town centre.
The Warehouse Arts Centre takes its name from the iconic former Warehouse restaurant which occupied the site several years ago and was a popular place to be seen by local people and celebrities alike.
Liverpool FC legend Steve Gerrard – who later part owned the restaurant – often spoke about it in interviews as his favourite place in the world to eat.
The Warehouse Arts Centre will be playing host to the next generation of stars as it provides a platform for the many talented people within Southport’s very rich and diverse arts and cultural scene.
Behind the initiative are Ella, Spud and Yvette Cooper, owners of Cooper’s Bar on Leicester Street, working alongside Andrew Portersmith MBE and Stephanie Portersmith of the not-for-profit organisation Music Stuff, and a dedicated team from Tides Out Studios.
The Coopers said: “We are so excited about our big move into The Warehouse Arts Centre.
“We will be filling all four floors of the building, which will be an exciting new space for live music, arts and more.
“Coopers Bar has become such a popular venue for live music that we need a larger space to accommodate bigger audiences, as well as giving us the opportunity to attract even more quality bands to perform.
“We have been building a brand-new stage and Cooper’s Music has relocated inside from Union Street.
“There will be ‘Modulart’ Art Gallery where local artists will be able to apply to exhibit their work for free, on a rolling basis.
“Musicians will be able to utilise the new Tides Out recording studio.
“There will be a shop selling arts and crafts.
“We will have rooms on the upper floors where people will be able to host art classes, music lessons and acting classes.
“We will be hosting wellbeing and yoga events and there will be teaching rooms and video editing rooms.
“The Warehouse Arts Centre will still have the same great atmosphere as Coopers Bar, while also being able to offer even more than we do now.
“There is nothing else like this in the whole area, and so many talented musicians, artists, and creatives in Southport who are looking forward to what we’re building.
“We need to put Southport back on the map as the cultural centre for the North West, where things are going on all the time and we’re attracting people into our town from all over.
“We are feeling very nervous and very excited!
“It’s a big risk doing this, but we have a brilliant team behind the project, and we’re all determined we just want to go for it!”
- The Warehouse Arts Centre is at 30 West Street, Southport town centre PR8 1QN. Tickets for ticketed events available via TicketSource. Follow The Warehouse Arts Centre on Facebook here: (20+) Facebook
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