A stunning and modern Marine Lake events centre and light show is set to bring over half a million visitors and nearly 300 new jobs to Southport, Sefton Council can reveal.

The spectacular events space, situated on Southport Promenade, will be combined with a jaw dropping ‘Light Fantastic’ animation on the Marine Lake, thanks to funding from the Southport Town Deal and support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

The concept has been developed in partnership with the Southport Town Deal board, and is set to transform the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre into a high quality, distinctive entertainment and business events venue, kickstarting an economic rejuvenation of the waterfront area of the town.

Its believed the regeneration will lead to footfall of over 515,000 visitors to the waterfront, while also creating 288 jobs and boosting the town’s hotel and hospitality sector with nearly 60,000 overnight stays from conferences and events alone.

A comprehensive delivery strategy is now being produced to help guide the delivery of the Marine Lake events and lightshow project. This will include operator procurement, a full business case, detailed designs and eventual planning application submission.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Southport Town Deal Board Member and Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “The existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre building has a long and proud history and is an asset that stirs great passion amongst all, as well as being sited in an incredible location in the town centre.

“As the largest investment project included within the Southport Town Deal, the Marine Lake Events Centre, a working title suggested by one of the hundreds of schoolchildren who responded to the targeted consultation on the project, will provide Southport with an incredible events space with state-of-the-art facilities to attract a continuous and wide range of different types of entertainment events and audiences to the resort.
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“The Light Fantastic show will provide a walkway into the lake as part of an incredible water, light and sound show which won’t just complement the Events Centre, but will also prove to be an attraction in its own right to further elevate and distinguish the Southport brand.

“Sefton Council and our partners on the Town Deal Board want to see Southport transformed in to a thriving, vibrant visitor destination.

“We want to give people a reason to visit and stay for longer. We believe that attractions such as this, our new events space, and more, will create a genuinely unique visitor experience and will only serve to strengthen our visitor economy.”

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Like many people, I’ve got lots of happy memories of going to Southport as a kid. It’s great to see these exciting projects to help breathe new life into the town moving forwards.

The former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre building will remain closed until these works are completed.