Some call it the Paris of the North; others Birkenhead by sea. Located on the Sefton coast north of Liverpool, the seaside town of Southport was a stylish retreat for chic pursuits in its Victorian heyday. Lord Street, the elegant tree-lined boulevard, had shady gardens and arcades with glass canopies. No wonder that Napoleon III, exiled to Great Britain, obtained the blueprint for the Champs-Elysées after his visit in 1838.
More sacred blue! The town recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons after Pontins suddenly closed its holiday park in Southport. Telegraph travel writer Chris Moss, meanwhile, ranked Southport as Britain's 14th worst seaside resort.
Following in the footsteps of Napoleon III, I find a somewhat elegiac combination of rich heritage and faded grandeur. The Victorian buildings of Lord Street, as captured in Fortunino Matania's jazz-age Southport publicity posters (on display at the Atkinson), still make a statement. The statue of Queen Victoria remains regal, and the art-deco Mermaid Fountain on St George's Place still swims with water-squirting frogs. But they all need some love.
The resort first attracted visitors when sea swimming became popular on the Sefton coast in the late 18th century. By the 1840s it was the place for wealthy Lancastrian industrialists to take in the salty air. These days the big draws are the Southport Flower Show in August (which celebrates its centenary this summer) and the British Musical Fireworks Championship in September.
However, there are green shoots of regeneration, with plans to renovate the art deco former Garrick Theater into a 109-room hotel, spa and theater. Local independents are opening their doors in the back streets and there are plans for a renaissance on the waterfront. Keep stable ma emperor! Zuidpoort is a work in progress.
What is it really like?
Southport feels like a resort waiting for something - and preferably not another Poundland, the first thing you see as you leave the train station. But exploring the backstreets offers its rewards. Personally, I'd love to spend an afternoon hanging out in the Victorian arcades. The two-story Wayfarers Arcade, built in 1898, is a wrought iron and glass study; Cambridge Arcade has been restored to its 1850s glory with a glass canopy that now protects local businesses such as Mersey micropub the Tap and Bottle.
A craft beer bar and bottle shop; the sign outside says it's 'good enough for John Cooper Clarke and the man out Country file (not John Craven)". I'm also convinced by Quicksilver Music near Southport Market, a gold mine for vintage vinyl.
A base at the Waterfront Southport Hotel (doubles from £99 B&B) on Marine Lake offers views over the transforming coast, where plans are in the works to transform the closed Southport Theater and Convention Center into the Marine Lakeside Event Center (MLEC) for the 2027 season. Claiming to be Britain's smallest pub, the Lakeside Inn may need a lick of paint, but a sunset stroll around the lake offers a glimpse of Southport's future.
The wider coastline also has a lot to offer, including Anthony Gormley Another place art installation on Crosby Beach. Sefton's 21-mile coastline is part of the King Charles III Coastal Path. The sand dunes and forest provide a little-known refuge for rare species such as the natterjack toad, sand lizard and red squirrel. The nearby Royal Birkdale Golf Club will host the Open Championship in July 2026.
What's not to like about it?
Most people wonder: where is the beach? It's just across the road from the Marine Bridge, but further along the coast there are many more impressive vistas and surf-washed sand dunes.
Back on the other side of the Marine Lake, the southern end of the promenade is dominated by the Pleasureland amusement park and Splash World water park, as one of Britain's premier spas with a bustle of hydropathic hotels a far cry from Victorian times . . In 1860 the mayor, Samuel Boothroyd, called for the town to be advertised as a "refuge for disabled visitors" to promote the town. I doubt the crumpled day pink swan paddle boats on the lake in the King's Gardens are what he had in mind.
The former Victorian baths are also crying out for a new owner and a little love. On the other side of town, Chapel Street isn't the most promising gateway to the city, with its boring chain stores and vape shops. It's a shame because five minutes away, on London Square, Southport opens up to reveal the heritage buildings that once had such cachet.
Do this...
Although the Atkinson is better known as the city's cultural space, with its winning combination of theatre, gallery and museum, the Southport Bijou Cinema was my personal choice. It's a charming community cinema, hidden in an easy-to-miss passageway behind Sainsburys. The former Victorian postmaster's house now features a 75-seat cinema, showing classic and arthouse films, plus a cozy café-bar with vintage posters of Nosferatu And Casablanca, among other things. Expect evening screenings, weekend matinees and live music.
Eat this...
Forget the tsunami of fish and chips and head to Southport's revamped Market Hall (open Wednesday to Sunday) for all-day street food, drinks and live music. Locals appreciate the Mexican and Greek street food, plus the Cake Corner for waffles and pancakes. It is dog friendly and the function room hosts community events.
On Lord Street, the Grand captures something of the resort's art deco heyday and adds a dash of Mersey bling with an all-day menu of cocktails, afternoon tea and small plates (three for £15) , plus live jazz. There is a good mix of ages and plans for further expansion.
But don't do this...
Southport's Pier is perhaps the oldest iron pier in the country, but is currently closed. The cost of repairs to the Grade II listed wooden structure has soared, with reports that it is "rotting from the inside". Charlie Chaplin once trod the boards here, but the attractions at the end of the pier are temporarily closed. What remains outside the barriers is the Pier Restaurant with an unappetizing menu of donuts and cotton candy, and the Marine Lake Café, where an Elvis soundtrack blares over the lonely tables. Sefton Council hopes to reopen the pier in 2025, but in the meantime at least the Hall of Mirrors next to Funland is free to visit.
From a local
Lloyd Houghton is a civil servant and moved back to the Southport area six years ago after working in Manchester. He said: "Southport has needed a jab for some time. We are still waiting for the post-Covid bounce. Growing up here, we want things to go well. When new places open we support them and want them to make a success, but we need to see more investment in the city."
From a tourist
Maxine Sara was visiting Southport from Bolton with her partner and dog. They are regular visitors and they took a short break. She said: "It's a good base for dog walks and we're seeing a number of new independent shops popping up, but nothing is changing for the better. We took a taxi back to the hotel from the Wetherspoons last night as, with so many shops closed, it felt a bit dark and dingy to walk back."
Get there
Southport is at the end of the railway line, with Merseyrail connections 45 minutes from Liverpool Moorfields. From the M6 and M58 by car follow the A570 towards Southport.