Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THIS week the Liberal Democrats in Southport have claimed that:- "Beale's closure another hammer blow to Southport's Town Centre!"

The closure of Beales was announced this week and in the views of many local businesses and residents is yet another hammer blow to both Lord Street and the Town Centre, claim of local Liberal Democrats. Beale’s closure is the latest in a line of big closures with the BHS building in Chapel St and Debenhams in Lord St as reminders of Southport’s retail decline. Following the opening of their out of Town store, Sainsburys' are destined to withdraw too.

“There is simply no plan to protect Lord Street, and no funding to address the decline. What was once a legendary asset for the town is now neglected. No council time or officer energy is going into maintaining a quality retail offer" says LibDem's Cllr John Pugh.

The Liberal Democrat candidate in the forthcoming general election Erin Harvey who is campaigning to abolish the current business rates system accuses the Labour-run Council of losing focus.

Erin Harvey commented:- "Sefton Council investment is pouring into the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, but with all due respect, it's not a heritage asset at risk like Lord Street. There seems to be a terribly naive assumption that Sefton’s planned £73M on a new lakeside events centre to replace the Theatre and Floral Hall complex will be a silver bullet for the Town"

That’s not how other seaside towns have pursued regeneration. In Margate, somewhere which also received Town Deal money from the government, they linked investment projects with boosting the retail sector and attracting quality, independent retailers.

Over 15 years ago Sefton considered stimulating residential development above shops, guaranteeing a permanent footfall in the Town Centre. LibDem Cllr Pugh said:- "There is much we can do to save Lord Street for future generations, including the use of compulsory purchase powers and making owners maintain the verandahs and canopies has simply been parked. There is no up to date retail survey done of Town Centre business, but out of Town developments are waved through. It’s a really hard task reviving Lord Street. It’s piecemeal, time consuming and difficult but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. It is tragic though that the current Sefton administration seems to be turning a blind eye to the problem."