Plans afoot to save iconic Broadhursts bookshop
Plus: Patrick Hurley on his year ahead and new road safety plans
Hello and welcome to the very first edition of The Southport Lead.
I’ve been privileged to be a part of The Lead in various ways for the best part of a year and to be involved in this latest launch, once again allowing me to write about and dig deep into the workings of my hometown, is particularly exciting.
I’ll be writing to you twice a week, bringing original, in depth journalism which goes beyond the headlines to tell you what’s really going on in the town and documenting the issues which matter to you.
That starts today with a look at one of the town’s most beloved shops - Broadhursts. The family run bookshop had been present in the town centre for more than a century, attracting visitors from far and wide to explore floor after floor of literary joy. It’s sudden closure last year left many saddened as staff were made redundant with immediate effect and the building declared unfit for use.
Since then, very little appears to have happened to the extent that stock can still be seen through the window of the Market Street shopfront. So what exactly is going on and could there be a future for the shop?
I’m also delighted to be able to say Andrew Brown will be a regular writer in this newsletter. For anyone who doesn’t know him, Andrew is a former longtime editor of Visiter who went on to found Stand Up For Southport - what started out as a way to talk up the town and became an invaluable service during the pandemic by sharing reliable information. He is a huge advocate for the town, making TV and radio appearances for the likes of the BBC in addition to his own publication and will write for The Southport Lead each week.
In August 2024, one of Southport’s best known and most loved shops closed its doors suddenly.
After more than 100 years in business, the family-owned Broadhursts bookshop ceased trading and four months later the shop remains closed with most of the stock still in place.
But while it may appear a state of arrested development, talks have been ongoing behind the scenes and there remain hopes it could reopen as a bookshop. Separately, Southport MP Patrick Hurley has revealed ambitions to see the shop brought back to use as a co-operative.
The iconic shop, which stocked over a million new and second hand titles spread over three floors, had been trading at 5-7 Market Street since it was opened by Charles Kenyon Broadhurst in 1920. Famous visitors in its history included HG Wells, Rudyard Kipling and Johnny Cash.
It was owned by Laurie Hardman, who tragically died last year after 55 years in post.
Generations of book lovers were devastated by the sudden closure but new owner Harvey Brown, Laurie’s stepson, explained there was no choice but to close due to building safety issues.
While those issues remain unresolved and require significant sums to address, Mr Brown told The Southport Lead it would be more feasible to reopen just the lower levels if the right person can be found to do so. He added that he is reluctant to sell the building to anyone who would not be interested in restoring the previous use.
Now Hurley, the Labour MP who was elected last year, has invited people to back his idea of a new co-operative bookshop and cafe.
Speaking to The Southport Lead, he explained his background is in social enterprises and co-operatives and believes this could be a way forward for the iconic shop.
“I have helped many social economy businesses in the past and I believe we have a real opportunity here in Southport. What happened last summer, with the closure of the famous Broadhursts bookshop in Southport, was so disappointing to see on so many different levels.
“We thought at the time that the change of ownership had gone through and that the shop would continue trading as normal. “It was a real shock to so many people in the town when it suddenly closed.”
Mr Hurley pointed to the example of Wardleworths bookshop in St Helens which had been operating for 40 years until 2019. That closure was followed by the opening of The Book Stop, an independent bookshop owned by the community and operating for the benefit of the community.
Mr Hurley said: “This thriving community hub is home to a coffee shop,and hosts a wide range of events, including adult and children’s reading groups, book clubs and author signings.
“I went to see them, to discover if this was something that we could set up here in Southport. I am seeking expressions of interest and believe it could work really well in Southport. I would love to see if anyone locally is keen on getting involved?
“It will be interesting to see if we can somewhere like Broadhursts to rise like a phoenix from the flames. Let’s create something new and exciting.
“I would love to be able to attract external funding and to use the expertise that we have here in Southport to come and run it and make it thrive. I will offer my full support in any way I can.
“We are looking at timescales, and it would be fantastic to be able to make something positive happen within the next nine or 10 months. You never know what might happen with the right support.
“If this bookshop idea succeeds, then it might spark interest in other social enterprises in Southport.
“Perhaps someone will come forward with the idea of setting up a co-operative bakery, or something else.”
Mr Brown said he would be supportive of any viable plan to bring the book shop back to use and had even hoped a deal could be secured before Christmas, only for it to fall through.
According to the businessman, who also runs operations in Yorkshire and Australia, some of the electrics in the building have not been modified since the 1930s and there was no fire safety certificate in place when he inherited it.
Further, it would need external stairs added as a fire exit before the third floor could be reopened and he estimates it would cost around £200k just to reopen the shop as it was.
Mr Brown said there have been other offers for the building but not ones he felt comfortable would continue its legacy.
“We’ve had two or three offers from people who would just buy it but we’re trying to get a commitment that they would keep the shop open. I think all they were interested in was coming along, getther their hands on the valuable stock, especially the antiquarian titles, and then probably turn it into flats.”
Zebra crossing to give safer access to supermarket
By Elliot Jessett
Proposals for the installation of a new zebra crossing by the Aldi store in Birkdale have been approved.
At a Sefton Council Licensing and Regulatory Committee meeting tonight Monday January 6, local councillors accepted recommendations from the Assistant Director of Highways & Public Protection (ADHPP) for two crossings to be installed - one on Liverpool Road and one in Formby.
Both proposals involved public consultation and any resultant amendments were considered by the committee to inform their decision. The first proposal heard by the committee was for a zebra crossing on Liverpool Road in Birkdale which would provide a controlled way to serve the increasing pedestrian movements between the Aldi and Tesco Express supermarkets, according to the report. The new crossing will be located approximately 40 metres south adjacent to the Tesco entrance.
After the public consultation was completed, the council received four responses which all objected to the plans. Objections included various concerns ranging from queries about the need for an additional crossing, the potential loss of on-street parking and the possible safety risks for an ‘already hazardous entrance’ due to parked vehicles restricting access.
The reports acknowledged these concerns and detailed how each of the issues was being addressed. This included a response to the ‘safety risk’ concern and cited the use of zig-zag markings to enable the carriageway to be clear of parked vehicles around entrances and improving visibility.
The second proposed zebra crossing was for Chapel Lane, Formby and followed a request from a resident with visual impairment, who struggles to cross Chapel Lane at the westerly end (by Elbow Lane). The report noted there are currently no controlled or uncontrolled crossing points across Chapel Lane at the Elbow Lane junction and plans could improve safety and accessibility.
Merseytravel has also agreed to relocate a nearby bus stop and a number of street furniture items, such as bins and small trees may need to be moved. Cllr Carla Thomas queried one possible oversight in the current plans, she said: “There’s no waiting time which allows people with disabilities to park using their blue badges.
“So where they’re now planning to put the bus stop. It’s going to take those bays away by so many meters. Because of the impact of that, how many of the disabled bays would be relocated somewhere else?”
The committee agreed this query would be submitted and changes would be duly considered.
Snowy Southport
There are two things people will tell you you’ll never see in Southport - the sea and snow. I’ve bored enough people with my rants on the former but the latter was disproved this week as the town repeatedly woke to a winter wonderland.
While there were some train cancellations, Southport was largely fortunate enough to avoid any significant disruption compared to nearby towns where conditions were more perilous and schools were forced to stay closed.
News in headlines
Rescue centre’s plea after puppies dumped in cardboard box and 'left to die' (Liverpool Echo).
Southport to receive £5.6m support after attacks (BBC).
Inquiry to be held into death of much-loved dad who fell to his death (Liverpool Echo).
Thank you for reading today’s edition of The Southport Lead.
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