"Something had faded, now Southport's best days lie ahead"
Southport MP Patrick Hurley writes exclusively for The Southport Lead
Hello and welcome to the 86th edition of The Southport Lead.
This week saw the launch of a calendar of entirely new cultural events for Southport - they include a ‘Lightport’ festival with immersive sound and light experiences; ‘Cristal Palace’ which will see Lord Street transformed into an open air ballroom complete with 15m chandelier; a circus takeover; and a modern book festival.
Funded by Sefton Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the events will run in addition to the regular calendar which includes the likes of the air show and food and drink festival and has a key aim of attracting families back to the town and reinvigorating Southport’s position as thriving seaside resort.
In today’s edition, Southport MP writes exclusively for The Southport Lead about not just these events, but why after years of challenges and uncertainty, the town now has cause to optimistic and consider a brighter future to be a realistic prospect.
Southport briefing
❌ After the final evidence was heard at The Southport Inquiry, the parents of the three murdered children have condemned the killer’s mother and father for their failures to prevent. Elsie’s mother and father Jenni and David Stancombe said: “We believe they should be held to account for what they allowed to happen. They knew how dangerous he was, yet they stayed silent. They didn’t report their concerns, they didn’t act, and in doing so, they failed not only as parents but as members of our society.”
⚖️ Separately, the lawyer representing the three families has called for people to lose their jobs over failings in dealing with the killer. Chris Walker told BBC North West Tonight the level of failure by “a large number of state organisations and state agencies” had been “jaw-droppingly bad”.
🧑⚖️ The inquiry chair Sir Adrian Fulford is expected to deliver his recommendations in the spring. The Guardian’s Josh Halliday shared his overview of the failings which allowed the attack to happen here.
🛜 Sefton Council will be asked to consider new efforts to stop telegraph poles being installed across the town. Currently, BT Openreach does not require planning permission to erect the polls in order to improve broadband connectivity but previous efforts in Churchtown were met with protests. Next week, a full council meeting will hear a motion from Cllr Mike Sammon asking to explore the possibility of introducing a byelaw which would remove the automatic right to install the poles in Southport.
A new start for Southport is about so much more than entertainment
By Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport
For generations, Southport has been known as a town with a flair for spectacle. From strolling elephants on Lord Street to gondolas drifting across Marine Lake, Southport once revelled in a kind of seaside magic that made it unlike anywhere else. People didn’t just visit to relax by the sea, they came for a sense of wonder.
But in recent years, many of us have felt that something had faded. Our proud landmarks have faced uncertain futures. Some of our much-loved institutions and traditions have felt fragile. The conversation about Southport has too often been one of decline, not possibility. I’m determined to change that.
That is why the cultural programme planned for 2026 matters. It will be a year of festivals, performances, art installations and celebrations. It will bring visitors and energy back into the town centre.
But more importantly, it signals something deeper: confidence. A belief that Southport’s best days are yet to come.
The year begins with Lightport in February, an immersive world of colour and light created by internationally renowned artists Lucid Creates.
It will transform the town into a walk-through rainbow - the sort of joyful public art that stops people in their tracks and reminds them what imagination feels like.
In April, the globally acclaimed Transe Express will bring Cristal Palace to Lord Street - a flying chandelier suspended above an open-air ballroom, complete with musicians, dancers and aerial artists. For one night, one of the North West’s most historic streets will become a stage.
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