Bright lights and beautiful beaches ... it's Southport (From Swindon Advertiser)

Bright lights and beautiful beaches ... it's Southport

3:46pm Thursday 22nd December 2011 in Holiday Reviews

Barrie Hudson discovers the surprising delights of a north west seaside town out of season

WHEN we think of British seaside holiday resorts in the off season, we tend to think of depressing vistas of mothballed dodgems, tarpaulin-covered stacks of deckchairs, empty bandstands and hibernating boarding houses.

In many cases that’s precisely what the visitor finds, but Southport is very different because it has plenty of attractions that can be enjoyed all year round.

Set on the North West coast, about 16 miles north of Liverpool, the town is roughly three hours from Swindon by car, making it ideal for a short break or a longer stay, perhaps as a base from which to explore the surrounding area.

Lord Street is where discerning shoppers have been heading for well over a century, and offers stores ranging from high class designer brands to small independents selling everything from clothing to classic vinyl records.

The showpiece of Lord Street, though, is the Wayfarers Arcade, a glass-roofed, wood-trimmed statement of Victorian confidence where visitors can shop, eat and inspect a statue of a famous Southport celebrity – legendary Grand National winner Red Rum.

There is much more to Southport than shopping, though, even in winter.

The Botanic Gardens in Churchtown, a short drive away, are another of the area’s examples of the splendour and confidence of Victorian design, complete with a hothouse full of tropical plant species and pens containing rare breeds of birds.

Those who prefer their walks in green space to be punctuated by attempts to propel a small white ball into a hole will already know that Southport and its environs are golf country, with Royal Birkdale, arguably England’s top course, merely one of many choices.

There are some people for whom no visit to the seaside is complete without some traditional seaside activities, and once again Southport delivers the goods, even in the depths of winter.

The broad beach and rolling dunes may be more suited to people wearing several layers of clothing at this time of year, but attractions such as the Funland amusement arcade and the New Pleasureland fairground are a joy whether the calendar says January or July.

One attraction that shouldn’t be missed is Southport Pier, which extends three quarters of a mile across the sands and into the Irish Sea, and is billed as the second longest in the country after Southend’s.

At the end is a pavilion where £1 buys a fistful of the old pennies you’ll need to operate the vintage slot machines, which range from one-armed bandits to a laughing sailor who’s the stuff of childhood nightmares.

If the stroll to the pavilion looks too daunting, a tram will carry you to there and back for £2.

If more offbeat attractions are your preference, Southport is home to the Tattoo Museum in Princes Street, which offers free entry to the only display of its kind in Britain – more than 5,000 tattoo-related exhibits.

Arguably even more offbeat is the British Lawnmower Museum in Shakespeare Street (www.lawnmowerworld.co.uk), which has hundreds of mower-related exhibits.

As might be expected from a town that has been a holiday resort for much of its history, it would be possible to stay in a different hotel or guesthouse every night for a couple of years and still have hundreds more to try.

When we last visited, we stayed at the excellent four-star Ramada Plaza Hotel on The Promenade – www.ramadaplazasouthport.co.uk. Current special offers there include dinner, bed and breakfast starting at £54.50 per person per night.

The town is also very well served when it comes to fine dining. Recommended restaurants include The Wine Cellar (www.the-wine-cellar-biz), an underground lounge bar, bistro and tapas restaurant in what used to be a large public lavatory – not that anybody would guess. Dishes cost from £3.10 to £14.95 and are delicious.

Also delicious is the French cuisine at Auberge Brasserie in Seabank Road, whose remarkable menu can be found at www.auberge-brasserie.com.

Further information about Southport and all it has to offer can be found at www.visitsouthport.com.