An ambitious project supported by Southport BID to transform an historic building in Southport town centre is nearing completion.

The grand four-storey site, at 509-515 Lord Street, stands on the corner of Bold Street and was built in 1905.

Southport company Ironshore Global began the £1million redevelopment of the building in March last year, with a careful eye on both preserving and restoring its many impressive heritage features.

The project is due to be completed around the end of April.

Inquiries are now being fielded for the two available retail units on the ground floor – which can be merged into one larger space if required – as well as for the nine luxury apartments in the floors above.

It is one of a number of schemes currently taking place which are designed to attract more people to come and live in the town centre, providing a welcome boost to local businesses.

The project has been supported by the Southport Townscape Heritage Project, English Heritage, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Southport BID, Sefton Council and others.

It offers some truly unique features, with the conservation of this historic Grade II Listed building key to its success. It is situated within the Lord Street Conservation Area.

It was built 117 years ago, with a succession of shops on the ground floor ever since. Madam Luna, a ‘fancy goods dealer’, was one of the first occupants. The upper floors have been used as tailors’ workrooms, storage and offices.

Many people will remember it from the 1960s when the retail units were occupied by Dolcis shoes and Robins, ladies and children’s outfitters; or by Denise Fashions in the 1980s.

509-515 Lord Street is the only Southport town centre building with its own wraparound verandah, with the glass windows curving around the corner of Lord Street and Bold Street – something to really wow customers.

The building couldn’t be better located, thanks to last year’s £38.5million in Town Deal funding from the government and the substantial private investment which is already flowing into Southport as a result.

The other of Bold Street will soon see the creation of a new £75million Marine Lake Events Centre, the centrepiece of the Southport Town Deal initiative. The new facility is forecast to attract 515,000 additional visitors to the waterfront every year. Bold Street will become a thriving gateway connecting Lord Street and the town centre with the Events Centre and the seafront.

Photos above by Andrew Brown Media

A short walk along Lord Street is where Mikhail Hotel & Leisure has ambitions to build its ‘Tower Of Hope’, the tallest UK building outside London or Manchester. The 48-storey building would house 140 residential apartments, 109 five star hotel rooms and a top quality wedding venue. The trendy ‘Northern Quarter’ of Lord Street has already become home to some top class hotels, restaurants and bars.

Ironshire Global Managing Director Paul Halsall said: “We are nearing completion now. We began work in March last year and are looking at around another eight to twelve weeks, finishing this project around the end of April, for both the apartments and the retail units.

“If anyone is interested in finding out more about either, they are welcome to get in touch.

“We are not really looking for bars to come in, although we have already had a few approaches.

“These units are each 900 sq ft in size – we could combine them into one unit – would be much more suitable for retail, or perhaps as a convenience store, which would be busy with so many people now moving to live or stay in Southport town centre.”

Paul, pictured above, added: “These units are going to look magnificent when the new Victorian style wraparound shopfront comes in. There is nothing else in Southport quite like this.

“This building also has one of the only Victoria cantilevered verandas in the UK. It is unique in being the only building on Lord Street where the veranda is supported from above by tie rods. All the others are supported by cast iron pillars.

“We have sourced Cumbrian green slate for the roof.

“We have created replica stained glass leaded windows on the side elevations, the craftsmanship is superb.

“This building has real character to it.

“We have been working very closely on this project with bodies including English Heritage, Southport BID, Sefton Council and the Southport Townscape Heritage Project. The renovation has also been supported through the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“The Southport Townscape Heritage Project has provided boards to the front of the building which explain all about the building’s history and what we are creating here.

“There are some magnificent buildings in Southport which have disappeared over the years. We are very proud of what we are achieving here, enhancing the appeal of Lord Street.”

At the end of 2019, the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) awarded £1.6 million towards a £2.5 million investment in the Southport Townscape Heritage Project, a heritage-led initiative to regenerate Southport’s historic town centre over five years.

Southport BID and Sefton Council, with support from partners such as Southport Civic Society and The Atkinson, led the successful funding bid and are now overseeing a programme of property grants for historic buildings, skills training and community activities.

The Southport Townscape Heritage Project focuses on the four key streets linking Southport town centre and the Marine Lake attractions – Coronation Walk, Scarisbrick Avenue, Nevill Street and Bold Street – which sit within the Lord Street and Promenade Conservation Areas.

• If anyone is interested in finding out more about the retail units or apartments available at 509-515 Lord Street, Southport, please email: paul@ironshoreglobal.com