A ‘world class’ water park resort is set to be built in the Merseyside town of Southport, which will create over one hundred jobs and add millions to the North West economy.
And it’s only just over an our away from Greater Manchester.
The Southport Cove Resort – which is the joint project of Go Surfand Sefton Council – is set to be a state-of-the-art seafront space, which will open all year round through what the council has called a “world class wave pool at its heart”.
The surf pool will use innovative technology to create waves that are taller than two metres for accomplished surfers, and 50cm waves for those looking for a more relaxed day out, or are keen to get their practice in.
A 250-metre long beach will also be created with a 360-degree boardwalk and planted gardens.
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That’s not all though, as the resort will also be home to a wellness and spa facility, with four-star accommodation, restaurants and cafes, and indoor leisure facilities too.
A total of 120 new jobs are expected to be created, with more an annual £20 million boost to the local economy through an expected 150,000 yearly visitors.
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Southport Cove / Sefton Council
Cllr Marion Atkinson – Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills at Sefton Council – said: “Many people will remember that in 1989 the much-loved open-air swimming bath on the seafront next to Princes Park closed its doors to the public for the very last time.
“When we were doing the consultation around the Southport Town Deal, it was clear that many people still had memories of the Lido in Southport.
“This project will, in many ways, bring back a viable facility with all year-round broad visitor appeal, and strike a balance between the memory of this well-loved former attraction and a new, modern, family-oriented offer that will be unique to the region.”
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Southport Cove / Sefton Council
A spokesperson for Go Surf also said that Southport’s location and existing facilities already “lend themselves perfectly to the town becoming a true haven for water sports, indoor and outdoor attractions, and wellness”.
They added: “The town benefits greatly from the successful integration of its town centre, marine lake and seafront [so] we’re taking a world class surf pool and building a resort around it that’s far more than just a place for catching waves,
“Something that all visitors and members can enjoy on any given day of the year.
“Our aim is to create a perfect environment where people meet with friends and family, be it to lounge on the beach or in the gardens, catch some waves, relax in the spa, or just grab a coffee and a bite to eat.”
An opening date for Southport Cove is yet to be confirmed, so keep your eyes peeled.
What's On
Indoor golf bar with state-of-the-art simulators to open in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A stylish new bar is heading to Manchester where you can play simulator golf and shuffleboard with late-night DJs soundtracking your swing.
Pitch will be branching up north from London in March, promising 10 state-of-the-art simulator bays, a TRENDYGOLF concept store and plenty more.
The brand is set to open at Goods Yard, alongside Caravan (another London export) and Fenix.
Pitch says its arrival to Manchester will ‘change the way the sport is played in the city centre’, making golf more diverse and accessible to all.
Visitors to the stylish space, which will be open seven days a week, will be able to recreate the experience of real golf through their high-tech simulator technology.
You’ll be able to virtually visit the world’s most famous courses, including the Old Course at St Andrews Links and Pebble Beach in California.
Inside Pitch, there’ll also be a sleek bar and kitchen with a wide range of cocktails and dishes, including an Asian-inspired ’18 Greens’ menu.
The new venue will also extend the brand’s academy for beginner women golfers, in partnership with Adidas, which has welcomed more than 1,000 golfers in London.
The on-site TRENDYGOLF Concept Store will be open six days a week stocking brands like Lindeberg, Hugo Boss, Manors, Malbon Golf, Ralph Lauren and G/FORE.
Pitch is opening its first bar in Manchester, with golf simulators and more
Pitch co-founder and CEO Elliot Godfrey said: “We’re very excited to open our first venue in Manchester at the start of 2025, giving Pitch a presence in one of the UK’s busiest cities and one with a special relationship with sport.
“When we began the process of expanding beyond London, Manchester was one of the first places we set our sights on, and it’s fitting to open our innovative concept somewhere that has always striven to be at the forefront of development and progress.
“Pitch venues are the perfect places for social gatherings, and it is a way of playing and engaging with the game that is open to everyone.”
Co-founder Chris Ingham added: “Enterprise City is the perfect setting for a Pitch venue and our new branch will become part of one of the UK’s best social and cultural hotspots when it opens.
“With a TRENDYGOLF Concept Store and no shortage of food and drink options, we envision this being a place where Mancunians can spend hours socialising, golfing and dining in style.”
Pitch Manchester will open its golf bar at Goods Yard in March 2025.
An unmissable Whitney Houston tribute event is returning to Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
A much-adored and cherished Whitney Houston tribute show is returning to Greater Manchester later this year for not one but two different shows, each channelling the charisma and energy of the pop legend.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the phenomenal theatre production, ‘Queen of the Night’, the show is visiting a multitude of stages and venues all across the UK.
0161 had to receive at least one date on this tour, partly due to being the music capital of the North and also due to the fact that this is a city many fans of the 80s diva will forever hold close to their hearts.
Houston played her final ever concert performance of her career here in this very city back in 2010, taking up residence in AO Arena for two nights of world-renowned ballads and mesmerising live vocals.
This tribute show is set to include some of the diva’s biggest and much-loved hits like ‘I Will Always Love You’, ‘How Will I Know’ and ‘The Greatest Love of All’, the audience is sure to be singing along.
Adenike Adewale is taking on the role of the American R’n’B Pop singer and is no stranger to the stage or TV, featuring on The Voice in 2021 where she sang a Whitney classic, making it to the semi-finals.
Fast forward to 1 June and the tour returns to Greater Manchester and legendary city centre space, Bridgewater Hall: an incredible room more than fit for renditions of the powerhouse vocalist.
A pair of stunning venues, two stunning shows and one incomparable voice.
It’s not only our lovely region the Queen of the Night experience will be visiting; our friends over at The Hoot have plenty of nearby opportunities to sing along too, with Yorkshire dates in Hull, Halifax, Harrogate and Bradford to name a few.
I’m definitely saving all my love for when this show visits us later this year in March, and after I buy out the front row for all my friends I’ll certainly relate to the smash 1993 single ‘I Have Nothing’.
Tickets are on sale already now – you can grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
29th October 2020 
