Feast your eyes on the stunning, new-look Southport Market

ROLL up, roll up for all the fun – and the fayre!

Southport Market’s undergone a £1.4million refurbishment and been transformed into a vibrant food and drink market that’s set to rival the best in Europe.

There’s a Mexican Street food kitchen courtesy of Hector’s Mexicana, perfect Neopolitan pizzas from Dan at 600 Degrees and, closer to home, traditional food from Birkdale Pie & Mash and fresh, local produce from Blackhurst Butchers, and so much more.

It’s breathed new life into the long-established market to offer something big, bold and wonderful for the seaside town.

Inspired by the market culture seen successfully established throughout the UK, and drawing inspiration too from the European culture of social eating, embracing local produce and fresh ingredients, Southport Market has quickly become a hub for social gatherings.

The market has a long history within the town. It first opened its doors in 1881 – replacing Chapel Street Market – with the current King Street hall built in 1931 after fire destroyed the previous one 18 years before.

For many years it was a thriving hub selling everything from local produce, clothes and haberdashery, and was refurbished in 2012. But as online shopping was on the rise, footfall to traditional markets gradually declined.

It became apparent that a repurpose of the building was needed to keep it at the heart of the community.

And now it’s beating stronger than ever.

The new Southport Market opened in July this year and has since welcomed visitors from across Merseyside and the UK.

Based on the historic fairground and seaside favourites like the Pier’s Penny Arcade to Southport Pleasureland, there’s no mistaking where you are from the moment you step inside. There’s a carousel-themed bar (serving ales, cocktails, gin, and hot drinks) and fun quirky quotes throughout the building.

The heritage of the town, with its mix of Art Deco, Victorian and contemporary architecture, is also celebrated and there’s a collection of old photographs featured around the market, courtesy of The Atkinson, which have proved to be a real talking point.

And, once you’ve marvelled at the magic of the market, you can feast your eyes, and tastebuds, on the fantastic food and drink that’s on offer from top traders already there, with more to come.

Maybe you’d like a taste of Greece from Pitamu, a Portuguese tart from King St. Bakery (imported all the way from Lisbon), Canadian food from Down and Oot, or the famous ‘Gringo’ Sushi from Vincent Pacific. You might just want to dig into the burgers, steaks and loaded fries from Allotment…

And getting it is easy!

Just grab a seat and order a drink from the bar, taking your pick from the bonanza of bevvies on offer; then have a whirl around the traders to see what food takes your fancy, put in your order, and take a buzzer to your seat and wait until it signals it’s ready.

After that? Just eat, drink, and enjoy!