Sefton Council is committing an additional £567,000 to help turn its Bootle Canalside hospitality project into reality. Tony McDonough reports
Sefton Council is to invest a further £567,000 to get its £1.65m Bootle Canalside events, entertainment, and hospitality venue up and running this summer.
Bootle Canalside will serve as a multi-functional events facility. Sefton says it will stimulate the local economy, transforming the look and feel of the town for residents, businesses and visitors and improving the quality of life for the community.
New artists’ impressions give a flavour of what the site adjoining the Strand will soon look like with a multi-purpose open air venue sitting alongside the waters of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.
READ MORE: Sefton unveils new vision for Bootle Strand
The finished site will include food and drink outlets located in refurbished shipping containers, in a nod to Bootle’s industrial past. It will also feature an urban community garden to bring green space into the town centre.
The council has committed £567,000 to complete the physical works on site, open up the canal towpath and start work on developing a full events programme, from summer 2022. It will potentially include Christmas markets, music events and comedy shows.
Completion of the site is highly anticipated with a number of groups seeing the potential of such a diverse space.
These include a Street Food Regeneration Programme set to be delivered in partnership with the Government’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Nationwide Caterers Association, Hugh Baird College and Everton in the Community.
Cllr Ian Maher, leader of Sefton Council said: “It is hugely positive that we are making a commitment to level up our communities and provide important new infrastructure which will kickstart the regeneration and reorientation of Bootle town centre.
“On the back of the acquisition of the Strand and adjacent sites, we have an amazing opportunity to open up a substantial stretch of canal frontage, and the opportunities for community groups, events, and leisure activities are endless.
“We look forward to providing more updates on the progress of the physical works and the development of an events programme for this and next year, in the coming months.”