A surf wave pool that will generate waves up to 2 metres high as well a spa, four-star accommodation and a restaurant and cafés will be included in the Go Surf attraction. Tony McDonough reports
A new all-year-round multi-million pound water attraction planned for Southport will create up to 120 jobs and generate an estimated £20m-plus for the town every year.
Sefton Council has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Go Surf to create Southport Cove Resort. Located on the seafront, its centrepiece will be a surf wave pool that will generate waves up to 2 metres high.
It will also offer water-based wellness and spa facilities, Four-star accommodation, a restaurant and cafés, and indoor leisure facilities. And it will include a 250-metre long beach coupled with a 360-degree boardwalk and planted gardens.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills on 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.”
Creating up to 120 new jobs and bringing more than £20m per annum to the local economy with an expected 150,000 client visits a year, Southport Cove will complement the other exciting opportunities emerging in the town, as part of the £40m Southport Town Deal.
The founders of Go Surf said in a statement: “Southport’s location and existing facilities lend themselves perfectly to the town becoming a true haven for water sports, indoor and outdoor attractions, and wellness. The town benefits greatly from the successful integration of its town centre, marine lake and seafront.
“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.”