Developer Garrick Southport says it will begin work in spring 2026 on an £18m project to create what it says will be the UK’s first theatre spa hotel in an Art Deco building. Andrew Brown reports
Work to redevelop the iconic former Garrick Theatre site in Southport in the UK’s first theatre spa hotel is due to begin in May next year.
This transformation of the historic Art Deco building on Lord Street is one of the most ambitious projects taking place in the town which is already undergoing significant regeneration.
Developer Garrick Southport has secured planning consent from Sefton Council to provide residential, hotel, spa and retail units, along with a new theatre and events space.
Plans for the building, which first opened in 1932, include a 137-room hotel, 11 apartments including a terrace and pool on the fourth floor, commercial units, a gym and spa and a bar and restaurant.
There will also be a refurbishment of the existing event auditorium, construction of a lift to the rear of the building, a rooftop extension to provide five additional floors and a new canopy to the front .
Two commercial outlets are already operating, both local independent businesses: PWR Box Studio and Raw superfood. More ground floor commercial units will be created next year with work taking place on the facade of The Garrick.
Garrick Southport director Gary MacArthur said: “We are excited to be putting together plans to carry out building work at The Garrick, starting in May next year.
“We will be creating new commercial units on the ground floor, adding to the already successful PWR Box Studio and Raw. They will be completed to the same high standard. We will be installing new windows and working on the facade of the building.
“By the end of next year, the front of The Garrick will look how it does in the concept images which we previously released.
“We have an excellent track record of delivering high quality developments, having just completed the Globe House scheme in the Strangeways area of Manchester city centre. We are very proficient at what we do.
“We have been working very closely with Sefton Council on this scheme and are very grateful for their ongoing support.”
READ MORE: How ‘people power’ secured £20m pier success
READ MORE: New dog-friendly micro pub to open in Southport
Gary said he will be on site this week while the surveyor will be there next Tuesday. There is a builder on hand ready to carry out any necessary repairs “as fast as possible”.
The Garrick was most recently used as a Mecca Bingo hall until its closure in March 2020. Its revitalisation will bring one of Southport’s most iconic landmarks back to life.
The planning application, with architectural design drawn up by Footprint Design and Absolute Services as the Structural Engineer, said: “The imaginative re-use will prevent deterioration and a void in the conservation area, and may encourage a greater critical mass of related activity.”