Metro Mayor and Labour’s Liz discuss investment for Southport with business leaders

Local business entrepreneurs have met with Labour representatives in Southport to discuss how best to develop the town and what investment is available.

Southport Pleasureland’s Norman Wallis and Robert Agsteribbe of Bliss Investment Partners, owners of the waterfront’s Bliss Hotel, joined Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, along with Merseytravel Chair Liam Robinson and Liz Savage, Southport’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, and others to discuss opportunities for the town.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram made clear that he’s keen to back projects that will take Southport forward and told the meeting that he has a £500 million region-wide strategic investment fund available that Southport business can access if they present a sufficiently strong and coherent case:

“My message to Southport business leaders is simple – the money is there, come and get it. I want to see Southport thrive, so get together with your local authority and present your detailed business case because if you don’t, others across the Liverpool City Region will and they will benefit instead.”

“This is a real opportunity. Work with us and the local authority and together, we can make a real difference to Southport.”

It was a message the LCR Mayor repeated as a guest speaker at an investment forum held later by Southport BID, while also telling the audience of ambitious digital plans for the town and local business involving the GTT (formerly Hibernia) Atlantic network cable.

A theme among the various speakers at the event was of the need for collaborative working, which would bring far greater benefits for the town.

Labour’s Candidate for Southport, Liz Savage, says it’s something she’s advocated consistently:

“It was a hugely positive meeting with Pleasureland and Bliss, not only hearing the plans of ambitious entrepreneurs like Norman and Robert who want the town to do well but also the spirit of cooperation and willingness of all to see Southport’s fortunes restored. I’ve long maintained that we need to be pulling together, not pulling apart, for Southport to do well.”

“We need to be working with the local authority and the LCR Metro Mayor to take advantage of their combined strength and resources for the good of the town. Those pursuing a divide and rule strategy are more interested in creating a little fiefdom. It is just holding us back.”

“We need a bigger aspiration for our town than that, and working together is the best way of ensuring Southport will prosper again.”