A much-loved Merseyside seaside resort has been ranked among the worst in the UK by The Telegraph.
Southport, famed for its expansive sandy beaches, Victorian shopping parade, fairground and bucket-loads of nostalgia, was given a pitiful rating of 28 out of 100 in the Telegraph's recent round-up of the 20 best and worst seaside towns in Britain.
The Merseyside hot spot, which is just a short ride from Liverpool's city centre, has a rich history. Its ever popular Lord Street - lined with high street favourites, independent stores, cafes, and more - is believed to be the inspiration behind the world famous tree-lined avenue of the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
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Its green spaces are vast and impressive, with the recently restored King's Gardens, Hesketh Park and the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown all pit stops on the popular Southport Heritage Trail.
Those craving a bit of retro fun can do so en route to the pier, with plenty of amusement arcades offering brightly coloured, loud games with coins, stuffed animals and electrical goodies up for grabs for any lucky winners. There's also Southport Pleasureland, complete with thrilling rides and amusements, in pretty and tranquil surroundings.
Nearby, the Marine Lake offers relaxing pedalo rides surrounded by swans. Still, it wasn't enough to impress The Telegraph. The classic seaside towns were scored after the newspaper assessed "how they have adapted – or not – over the past three decades, looking at factors such as housing and high streets, renovations and conservation, as well as the cultural clout that so often accompanies gentrification".
Southport did fare better than Blackpool, which scored 22 out of 100, and Morecambe, which scored 24 out of 100, but the seaside town's lowly score of 28 saw it pale in comparison to the likes of Margate, which was given 69 out of 100, and Brighton's impressive score of 76. The top rated seaside town was St Ives in Cornwall, which was awarded 98 out of 100.
The Telegraph was unimpressed with Southport and said "the armpit of an area around the railway station reflects the sorry state of the local economy". The opening of the Grand theatre, bar and restaurant, however, was praised, with the paper concluding: "Southport needs to reassert itself if it wants to challenge Formby, down the coast, and Lytham, across the Ribble."
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