Southport Hotels Association has kindly donated over £700 towards the ongoing campaign to transform the Bandstand Gardens on Lord Street in Southport town centre.
The scheme is being led by the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers, who have declared that improving the historic area in front of The Vincent Hotel is their major project for 2026.
It follows their successful and eye-catching renovation of the Town Hall Gardens last year.
Local hoteliers have also been joining in to support the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers, taking part in efforts to give the area a fresh new look in time for summer.
This is a particularly important year for the town, with visitors from around the world due to arrive to enjoy The 154th Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport.
The Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers are leading the transformation of the Bandstand Gardens on Lord Street in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Volunteers are aiming to raise around £10,000 to fund a water irrigation system for the Bandstand Gardens as well as being able to buy new plants to make it bloom.
People are able to donate here: Bandstand Gardens Revival Project, Southport – a Community crowdfunding project in Southport by Pauline Morris
They also welcome any new volunteers with open arms.
Southport Hotels Association said:
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our members for donating over £700 to support the fantastic work of the Lord Street in Bloom Volunteers.
“Thanks to the generosity of Southport’s B&Bs and Guest Houses, the volunteers have been able to purchase top soil for the exciting new garden project beside the bandstand on Lord Street and it’s arriving by the wagon load!
“This project is helping to keep Lord Street looking beautiful for residents and visitors alike, and it’s a great example of what can be achieved when local businesses and volunteers work together.
“We’d love to encourage more local businesses to get involved and support future improvements across Southport.
“Whether through donations, sponsorship, materials, or volunteering your time, every contribution makes a difference.
The Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers are leading the transformation of the Bandstand Gardens on Lord Street in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“If you would like to support the project or volunteer with the team, please get in touch with the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers and help us make Southport bloom!”
The Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers are working hard this year to convert the rundown Bandstand Gardens area on Lord Street into a beautiful space where families can flock to enjoy the scenery as well as new events.
The Bandstand has been an impressive feature on Lord Street since the Victorian era, and this famous local landmark is also getting an upgrade.
Volunteers are repainting it, with the aim of bringing it back into use as a hub for live music and events. Lampposts and bins in the area are being repainted and spruced up.
Last year the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers reinvigorated the nearby Town Hall Gardens, temporarily installing new planters and adding hundreds of colourful new plants.
That area will soon be given a brand new look through a £10 million scheme led by the families of Elsie, Bebe and Alice.
The Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers are leading the transformation of the Bandstand Gardens on Lord Street in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
While that work happens, the volunteers want to ensure that the Bandstand Gardens, in front of The Vincent Hotel, are fit for purpose and a pleasant place for people to visit.
They have enjoyed support from a number of organisations, includingSouthport Hotels Association, Southport Matters, Compassion Acts, Sefton Council, and Southport BID.
Dowhigh, a civil engineering firm based in Sefton, has provided substantial help, delivering 20 tonnes of topsoil and getting the initial works underway.
Pauline Morris, the founder of the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers, said:
“The work we did last year at the Town Hall Gardens was a massive success. We are all really proud of the difference we made to improve that area; it took a lot of hard work!
“The Mermaid Gardens in front of Sainsbury’s are also looking really good.
“We have also done lots of work at Southport Train Station.
“Now we’re onto our new project – it’s a big one and we need help!
“The Bandstand Gardens have been dire for such a long time. They became a real grotspot.
“This is an historic space right in the middle of Lord Street, which can be really beautiful and can attract so many families if we all work together.
“In Victorian times, that Bandstand was a treasured community hub for people. It was a brilliant venue for live music, for people gathering together and enjoying the gardens.
“We want to bring that back. It’s especially important to do that now, with work about to start on creating the new family-friendly events space at the Town Hall Gardens, led by the families of Elsie, Alice and Bebe. That’s such an exciting initiative, but it’s going to take a few months to complete.
“We will soon be seeing The 154th Open Golf Championship coming to Royal Birkdale in Southport this year, so we’re soon going to be welcoming lots of visitors from around the world – we want to see Southport looking its very best!”
The Lord Street Volunteers group began in 2010 and has been dedicated to improving the Lord Street area of Southport for 16 years.
Last year they played their part, among other local gardening groups, in helping Southport to earn the Overall Winner award at the Britain in Bloom 2025 UK Finals, a triumph for a community who used the town’s gardens for healing amid tragedy.
If you would like to donate to the Lord Street In Bloom Volunteers or volunteer with the group, please email: [email protected] or message them via their Facebook page: (20+) Facebook
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