Let there be light! Southport switches on to stunning Marine Lake events space

A stunning and modern Marine Lake Events Centre and Light Show is set to bring over ˝ a million visitors and nearly 300 new jobs to Southport, Sefton Council can reveal. The spectacular events space, situated on Southport Promenade, will be combined with a jaw dropping:- 'Light Fantastic' animation, on the Marine Lake, thanks to funding from the Southport Town Deal and support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

The concept has been developed in partnership with the Southport Town Deal board, and is set to transform the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre into a high quality, distinctive entertainment and business events venue, kickstarting an economic rejuvenation of the waterfront area of the Town. Its believed the regeneration will lead to footfall of over 515,000 visitors to the waterfront, while also creating 288 jobs and boosting the Town's hotel and hospitality sector with nearly 60,000 overnight stays from conferences and events alone. A comprehensive delivery strategy is now being produced to help guide the delivery of the Marine Lake events and lightshow project. This will include operator procurement, a full business case, detailed designs and eventual planning application submission.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Southport Town Deal Board Member and Sefton Council's Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said:- "The existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre building has a long and proud history and is an asset that stirs great passion amongst all, as well as being sited in an incredible location in the Town centre. As the largest investment project included within the Southport Town Deal, the Marine Lake Events Centre, a working title suggested by one of the hundreds of Schoolchildren who responded to the targeted consultation on the project, will provide Southport with an incredible events space with state-of-the-art facilities to attract a continuous and wide range of different types of entertainment events and audiences to the resort. The Light Fantastic show will provide a walkway into the lake as part of an incredible water, light and sound show which won't just complement the Events Centre, but will also prove to be an attraction in its own right to further elevate and distinguish the Southport brand. Sefton Council and our partners on the Town Deal Board want to see Southport transformed in to a thriving, vibrant visitor destination. We want to give people a reason to visit and stay for longer. We believe that attractions such as this, our new events space, and more, will create a genuinely unique visitor experience and will only serve to strengthen our visitor economy."

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "Like many people, I've got lots of happy memories of going to Southport as a kid. It's great to see these exciting projects to help breathe new life into the Town moving forwards. The Southport Theatre and Convention Centre building currently remains closed at this time."
 

Man jailed after being caught with ₤60,000 of heroin and crack cocaine - Greater Manchester

A man who was caught in possession of more than half a kilogram of heroin and 100 grams of crack cocaine has been jailed for 3 years and 4 months. The discovery was made by British Transport Police (BTP) County Lines Taskforce Officers, at Wigan Railway Station.

Paul Green, 38, and of Prince Albert Mews, Liverpool, appeared Bolton Crown Court, on Wednesday, 10 February 2021, where he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply drugs of Class A status. On Thursday, 17 June 2021, a judge sentenced him to 40 months imprisonment.

Green 1st came to the attention of plain clothed County Lines Taskforce officers at Liverpool Lime Street Station on the morning of on Wednesday, 13 January 2021, as he wasn't wearing a face covering within the Station. 1 of the Officers then saw Green later that morning alighting a train Wigan Station and enquired as to why he wasn't wearing a face covering as he travelled on the service. He initially stated to Officers that he was travelling from Liverpool to Wigan before becoming evasive and admitting that he was actually travelling to Aberdeen. Green continued to be uncooperative with the Officers and was subsequently searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

He was found to be in possession of a large quantity of heroin and crack cocaine and two mobile phones before being arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs of Class A status and conveyed to Police custody for questioning. The Class A drugs seized at the Greater Manchester Station were identified as 544 grams of heroin and 101 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of more than ₤60,000.

BTP Detective Inspector, Matt Davies, said:- "Clearly Green was using the railway to export drugs from Liverpool to Aberdeen for his own financial gain. His brazen efforts to travel a considerable distance with a large quantity of Class A drugs did not pay dividends thanks to the proactive work of our Officers. Their efforts on that morning have resulted in potentially harmful heroin and crack cocaine out of circulation and Green spending his immediate future behind bars. Whether you see us or not, our dedicated officers are patrolling the rail network daily to tackle the movement of drugs and illicit cash across the country and disrupt the County Lines business model. If you're travelling on the network and see something that doesn't look right; text us on:- 61016 or call us on:- 0800405040. In an emergency, always dial:- 999."

BTP's County Lines Taskforce; a Police team dedicated to tackling organised criminals using the railway to transport drugs; was setup with Home Office funding in December 2019.

A key aim of the team is to identify and safeguard vulnerable children and adults often exploited by these organised criminals to transport drugs and cash between import and export locations, which can be hundreds of miles apart.