The skilled team DV8 Designs, based at Birchwood Park, have announced that they will partner again with Dawnvale Group, working alongside Sefton Council to transform the historical Southport Market in the popular North West seaside town. Plans are already underway and the project is set to return the site to its former glory and re-establish Southport as a cultural destination for the future.
Southport Market sits in the heart of the town’s market district and with the original food hall burning down soon after its grand opening in 1857. The present building is the second version of the design and retains its classic Victorian form. Following on from a major renovation more recently, the new market operation has been in steady decline and so a radical new approach was urgently required.
DV8 Designs has an established reputation within the food and drink industry – designing bars restaurants, distilleries and food halls including The Liverpool Gin Bar and Distillery on Castle street, Liverpool and the recently opened ‘meet, eat, work’ destination EngineRooms at Birchwood Park in Warrington. The company’s Director, Warrington-born Lee Birchall, is a trusted advisor to local councils as well as cultural and destination management partners and is a passionate champion for the regeneration of Northern towns.
Director of DV8 Designs, Lee Birchall, said:
“I’m delighted to be working with such a talented and experienced team on this innovative project for Southport. We bring our extensive experience and specialist knowledge of the sector to the table, along with our passion and our true Northern pride. The re-design of Southport Market space will be integral to the regeneration of this fantastic destination, and we are so proud to be involved.”
The vision for the redesigned market hall will draw on the influences of successful UK and European food markets with a cultural model that encourages social eating and sharing, local partnership and collaboration and that supports local producers and small businesses.
The market will focus on Southport’s coastal influences, sourcing the best local ingredients and produce as well as drawing on expertise from local food and drink specialists such as brewers of craft ales and small batch spirits. A flexible event space within the venue will encourage collaboration and creativity and will be at the heart of the market, providing a social hub and an ideal meeting place within the town.
With 22 miles of coast featuring stunning beaches and woodland along with open spaces and traditional seaside attractions, Southport has over 9.2 million visitors annually with an action-packed events programme that draws in an additional 250,000 people over the year.
With a vibrant history and a colourful and varied mix of Art Deco, Victorian and contemporary architecture, the team won’t have to look far for inspiration, and they plan to combine this with international influences and examples from around the Globe.
Southport’s rich heritage along with its iconic architecture and evident Victorian past have provided a plethora of places for DV8 Designs to draw inspiration from, including the Pier, the elegantly landscaped Botanic Gardens, the traditional funfair and the Colonnades.
The market hall is bursting with character, with ornate ironwork and exposed brick giving the designers a ‘reclaimed’ aesthetic to use to their advantage. DV8 Designs plan to plan to utilise elements of a fun fair, incorporating carousel horses and circus tent-style canvas into the scheme.
For more information visit www.dv8-designs.co.uk or head to www.southportmarket.com for the latest updates.