Council comment on the Bliss Hotel in Southport going into administration

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills said: “It is always saddening to hear of any company falling into difficulties and our first thoughts are with those staff and other  businesses who are directly affected by this news.

“Nevertheless as we have consistently made clear from the outset, the Marine Lake Events Centre and accompanying Water & Lights Show is a hugely expansive scheme.

“This type of project requires countless hours of pre-planning, budgeting, consultation, engagement, procurement and detailed scrutiny  – all of which I am delighted to reaffirm to Cllr Pugh has so far been successful at every stage. He would know this if he read his Council papers.

“In addition to the ‘nailed down’ £2.3 million of pre-development work and Sefton Council’s commitments of a further £19.7 million, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has recently agreed a £17.7 million for the Marine Lake Events Centre.

“We have also appointed the world’s leading event management firm ASM Global as the venue’s operating partner, who are fully invested in helping us to attract millions of new visitors to Southport year on year and generating an annual £18 million for the local economy.

“The brand new Marine Lake Events Centre is one of the key projects in the Southport Town Deal programme – a programme which is specifically designed to help the local economy grow in the long term and has the support of countless business leaders, the Liverpool City Region and our fantastic communities. It really is ironic Cllr Pugh mentions ‘chill winds.’  This is his attempt to further undermine the area he represents by consistently giving the cold shoulder to the towns much needed regeneration just like he did with Southport Market