Southport’s historic Town Hall gardens space will undergo its most significant and biggest regeneration ever, creating a family-friendly, child-orientated, and safe open-air performance and gathering space as a lasting tribute to the people of the town.

The transformation is being led by the families of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, and Bebe King, whose shared love of dance, music and the arts has inspired a vision for a new town square that will be an inclusive community focussed events space in the heart of Southport Town Centre.

The Town Hall gardens space has long been an integral part of Southport’s rich history, but in the wake of the tragic events of 2024 it took on new meaning as a place of unity, healing, hope and remembrance.

Thousands gathered here for a community vigil and used it as a place to leave tributes and flowers for the victims of the tragedy, demonstrating the community’s strength in adversity.

Their families envision the Town Hall gardens space as a safe and joyful place, full of energy and creative expression, particularly for Southport’s younger generations.

Ahead of the full-scale transformation, temporary improvements have been made to the Town Hall Gardens space to enhance its appearance and atmosphere. Floral planters were installed last month to bring colour and vibrancy to the area during the Spring and Summer of 2025, creating a welcoming and uplifting space for visitors and residents alike, before works commence on the space in due course.

These enhancements will serve as a symbol of renewal and positivity, ensuring that the gardens remain a beautiful and inviting part of Southport throughout the transition period.

In direct reflection of the spirit of Elsie, Alice and Bebe, the reimagined Town Hall Gardens will provide a child friendly and safe platform for musicians, dancers, artists, culture lovers and more, ensuring it remains a vibrant hub for generations to come.

Beyond its cultural significance, the regeneration project will play a key role in Southport’s ongoing economic recovery and growth. By creating a flexible high-quality public space, the project will attract visitors, support local businesses, and complement other landmark public and private sector led developments in the town.

The project will also be accompanied by an exciting events programme for Southport for the coming years and beyond, helping to make Southport’s town centre as exciting a place to be as possible for children and families.

Sefton Council has worked closely with the families to secure local and national funding and provided detailed feedback to ensure the project reflects the aspirations of the community.

This vital project is made possible thanks to a £10 million investment, with both Sefton Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority providing £2.5 million, and the UK Government allocating £5 million to the works.

The families of Alice Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Stancombe issued a joint statement welcoming the project. They said:

“This project is a vision we have all shared for some time, which is rooted in love, resilience and unity.

“We wanted to find a way to thank the people of Southport for standing shoulder to shoulder with us. Your compassion has never wavered and your strength has helped carry us forward.

“The regeneration of the Town Hall Gardens will become a legacy inspired by our three beautiful and amazing girls and it will be a space that is loved by many generations to come.

“It will be a place of joy, hope and community. A vibrant place where children and families can feel safe, connected and celebrated in the heart of our town.

“We are grateful to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, to Sefton Council and to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and each of the region’s Councils, for listening to our voices and helping us achieve the funding we need for this project.

“This is only the beginning, and we all walk forward together with our amazing community in Southport, with purpose and hope.”

The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, said:

“The strength of everyone in Southport has been beyond words and I am delighted that we are able to help with the families’ vision to give back to that amazing community, who continue to give everything they can to those families and victims

“We are committing £5 million to help create a safe community space for connection, reflection, and renewal – a lasting symbol of hope, guided by the strength of the families and wider community.”

The £10 million project has the full backing of Sefton Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the UK Government and the Royal Family.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:

“Few places capture the heart and soul of a community quite like Southport’s Town Hall Gardens.

“It became a place of reflection, resilience and unity where thousands came together to grieve, to support one another, and to stand as one.

“This regeneration is a powerful opportunity to give something back to that same community, a lasting symbol of hope and joy. By putting children, families and the arts at its core, we’re creating a space that honours the memory of Elsie, Alice and Bebe in the most meaningful way: by inspiring future generations.

“I’m incredibly proud that the Combined Authority is supporting this wonderful project – shaped by love, led by the families, and backed by the entire city region.”

Leader of Sefton Council, Cllr Marion Atkinson, said:

“A space for joy, culture, and togetherness will reflect Elsie, Alice, and Bebe’s vibrancy in a beautifully positive way.

“The Town Hall Gardens and The Atkinson was where the community came together in their grief, demonstrating Southport’s incredible strength.

“It was a place of togetherness then, it is a place of togetherness now, and it will be for years to come. The regeneration will create a dynamic, family-friendly stage for creativity, celebrating the love for dance and the arts that meant so much to the girls.

“This project is a thank you to the people of Southport—to everyone in the town, in Sefton and beyond who played their part, big or small, in bringing unity and hope to the town. We have consistently said that we would be led by the families, and Sefton Council is privileged to have the opportunity to support them in fulfilling their shared ambition.”

Southport’s MP Patrick Hurley added:

“This legacy project, to renovate, refurbish and remodel the gardens outside The Atkinson will be a nod to their memory and a flare of bright optimism for the future of Southport.

Southport’s community is a strong one. We gathered spontaneously and collectively in the gardens outside The Atkinson, standing defiantly in the face of evil. So it is fitting that as time goes on, these gardens are at the heart of the proposal for the renewal of Southport, not just to acknowledge the awful events of July, but more importantly, to recognise the spirit of the town, its people and the families of those affected in bringing Southport back into the light.

“I’m so pleased to be able to work with the national government, the local authority, and others to support the families as they continue their recovery and to ensure that this investment into Southport is made in the best interests of all.”