"Visiter" Office confirmed as site for temporary library

Your Lib Dem Team are delighted that at yesterday's meeting of Sefton's Cabinet it was agreed to lease the ground floor of the Southport Visiter’s Tulketh Street offices while work is underway on the £15 million Southport Cultural Centre project. 

This decision will mean that Southport will retain a town centre library at a site only 300 yards from the present Library.

The decision has also been warmly welcomed by Southport MP John Pugh who campaigned strongly against the original decision last November of Labour and Conservative councillors not to provide any temporary library.

Local Liberal Democrats organised a 7000-strong petition which was presented at Southport Area Committee and also persuaded Southport resident Jean Alexander (former Coronation Street star ‘Hilda Ogden’) to speak to a Council meeting voicing support for a temporary library.

John Pugh praised the work of Southport Lib Dem councillors who had taken a lead in securing the the Visiter site. Having heard that space might be available they got the ball rolling in pushing officers to negotiate with Trinity Mirror, owners of the Visiter Group. 

"Before Christmas both Conservative and Labour councillors were saying that a temporary Southport town centre library could not be afforded," commented Dr Pugh. "My Lib Dem colleagues on the Council have done a great job in pushing for an affordable location. The Visiter newspaper offices will cost less than a third of the figures previously quoted."

Councillor Sue McGuire added " I am delighted this decision has finally been made and I think the location will bring benefits to the traders in Wesley Street which can only be a good thing."

We should make it clear that there is plenty of room for the Library on the ground floor of the Tulketh Street building leaving ample space for the Visiter on the first floor.