First grant-aided refurbishment underway

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On this photo from the 1980s, you can see that the side of the building on Bold Street is less ornate than the front.

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The stained glass is in the style and colours of the 1920s, so probably dates from alterations made then.

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The seaside air of Southport can damage slates, so some need to be replaced.

Work is underway on the first building to receive a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to reinstate heritage features using conservation standard techniques and materials. 509-515 Lord Street was built in the early 20th century providing shops at street level and offices above.

What’s going on?

At ground floor level, the 1980s’ shopfront is being removed and a shopfront of traditional appearance – the sort that you would have seen in the early 1900s – is being installed. We’ve taken the design from older shopfronts elsewhere on Lord Street, particularly ‘June the Florist’ at 108 Lord Street.

On the first floor, some windows have original stained glass, and replicas will be installed in the other windows on this level. Many of the original window frames are partly rotten and these are being renovated where possible.

The verandah is also being spruced up – the metal work is being brushed down and repainted, and the glasswork cleaned and repaired.

There is also work that you can’t see from street level, including repairs to the roof. Slate can last for hundreds of years, so as many original slates as possible will be retained and relaid with new ones to match.

Finally, an important part of renovating any building is making sure all the gutters and downpipes work. Have you checked yours recently? Clear gutters and piping can help prevent damp problems in buildings.

A new lease of life

Once the work is done, 509-515 Lord Street will have a new lease of life, with retail businesses on the ground floor and nine self-contained residential apartments, adding a new chapter in the tale of the building.