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Southport Weekender 51 -
"Time to say good bye to Southport."
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SOUTHPORT for many
years has played host to what is an outstanding international
music event that oddly, many in the local area have been unaware
of, or are unaware of its international significance. The
Southport Weekender draws people in from a-list Hollywood stars
and pop stars to TV and sporting personalities from all over the
world, not to mention the thousands of music fans... Sadly, a
few years back, this event's association with Southport came to
an abrupt end, when Pontins went into receivership. The event
then moved to rivals, Butlins, in Minehead, Somerset, and this
move made the event grow even bigger. When the opportunity came
to return to Southport, the event had outgrown its former home,
but the both Alex and Dave, who started the event felt they had
to return for one last time to say:- "Thank you and good
bye" to the place that gave it its amazing reputation
and its name. So for 3 amazing days the event came home. The
home-coming happened over the 17 October to 26 October 2014, at
Southport's Pontins, on the outskirts of Ainsdale, and what an
emotional end it was! Unlike most Weekenders, when the final
track ended, many tried to hold back tears. "It is like
being a kid again, leaving our family to live on our own."
one of the many regulars told us, adding: - "It is so
hard to explain, but we are all so close and this event is not
like any other. Liverpool has had an amazing effect on us over
the years and the open, welcoming attitudes of the people of
Merseyside has made the event so magical. No other event could
get such a close, diverse community as this one has achieved
over the years. I can't explain it properly. Minehead is
amazing, but it will never be the same... Yet we are all looking
forward to the future and new possibilities. I just hope we can
return again some time." One of the locals who attended
added:- "We will never have an event like it again, but
all good things have to evolve and grow to survive I guess...
The loss of this event is a major blow to the area and it is
shocking just how many do not realise what a loss it is, or
care... Thankfully, it will become an ambassador by carrying the
name of its home town to new audiences. So we might have lost it
locally, but it is still and will always be essentially
Southport and we should be proud of that legacy..." We
have lots of photographs, audio interviews and video footage
from this event, so we hope to do this coverage in 3 Parts. Part
one of the photographic coverage can be seen within this week’s
edition by clicking on
here
now. Also, we have some audio interviews in this edition for you
to play, so you can hear what those attending really thought of
the event, in their own words. Please let us know your memories
and feelings about this event: and to discover what is next for
it, go to:-
SouthportWeekender.co.uk.
'The Great British Date
Off!' is heading to Southport, Merseyside
SOUTHPORT is hosting
the world's first 'The Great British Date Off!' on
Friday, 7 November 2014, from 8pm. The event takes place at the
Crib (119 to 121 Eastbank St (opp KwikFit)). The event
organiser, Gail, said:- "We shall obviously changing the
interior to look less like a family centre on the day! There is
a 'wine raffle' and some niblles provided. £10 per ticket.
Booking is essential, as if we don't get the same number of men
and women booked for that night, we will postpone. We're ideally
looking for 15 to 20 men and the same number of women. We can
run it at just 10 of each as a minimum they can pay cash at the
Crib, contact:- 07984 641 200 or gifted paypal to:- askthecrib@gmail.com
(write 'date off' and their name in the comments box so i know
who they are!)"
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B.O.A. 70th Anniversary
DVD
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 THE
video footage we have taken at
the 70th BOA events this year in
Liverpool has now been fully
edited is available to buy, on a
DVD, from our Online
Shop,
on Mersey Reporter very soon.
For each DVD sold, £3.00 will go
to the Liverpool's Lord Mayor's
Charity Appeal. (Registered
Charity No. 229539) At
this stage we can only do UK
postage options, but if you are
outside the UK, you can still
order copies, but only via
emailing our newsroom at:-
news24@merseyreporter.com
with your FULL address and we
will get back to you with a
postage cost and a payment link,
should you wish to continue. |
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