Retro Southport: 14 nostalgic photos taking you back to Southport seaside in the 1970s

In the days before cheap flights and package holidays, UK families and friends packed up the car and descended en masse to seaside resorts like Southport to have a brilliant time.

A bucket and spade, deckchair, bag of chips and a ride on a donkey and holidaymakers were delighted. Throw in a stroll on the pier and a visit to Pleasureland funfair and they were in paradise.

Sadly, the iconic pier, which was first opened in 1860, has been closed since December 2022 over ‘serious health and safety’ fears while Sefton Council investigate how to fund a fix.

However, the £73m Marine Lake project is already underway to help ‘revitalise’ the town and a 'unique' £75m Cove Resort with surfing lagoon is also planned.

But as Southport continues to undergo regeneration, we take a trip down memory lane to those heady days of summer holidays in the 1970s.