Wayfarers Arcade 1.33

Wayfarers Arcade is a Grade II listed structure located in the seaside town of Southport, Merseyside on the famous boulevard of Lord Street in the town centre. The arcade is a near untouched building with the glass dome and Victorian shop fronts below it, creating a shopping arcade.HistoryThe Arcade first opened in October 1898 and was originally called the Leyland Arcade, after Southport MP, Sir Herbert Leyland. The arcade was the idea of John Humphrey Plummer, a Victorian entrepreneur, who at the time owned most of the shops on Lord Street. His idea was to create an indoor shopping area that could be enjoyed in all weather conditions. Due to the existing shops on Lord Street providing him with a good income, he did not want to lose the rent from any of them by decreasing their size. Therefore this explains the reason for the narrow entrance to the arcade that still exists today.In 1939 during the outbreak of World War II, the domed roof was painted black as part of blackout precautions, the tropical fish aquarium was removed from the arcade to save electricity.During the 1950s the arcade was purchased by a tailors business 'Montague Burton', so the arcade was renamed From Leyland Arcade to the Burton Arcade. While under ownership by Burtons major restoration took place by replacing original pitch pine block floor with asphalt. Finally in 1976 the Wayfarers Arcade head lease was acquired by Anthony Pedlar and renamed Wayfarers Arcade.