Families hope revamped gardens inspired by Southport victims will be 'place of joy'

Southport's Town Hall gardens are to undergo a major £10m revamp inspired by Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Aguiar, and Bebe King.

Elsie, aged seven, Alice, nine, and Bebe, six, were killed in the Southport knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July.

Their shared love of dance, music and the arts have inspired the vision for a new town square and community space which will act as a "thank you" to people of Southport for their support in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The families hope the space in the heart of the town centre "will become a legacy inspired by our three beautiful and amazing girls" and loved by many generations to come.

Elsie, Alice and Bebe's families envision the space as a safe and joyful place, full of energy and creative expression, particularly for Southport's younger generations.

They said the project, which will be a platform for performers and include regular family-friendly events, was "rooted in love, resilience and unity".

"It will be a place of joy, hope and community. A vibrant place where children and families can feel safe, connected and celebrated in the heart of our town," the families said.

"We wanted to find a way to thank the people of Southport for standing shoulder to shoulder with us."

"Your compassion has never wavered and your strength has helped carry us forward."

Sefton Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have both provided £2.5m for the project with the government allocating £5m to the works.

In a meeting in Downing Street earlier, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met the families.

Sir Kier thanked them for their "continuing courage and resilience".

"We sit here as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, we sit here as human beings with families of our own, and we sit here on behalf of millions of people who would love to see the plans and to say well done for bringing them forward and getting to this point," he said.

He also told them Ms Rayner will "personally oversee" the implementation of the project.

The families thanked Sir Keir, Rayner and Sefton Council, as well as Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, "for listening to our voices and helping us achieve the funding we need for this project".

They added: "This is only the beginning, and we all walk forward together with our amazing community in Southport, with purpose and hope."

Rayner said: "The strength of everyone in Southport has been beyond words and I am delighted we are able to help with the families' vision to give back to that amazing community, who continue to give everything they can to those families and victims.

"We are committing £5m to help create a safe community space for connection, reflection, and renewal - a lasting symbol of hope, guided by the strength of the families and wider community."

Leader of Sefton Council, councillor Marion Atkinson, said: "A space for joy, culture, and togetherness will reflect Elsie, Alice, and Bebe's vibrancy in a beautifully positive way.

"The Town Hall gardens and the Atkinson were where the community came together in their grief, demonstrating Southport's incredible strength.

"It was a place of togetherness then, it is a place of togetherness now, and it will be for years to come.

"The regeneration will create a dynamic, family-friendly stage for creativity, celebrating the love for dance and the arts that meant so much to the girls."

Southport's MP Patrick Hurley said: "This legacy project, to renovate, refurbish and remodel the gardens outside The Atkinson will be a nod to their memory and a flare of bright optimism for the future of Southport."

He said the community gathered "spontaneously and collectively" in the gardens outside The Atkinson, "standing defiantly in the face of evil".

The Labour MP added: "So it is fitting that as time goes on, these gardens are at the heart of the proposal for the renewal of Southport, not just to acknowledge the awful events of July, but more importantly, to recognise the spirit of the town, its people and the families of those affected in bringing Southport back into the light."

Metro mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: "Few places capture the heart and soul of a community quite like Southport's Town Hall gardens.

"It became a place of reflection, resilience and unity where thousands came together to grieve, to support one another, and to stand as one."

He said: "This regeneration is a powerful opportunity to give something back to that same community; a lasting symbol of hope and joy.

"By putting children, families and the arts at its core, we're creating a space that honours the memory of Elsie, Alice and Bebe in the most meaningful way: by inspiring future generations."