Major update on resort’s Southbeach Street Food project

Friday, 16 October 2026 08:39

By Richard Hunt

A new innovative food destination for Blackpool is to be launched next month in the form of a vibrant Christmas Market.

The ambitious Southbeach Street Food project features 19 converted shipping containers on a site directly opposite the Sandcastle water park on South Shore seafront.

It was originally hoped the scheme, which will include food concessions ranging from Thai and Mexican to Spanish tapas and Italian food, would open in Easter this year, with the date then put back to June.

But the physical preparations needed for the groundwork have taken longer than anticipated and now it will launch with its special winter programme – the Christmas Market.

There will be plenty of international food as originally planned, but there will also be mulled wine, Christmas decorations, handmade gifts, toys and children’s gifts, art and prints, jewellery and more besides.

Live entertainment is being arranged for the food amenity, with the sessions proposed to run from November and into December.

Jamie Willacy, a director of Southbeach Street Food, said: “One of the good things about Blackpool is that we have such a long season and that works out well for the run-up to Christmas.

“It will be great for Blackpool because we will have Christmas by the Sea at North Pier, and we’ll be at the other end.

“We’ll have a proper Christmas Market with all the things people usually expect.

“We’re just making final preparations for running things on the ground level only at this stage, rather than using the mezzanine level.

“We can’t wait to finally get open after getting things in place, and after the Christmas Market we’ll be making plans for 2027.”

The site can offer seating for up to 400 diners, and has been designed with entertainment space so it can host events and music, with screens to show big sporting occasions and a stage for live entertainment.

Once up and running it is proposed that Southbeach will have created as many as 120 jobs.

The team behind the project had to successfully apply for both planning permission and licensing consent from Blackpool Council before pressing ahead.

With Blackpool bidding for the City of Culture in 2029, Southbeach Street Food is one of the new amenities which will help broaden the appeal of the town, introducing an element that would not look out of place in Liverpool or Manchester.

Any trader interested in selling at the Christmas Market can contact the team at: info@southbeachstreetfood.co.uk