20–25 May 2026Bank Holiday WeekendSouthport Town Centre

SouthportBeer Week 2026

Name: Southport Beer Week 2026
Start: 2026-05-20
End: 2026-05-25
Location: Southport Town Centre

Six days. 18 pubs and bars. 90+ beers. Free ale trail across Southport town centre on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Here is everything you need to plan the trip, wherever you are coming from.

The Ale Trail Getting Here

Dates

20–25 May 2026

Venues

18 pubs & bars

Beers

90+ on the trail

Entry

Free to join

Location

Southport Town Centre

Weekend

Bank Holiday

What is Southport Beer Week?

Southport Beer Week is a six-day real ale and craft beer trail organised by Southport BID across the town centre. Eighteen pubs and bars sign up, each putting on a curated selection of beers you would not normally find on their standard menu: breweries from across the North West and beyond, alongside some of the better-known national craft producers. Full details at Your Southport.

The mechanic is simple. Pick up a trail booklet from any participating venue, collect a stamp at each pub you visit, and work your way around the trail at whatever pace suits you. There is no entry fee, no wristband, no pre-booking required. You just turn up and order a pint.

The timing is deliberate. The Spring Bank Holiday weekend means you can make a proper trip of it. Arrive Wednesday or Thursday when it is quieter, hit the busiest evenings on Friday and Saturday, and still have the Monday to recover. Southport town centre is compact enough to walk between every venue on the trail.

This guide is for people travelling from outside Southport: Liverpool, Manchester, Wigan, Preston, Blackpool. It covers how to get here, where to park, where to stay, and what else is on that weekend.

Trail at a glance

Dates20–25 May 2026

Duration6 days

Venues18 pubs and bars

Beers on trail90+

EntryFree

Trail bookletFrom any venue

OrganiserSouthport BID

Official Beer Week info

The Ale Trail: How It Works

18 venues. One trail booklet. Collect your stamps, try the beers, pace yourself.

Pick up your booklet

Available free from any participating venue from 20 May. Ask at the bar on your first stop.

Collect your stamps

Each venue stamps your card when you buy a Beer Week pint. Work through the trail at your own pace across the week.

Explore the beers

Each pub has a curated Beer Week selection: ales, craft lagers, stouts, IPAs. Beers you will not find on their standard menu.

Confirmed Venues

Tap and Bottles

Craft Specialist

Lord Street / Town Centre

Independent craft beer bar with rotating taps and an extensive bottled range. Usually the strongest lineup on the trail.

The Guesthouse

High Volume

Town Centre

One of Southport's busiest pubs. Large bar, good range, lively atmosphere all week. Expect queues Thursday to Saturday evening.

The Masons Arms

Real Ale

Town Centre

Traditional pub with a serious approach to real ale. The quiet option if you want a proper pint without the noise.

The Windmill

Dog Friendly

Birkdale

Worth the 10-minute walk south. Quieter than the town centre venues, good beer garden, dog-friendly.

The Lakeside Inn

Best Views

Marine Lake / Promenade

Views across Marine Lake. Good spot mid-afternoon before the evening rush starts on the main trail.

Sinclair's

Food Available

Town Centre

Popular bar in the Northern Quarter. Strong craft selection and a good food menu if you need something to eat between pints.

Punch Tarmey's

Large Venue

Town Centre

Long-standing Southport bar. Multiple floors, plenty of space. Gets packed on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Bugle Tap

New for 2026

Town Centre

One of the newer additions: a specialist beer bodega format with a tight, well-curated range. Worth seeking out.

10 more venues to be announced

The full list of 18 venues will be published by Southport BID ahead of the event. The 8 above are confirmed for 2026. Check yoursouthport.com/beer-week for the complete venue list and trail booklet when available.

Terry says

“If you are coming from Liverpool, just get the Merseyrail. It is 45 minutes and you do not have to think about driving home. From Manchester or Wigan, same logic applies. The train into Southport station drops you 10 minutes walk from most of the trail.

Wednesday and Thursday are the nights to go if you actually want to talk about the beer. By Friday evening it is brilliant but noisy. The Big Top Festival running the same weekend means the whole town is buzzing. It is a genuinely good combination.”

Getting to Southport for Beer Week

Southport has direct Merseyrail services from Liverpool and Wigan. If you are planning the ale trail, the train is the obvious choice and usually the cheapest.

🚂

Liverpool(Liverpool Central)

~45 min

Route

Merseyrail Northern Line direct to Southport

Frequency

Every 15–30 min

Last train back

Around 23:30 from Southport

Cheapest option. Direct, no changes. Day return under £10 with a railcard. Buy on the Merseyrail app.

🚆

Manchester(Manchester Victoria)

~1 hr 30 min

Route

Northern Rail to Wigan Wallgate, change to Merseyrail

Frequency

Hourly

Last train back

Check return from Southport. Allow time for the Wigan connection.

Check the timetable before you go. Missing the Wigan connection adds 30 minutes to your journey home.

🚂

Wigan(Wigan Wallgate)

~45 min

Route

Merseyrail direct to Southport

Frequency

Every 30 min

Last train back

Around 23:15 from Southport

Great value. Direct service. Use Wigan Wallgate, not Wigan North Western (they are different stations).

🚆

Preston(Preston Station)

~1 hr

Route

Change at Wigan Wallgate for Merseyrail

Frequency

Roughly hourly

Last train back

Check return timetable. Plan ahead.

Direct trains from Preston to Wigan Wallgate, then Merseyrail to Southport. About an hour total.

🚆

Blackpool(Blackpool North)

~1 hr 45 min

Route

Northern Rail to Preston, then change at Wigan Wallgate

Frequency

Hourly

Last train back

Last Merseyrail back to Wigan by 23:00. Check ahead.

Two changes required. Driving to the edge of Southport and getting a cab into town may be more practical.

Driving to Southport

Southport is well connected by road: M58 from the east, A565 from Liverpool. Junction 3 of the M58 puts you 10 minutes from the town centre. If you are driving in for a daytime session and heading home in the afternoon, parking is straightforward.

If you are doing the evening trail, drive in and get a taxi home, or stay over. Drink driving laws apply. On the bank holiday weekend, roads into Southport can be slow from midday on Saturday. Arrive before 11am or after 7pm to avoid the worst of it on the A565 from Liverpool.

Parking in Southport

Five main options for Beer Week. Tulketh Street is closest to the trail. On bank holiday weekends, arrive early or expect to walk further than planned.

Car Park	Postcode	Walk	Cost
Marine Drive Car Park 12 min to town centre	PR8 1RX	12 min to town centre	From £2 / 2 hrs · £7 all day
Tulketh Street Car Park 3 min to Lord Street	PR8 1EF	3 min to Lord Street	From £1.50 / 1 hr · £6 all day
Morrisons / London Street 5 min to Lord Street	PR8 1JL	5 min to Lord Street	Free 2 hrs with Morrisons purchase
Virginia Street Car Park 6 min to town centre	PR8 1SH	6 min to town centre	From £1.50 / 1 hr
Floral Hall Car Park 8 min to town centre	PR8 1QU	8 min to town centre	From £2 / day

Marine Drive Car Park: Best option if driving in the morning. Walk along the promenade to start your trail.

Tulketh Street Car Park: Closest to most of the trail venues. Gets full from early afternoon on bank holidays.

Morrisons / London Street: Pick something up in Morrisons to validate 2-hour free parking while you are in town.

Virginia Street Car Park: Good fallback if the others are full. Quieter side of town centre.

Floral Hall Car Park: Start at Lakeside Inn, then work your way into the town centre as the evening builds.

Where to Stay

Staying over makes the most sense for Beer Week. The town centre has a good range of hotels and B&Bs within walking distance of every venue on the trail.

The Bold Hotel

Boutique

Lord Street

Right on Lord Street, 5 minutes walk from most of the trail. Boutique hotel, good rooms. Book well ahead for bank holiday weekends.

Sandgrounder Hotel

Mid-range

Promenade

Modern hotel on the promenade, 10 to 12 minutes walk from the town centre trail. Good value. Sea-view rooms worth the upgrade.

Holiday Inn Southport

Chain

Town Centre

Reliable, consistently good. Close to Lord Street. Better for groups who want a straightforward hotel without surprises.

B&Bs and Guest Houses

Budget / Value

Various

Southport has a good number of B&Bs along the Promenade and near the train station. Better value than hotels, usually more flexible on early check-in.

Book early. The bank holiday weekend fills quickly, especially with Big Top Festival also running. Do not assume there will be availability in May if you are looking in April.

Browse all Southport hotels and accommodation

Where to Eat

Trail pubs mostly do bar snacks. For a proper meal before or between sessions, these are the closest options to the main venues.

Bistrot Verite

Book ahead

Waterloo Road, Birkdale

Proper French bistro, 15 minutes from town centre. The best food in Southport by most measures. Book ahead for Beer Week weekend.

Hickory's Smokehouse

Good for groups

Town Centre

American BBQ and cocktails. Good for a group and handles large tables well. Filling enough to set you up for the trail.

Southport Market

No booking

Market Street

Street food market in the town centre with multiple vendors and no booking required. Good for a quick bite between venues.

The Bold Hotel Restaurant

Hotel dining

Lord Street

If you are staying at The Bold, eat there at least once. Good cooking, Lord Street setting. Can be slow on busy evenings.

Full Southport restaurant guide

What Else is On That Weekend

Beer Week does not happen in isolation. The bank holiday weekend in Southport in May is genuinely busy.

🎪

Big Top Festival

Same weekend

Live music festival in a luxury heated marquee at Victoria Park, running over the bank holiday weekend. Part of Southport's 2026 cultural programme. Victoria Park is 15 minutes walk from the town centre trail. Check visitsouthport.com for the full lineup.

🍽️

Food & Drink Festival

Same weekend

Southport's food and drink festival overlaps with Beer Week across the bank holiday. Local producers, street food vendors, and independent traders across the town centre. Good for lunch between trail venues.

🏖️

Southport Beach

One of the widest beaches in England. Late May can be genuinely good weather. The beach and Marine Lake are worth a few hours in the morning before an afternoon and evening on the trail.

Practical Notes

🍺 Pacing yourself

18 venues over 6 days is achievable without destroying yourself
3 to 4 venues per evening is a sensible target
The trail is designed to be done across multiple days, not in one go
Half pints are your friend. Most venues are happy to serve them

📗 Getting the booklet

Free from any participating venue from 20 May
Southport BID will publish the full venue list before the event
Keep it safe. Stamps are the record of your trail progress
Ask bar staff which Beer Week beers they recommend. Most know the range well

🌤️ Weather

Late May in Southport can be warm and sunny, or grey and cool
A light jacket is sensible for evening venue-hopping even in good weather
The trail is indoor so weather only affects the walk between pubs
The beach is worth it on a sunny day. Go in the morning before the trail

🚂 Last trains

Liverpool Central: last Merseyrail around 23:30 from Southport
Wigan Wallgate: last service around 23:15. Check before you go
Southport station is 10 minutes walk from the town centre
Taxis to the station are quick if you are cutting it close

🐾 Dogs on the trail

The Windmill and The Lakeside Inn both welcome dogs
Check individual venues before turning up on a busy evening
Most pubs will have water available if you ask at the bar
Southport Beach is dog-friendly year-round

🚶 Getting around

The town centre trail is entirely walkable. 10 to 15 minutes between most venues
Birkdale venues are a 20-minute walk south or a short cab
Taxis are readily available but busy on Friday and Saturday nights
Book a cab in advance on bank holiday Saturday evening

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Southport Beer Week 2026?

Southport Beer Week 2026 runs from Wednesday 20 May to Monday 25 May 2026. The weekend falls on the Spring Bank Holiday, which is why it works well for visitors travelling from outside Southport. You get the Sunday and Monday without using annual leave.

Is Southport Beer Week free?

Yes. The ale trail itself is free to join. You pick up a trail booklet from any participating venue, get your stamp card, and the only thing you spend money on is the beer. Most pints are at standard pub prices. There is no event entry fee or wristband to buy.

How many pubs are involved in Southport Beer Week 2026?

18 pubs and bars are signed up for 2026, with over 90 different beers across the trail. The range spans craft lager, real ale, stouts, and IPAs. The full venue list and trail booklet are available from Southport BID and participating pubs at the start of the week.

How do I get the Beer Week trail booklet?

Trail booklets are available free from any participating venue from the opening night on 20 May. Pick one up at your first stop. The booklet lists all venues, the beers available at each, and includes the stamp card for tracking your trail progress.

What is the best day to visit Southport for Beer Week?

Wednesday evening and Thursday are quieter. You can take your time, talk to bar staff about what is on, and get round more venues without queuing. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest and most atmospheric. The bank holiday Monday is a good option for a more relaxed final day.

How do I get to Southport from Liverpool for Beer Week?

Merseyrail Northern Line from Liverpool Central, direct to Southport. About 45 minutes. Trains run every 15 to 30 minutes and the last service back from Southport is around 23:30. Under £10 return with a railcard. Buy tickets on the Merseyrail app.

How do I get to Southport from Manchester for Beer Week?

Northern Rail from Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate, then Merseyrail direct to Southport. About 1 hour 30 minutes total, hourly service. Check the return timetable before you go. Missing the Wigan connection adds 30 minutes to your journey.

Is there parking in Southport town centre for Beer Week?

Yes. Tulketh Street (PR8 1EF) is closest to the town centre venues, about 3 minutes walk to Lord Street. Marine Drive (PR8 1RX) is large but fills on bank holiday weekends. If you are driving in for an evening session, Tulketh Street is the most practical option. Drink driving laws apply. If you are doing the full trail, get the train.

What else is happening in Southport during Beer Week 2026?

The Big Top Festival runs in Victoria Park over the bank holiday weekend with live music and entertainment. The Southport Food and Drink Festival also coincides with the bank holiday period. It is a genuinely busy weekend to be in the town.

Where should I stay for Southport Beer Week?

Anywhere in the town centre works. Most of the trail venues are on or near Lord Street. The Bold Hotel on Lord Street is closest to the action. For value, there are several B&Bs and smaller hotels within 10 minutes walk of the main venues. Book early. The bank holiday weekend fills quickly.