It’s a balmy afternoon in Southport.
Families stroll down the promenade, eating from polystyrene trays of steaming-hot chips as children queue for the magnificent 19th-century carousel outside the iconic facade of Silcock’s Funland. It’s the picture-perfect summer's day, with locals and holiday makers alike basking in the gloriously sun-soaked surroundings.
It's a welcome sight after two years of unprecedented, pandemic-induced hardship, where the Liverpool City region saw visitor numbers plummet by more than 60%. Though the deepening cost of living crisis looms like an ominous cloud on the horizon, one seaside staple - the humble B&B- is profiting from a staycation boom that is expected to bring an estimated £15.5billion to the UK economy this year.
