Following the success of its first seven months running The Lake House at Waterloo, Sefton Hospitality Operations Ltd (SHOL), the company behind the popular Beach House food and drink outlet at Ainsdale, is now looking at expanding its operations.
The company is a Sefton Council owned, arm’s-length company which operates The Lake House in Waterloo.
Located alongside the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, The Lake House comprises a new cafe bar and restaurant, conference and events spaces and 14 refurbished rooms for guests to stay over.
Since it opened under SHOL’s management in August 2022, The Lake House has been a huge success.
The venue has served over 20,000 teas and coffees, and received over 2,000 dog visits, many of which are regular canine customers.
Customers have rated their experience as ‘Excellent’ on both Booking.com and Trip Advisor, while staff turnover is well below the hospitality industry rate.
And over 80% of staff are Sefton residents, reflecting SHOL’s mission to create jobs for local people.
Sustainability is at the heart of operations at The Lake House who have adopted the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while utilising local and seasonal ingredients to minimise food miles and support local businesses.
Recognising the popularity of the venue with dog owners, its dog-friendly areas are being expanded this year.
As Sefton Council expands and improves facilities for visitors to Ainsdale Beach in 2023, SHOL will be providing food and drink through its Beach House pop-up.
SHOL are also exploring options to reopen the White House Café, for the public and golfers alike, while the Council continues to explore longer-term options and opportunities for Southport Golf Links.
And SHOL hopes to deliver a much-needed food and drink outlet to Bootle Town Hall and bring the currently-unused areas of the spectacular building back to life.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said:
“We are delighted that SHOL has met our aims by providing the customer experience that has made The Lake House so popular with visitors, while at the same time providing local people with first-rate employment opportunities.
“And I am excited to see the company now looking to build on its success by returning to its pop-up at Ainsdale beach over the summer, and explore options to create new hospitality offerings at Southport Golf Links.”
“Plus, dog owners will be able enjoy access to more areas of the Lake House which will no doubt result in even more happy customers and wagging tails.”
Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:
“It is fantastic to see SHOL making the most of our incredible coastline and working to enhance the hospitality offering for residents and visitors alike.
“I’m sure many residents will be pleased to hear that SHOL are also exploring options to bring back assets such as the White House Café at Southport golf course.”
READ MORE: First look of Waterloo’s brand-new leisure hub The Lake House
