Harpers

Fish and chip shops are to Southport what Italian restaurants with faux Italian waiters are to Formby. With it being a seaside town (I’d describe it as Diet Blackpool), fish and chip shops are very, very common in Southport. There are a fair few in the town centre and it only gets worse as you head up towards the front. Some are okay, some are terrible and some, like Harpers, are very good.
On the busy Eastbank Street, the takeaway section of Harpers at the front of the shop is quite small and cramped, meaning the busy lunchtime period results in a slightly squashed few minutes. However, the staff there are all very efficient so you’re never normally waiting too long.
If you’re not in a rush, there is a restaurant part to Harpers to at the back of the shop, where you can sit down with your fish, chips and mushy peas and eat in relative peace as you wash it all down with a cup of tea.
The food itself is probably the best in the area, with their chips being delightfully fluffy and their fish being crispy and full of flavour. Their prices are a bit expensive but competitive nonetheless, meaning Harpers is a good place to go for a bite to eat during lunchtime.