Empire Restaurant Celebrates Chinese New Year

People can gallop into an exciting new year with the Empire Restaurant in Southport town centre.

The family-owned venue on Nevill Street is inviting people to join them for their popular annual Chinese New Year celebrations on Friday 13th February 2026, as they welcome The Year Of The Horse.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of people around the world, as a time for cultural traditions, family reunions, and hopes for good fortune in the coming year.

Guests at the Empire will be able to enjoy a delicious banquet, with stunning entertainment including lion dancing and live kung fu demonstrations. They will also be able to gain entry to the Empire raffle with prizes worth up to £150 for lucky winners.

This popular event always sells out among families, and this year takes place at the start of the school half-term holidays.

The following three days (14th-16th February 2026) will see the Lightport event taking place nearby along Lord Street.

The Empire restaurant is run by owner and manager Lily Seow while Henry Seow is the assistant manager.

Henry said: “We are looking forward to welcoming people to our Chinese New Year celebrations!

“We always sell out for this event, which is a fantastic spectacle.

“Our lion dancers will be dancing outside The Empire from 7pm, for around an hour.

“Families can come and book tables with us for our special new year banquet, which is £49.95 per person.

“It’s always a full house! Kids especially love watching the lion dancing and the kung fu, it’s something very different and a real celebration of our culture.

“People who are not dining with us are also welcome to come along to Nevill Street and watch all the entertainment.

“We will mark our 10th anniversary of running the Empire restaurant in June, so 13th February is a great way to start a year of celebrations.

“We ran The Jasmine Tree restaurant on Union Street for a long time before taking over the Nevill building.

“Our head chef has over 30 years’ experience of cooking in restaurants both here in the UK as well as in Malaysia and Thailand and is an expert in cooking Chinese, Malaysian and Thai food.

There is lots for diners to try when we run our all-you-can-eat buffet here every Sunday and Bank Holiday.

“Our message to people is - please come in and try our food!

“There are so many dishes to choose from on our menu.

“I love to see customers’ reactions when they try different things.

“If you’re not sure what to order, please don’t be scared to ask for our recommendations. We’re happy to guide you through, and are flexible with what we offer.

“We also have lots of gluten free options and can cater for different dietary requirements.

“This building has been home to Chinese restaurants for the past 70 years, so it has a real history in Southport which we are proud to continue.”

In 2026, Lunar New Year falls on 17th February 2026, kicking off the 16-day Spring Festival.

As we leave behind the introspective and intuitive Year of the Snake, the Year of the Horse gallops in with vibrant and fiery energy, symbolising adventure, vitality, and momentum.

It’s a fitting sign for Southport which has a thrilling year ahead.

Henry said: “We are all really looking forward to 2026 in Southport! What an exciting year it’s going to be!

“There are so many great events planned, starting with Lightport on 14th-16th February, along Lord Street, so we’ll be right next to everything happening!

“For everyone going to see the lights, Empire restaurant is the perfect place to come and enjoy a meal either before or afterwards.

“It’s going to be a busy half term with lots of visitors.

“It will be spectacular for Southport and will give our town a real boost.

“Business has been good this January, and we’re expecting lots more customers as we see events like Lightport, Cristal Palace, the Big Top Festival, and regular events like Southport Flower Show, Southport Air Show and others.

“The Open golf championship being held in Southport this July will attract visitors from all over the world.

“When they come, they’ll be impressed with the quality of the food scene in Southport, and the amount of choice!

“We offer traditional and authentic Chinese cuisine along with Malaysian and Thai cuisine.

“Elsewhere you can eat Korean food, Vietnamese, Italian, French, Turkish, Mexican, there are flavours here from all around the world.

“There are lots of huge improvements happening around us this year. It’s very exciting to see the restoration starting at Southport Pier - that’s such an iconic local landmark - and building work beginning at the new Marine Lake Events Centre, and at the Town Hall Gardens.

“The Year Of The Horse is signalling a very positive year ahead for Southport and we’re delighted to be right in the centre of all the amazing things happening around us.”

People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be lively, charming, and adventurous.

In the zodiac, they thrive in lively settings and are often seen as natural leaders and motivators.

Visit Empire Restaurant  at 11-13 Nevill Street, Southport

Phone 01704 547718 or visit: empirerestaurantsouthport.co.uk