In the days before merger, the main Conference came to Southport on three occasions after I persuaded the then Conference Committees to recognise that my home town, and the place where I have lived all my life, was a perfect setting for the most intelligent and lively conference of all the political parties.
I am often told by those who attended the Conferences that they had a great and informative time. The seeds of today's success were sown in Southport at a very stormy time for the Party and here we are again now, with the strength of the people's votes behind us. 46 MPs, over 5,000 councillors and policies which are being picked up by the Labour Party day by day.
With 4 million day visitors, 12 miles of golden sands and sandhills, a great deal of holiday entertainment and with a newly refurbished conference centre and theatre, we are ideally suited to host the spring Conference.
'Back up North' is a phrase that lots of delegates have used when they hear of the venue and I couldn't agree more. But, I hasten to add, the South, Scotland and Wales are also extremely hospitable. (I have put that in just in case some of my parliamentary colleagues feel slighted and put rude notes in my Whip's office pigeon hole!)
Spirits and expectations are high among Liberal Democrats and we all (well, nearly all) feel that Paddy and Bob have skilfully engineered places on a Cabinet Committee, and that there is more to come.
The Cabinet itself so far appears over-cautious and therefore slow to act. They have just ticked off selected items from their rather thin Labour manifesto - the election shopping list - but only those not needing any finance.
Cracks in the Government are beginning to appear and the Liberal Democrats are to the fore in exposing their mistakes - whether they be the imposition of tuition fees, the thorny question of hospital waiting lists or their stubborn refusal to allow Londoners a choice between a mayor and assembly in their referendum questions.
The world of politics is our oyster in the next few years, but we have to hold on to what we have gained in hard-fought battles and then expand on those gains. Already we are regarded as 'the Opposition' on many issues, with the Conservative Party in disarray - offering only internal divisions, external conflict and continuing failures (see Winchester).
Liberal Democrat fortunes are often reflected in our by-election performances, in particular the tremendous result in Winchester, where many of us (myself and my staff included) helped to achieve Mark Oaten's wonderful success - but then with such a good MP having proven himself, Mark was bound to be returned.
When, oh when are the Conservatives going to realise that their era has ended - faded away - disappeared in a cloud of self-inflicted hot air and car exhaust fumes!
Finally, may I say that Southport awaits you - enjoy the few days of our Spring Conference, and remember that it's not all work! We are riding high - let's keep it that way.
Ronnie Fearn is MP for Southport and Spokesperson on Tourism