Leigh Operatic Dramatic Society - Charle & the Chocolate Factory - 9th to 12th October
https://www.lods.co.uk/
Southend-on-Sea loop
Open Loop 9
Leigh Operatic Dramatic Society - Charle & the Chocolate Factory - 9th to 12th October
https://www.lods.co.uk/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 14th & 15th September
This weekend’s performers will be;
Saturday – Salvation Army Band
Sunday – Swan Saxophone Quartet
The acts will perform between 3pm – 4.30pm
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-salvation-army-band-swan-saxophone-quartet/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 7th & 8th September
This weekend’s performers will be;
Saturday – Rayleigh Brass
Sunday – Essex Police Band
The acts will perform between 3pm – 4.30pm
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-rayleigh-brass-essex-police-band/
Music n the Park - Priory Park - 31/8 and 1/9
This weekend’s performers will be;
Saturday – Little Theatre Company
Sunday – 60s Duke Box
The acts will perform between 3pm – 4.30pm
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-little-theatre-company-60s-duke-box/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - Sun 25th and Mon 26th
Saturday 24th cancelled.
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-august-bank-holiday-weekend/
Southend High Street Clintons Cards set to close in January
From the Echo.
'Long-standing store on Southend High Street set to close after 20 years. A mainstay on Southend High Street is set to close when its lease comes to an end next year.
The Echo understands Clintons Cards will be closing on January 18.
Signs have gone up in the shop window to inform shoppers that they will be vacating just after Christmas.
The business, which offers a range of cards “for all occasions”, gift wraps, tapes and stationary occupies one of the larger units on the High Street and is between HMV and Sport Direct, opposite Card Factory and the Works.
The business is believed to have been in the High Street for around 20 years.
A member of staff at the store said: “January 18 is our last day of trading, we are closing when our lease runs out and we hoped to do some renegotiation with the landlord, we don’t know how the conversation went.
“We have not had our consultancy meetings and we found out a couple of weeks ago, within the next few weeks we will have meetings and we will look at options for relocation but we are unsure of how viable that will be.
“In general, it is nice that with a lot of people, they have told us they have been loyal customers, that we have been here since the early 2000s, in this location for 20 years.
“We have been told that people have been coming in here for years and that they really miss it and that it is a reason to come to Southend.
“We do have our busy and our quiet months but unless they tell you it has been nice, the overwhelming thing is that they will miss us, people have been overwhelmingly nice.”
The staff member added: “It has been nice to hear sometimes that you have had the support.”
Southend Labour councillor responsible for business, Matt Dent called it a “real shame.”
He said: “This is not what we want to hear, that business has been in there for decades and for it to close is a big blow to the High Street.'
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 17/18th August
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-jackie-wilson-says-purple-jazz-trio/
Southend Police news and events
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKORGESSPO/bulletins/3ad7356
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 10th and 11th August
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-white-guitar-duo-shades-of-grey/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 3rd and 4th August
Sat 3 August - Anita Carmichael and Friends
Sun 4 August - The Graham Hunter Jazz and Funk Trio
Do you know this thief? (Edited)
Stole phone from nail shop near The Plough Westcliff. If you do, please contact Southend Police.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1558934810810442/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=7947471241956735
Music in the Park - Priory Park Saturday 27th July 5.00 to 6.30 pm - The Long Run rock band
As the performance is later than usual, the cafe will probably be closed.
The Long Run are a four piece RnB rock band from Canvey Island in the South East of Essex. Formed in 2005, the band played their first gig the day after their first ever rehearsal. Since then, the band has continued to play gigs all over the country, including venues in Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton and all around London and the South East of England. The band plays a strong mix of rock and indie music that draws influences from a diverse number of artists.
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 6th & 7th July
This weekend’s performers will be;
Saturday – Hockley Youth Wind Band
Sunday – The Silburys – From Folk to Rock
The acts will perform between 3pm – 4.30pm
It now costs more to park on Southend seafront for a day, than it does to park at Disney World in Florida for a day.
New higher parking charges came into force today on Southend seafront. The chargeable period in Zone 1A on the seafront has also been extended from ending at 6pm to now ending at 9pm.
A full day’s car parking on Southend seafront now costs £25.
A day of standard car parking at Walt Disney World theme park in Florida costs around £23.
Hourly rates of parking in Zone 1A on Southend seafront have increased from £2.80 to £3 per hour.
The cost of a full day's parking has increased from £19.30 to £25.
Zone 1A car parks include: Eastern Esplanade Car Park, Fairheads Green Car Park, Seaway Car Park, the Cliffs Pavilion Car Park, Shorefield Road Car Park and Thorpe Esplanade Car Park.
Other parking zones in Southend (Zone 1B, Zone 2 and Zone 3) are still only chargeable until 6pm and have lower charges.
A spokesperson from Southend City Council said: “There are a range of car parking options, locations, and prices across our fantastic city which is visited by millions of people every year.
“This includes 36 car parks of which six are in Zone 1A which charge the highest rate reflecting their prime locations, and 12 in Zone 1B, many of which are close to the seafront and charge a lower rate.
“Users of the £12.50 a month Southend Pass are exempt from the 6-9pm charges in Zone 1A. This is in addition to being able to park for three hours in each of the four zones (including Zone 1A) every day.”
Knife Angel on display outside Victoria Plaza Shopping Centre
The Knife Angel is a contemporary sculpture formed of 100,000 knives created by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre, based in Oswestry, England. Completed in 2018, the structure of the angel stands at 27 ft tall.
Music in the park - Priory Park - 29th/30th June
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-tilbury-brass-thurrock-spectrum-brass/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - Saturday 15 - Sunday 16 June 2024 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm
Saturday – Southend Vox
Sunday – Chelmsford Silver Band
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-southend-vox-chelmsford-silver-band/
Latest news from Essex Police in the Southend district - 5 June to 11 June
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKORGESSPO/bulletins/3a0d0b9
80th Anniversary D-Day Commemoration Event - The Victoria Centre - Saturday 8th June
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/dday-80th-anniversary/
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 8th & 9th June
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-dukes-ukelele-band-harmonie-concert-band/
Music in the park - Priory Park - 1st and 2nd June
https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/event/music-in-the-park-the-southend-band-glen-lewis-the-southend-shakespeare-company/
Easyjet Southend Airport base to create 130 new jobs
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/24320061.southend-airport-new-airline-ascend-airways-launched/
Music in the park - Priory Park - 12th May (Edited)
The ever popular Music in the Park returns to Priory Park bandstand for 2024. The bandstand will come alive with top local bands and musicians! Don’t miss out! This free event runs every weekend and bank holiday Monday from Saturday 4 May – Sunday 29 September.
Today's performers will be – Le Cruz – Rock and Pop
No chairs will be provided so please bring your own or a blanket. There is also limited parking at the park so where possible use public transport, walk or cycle.
**Performances can be cancelled at short notice in the event of bad weather or illness**
Local elections 2024 - all you need to know
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKSOUTHENDBC/bulletins/3987207
Southend Council - Latest news
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKSOUTHENDBC/bulletins/398d535
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/24269498.southend-high-street-chester-biggest-ever-marches-held/
Five-year-old helps Southend-on-Sea RNLI with 5p collections
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-68828158
Westcliff Hotel restaurant re-opened with new head chef
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/24253944.southend-chef-transforming-struggling-westcliff-restaurant/
Essex hospital bus route revived to bring back 'vital' connections
From Essexlive
'A "vital" bus route which transports people to an Essex hospital will be restored later this month following a summit meeting between transport bosses and an MP. First Essex has announced it will bring back the 21A bus route which connects Southend Hospital to other parts of the borough.
The service, which is an extension of the 21 service, will run every hour during the middle of the day from Monday to Saturday and will serve Carlton Avenue in Westcliff, providing access to residents to Southend and Leigh. It comes following a huge meeting between bosses and Anna Firth, MP for Southend West, at the end of March.
This service has been made possible through the use of Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding awarded by HM Government to Southend City Council - believed to be just under £1million - and will provide "increased convenience and flexibility" for passengers wanting to access the hospital.
Julian Elliott, Head of Network at First East of England said: “First Essex is proud to be working in partnership with Southend-on-Sea City Council to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the community. The new 21A service underscores the collective effort to ensure sustainable and reliable services for residents and visitors to South Essex.”
Following her summit meeting with transport leaders, Anna Firth said: "For well over an hour, we discussed the current and future provision of buses in Southend. We spoke at length about the long-term plans for the bus operators, as well as the current challenges they face to operate in Southend.
"Local transport remains crucial to many in Southend West and Leigh, so it is vital that we have a bus network befitting our new city status. Absolutely no residents should be left completely unserved or isolated as a result of a withdrawn service."
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Passengers can visit the First Essex website or download the First Bus app for more information on the new service, which will begin on Monday, April 15.'
Southend in the 1970s (Edited)
If you are not a member of Facebook, just close the first window.
https://bit.ly/3T56LCk
Essex County Council signed huge £16.6m contract with Fujitsu
Essex County Council signed huge £16.6m contract with Fujitsu while company battled concerns over Post Office Horizon system.
https://bit.ly/4b5AwtX
Essex Police Southend news - 2nd to 9th January (Edited)
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKORGESSPO/bulletins/383207e
Southend Seafront Fireworks - Saturday 18th November
The free fireworks displays are back.
https://bit.ly/47x6GM4
https://www.facebook.com/helene.leader/posts/pfbid02SDnmqcXWLKJtHJKPTjJwPeh7JikG5T2gHz97ze6zJkaKnCXuHgmTDVuaDS25TrHZl
Music in the Park - Priory Park - 30th Sep & 1st Oct
These will be the last performances this year.
https://bit.ly/3PAaNzN