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{{Short description|City and unitary authority in Essex, England}}{{Redirect|Southend|other uses|Southend (disambiguation)|and|Southend-on-Sea (disambiguation)}}{{Use British English|date=October 2021}}{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

factoids

| image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = Arms-southend-transparent.png| blank_emblem_type = Southend-on-Sea City Council(Civic arms of Southend-on-Sea)| blank_emblem_size = 150px| image_map = Southend-on-Sea UK locator map.svg| mapsize = 250px| map_caption = Shown within Essex| image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_mapsize = | subdivision_type = Country| subdivision_name = United KingdomCountries of the United Kingdom>Constituent country| subdivision_name1 = EnglandRegions of England>Region| subdivision_name2 = East of England| subdivision_type3 = Ceremonial county| subdivision_name3 = Essex| subdivision_type4 = Admin HQ| subdivision_name4 = Southend-on-Sea| seat_type = | seat = | parts_style = | parts = | parts_type = Areas of the city| p1 = Chalkwell| p2 = City CentreEastwood, Essex>Eastwood| p4 = Leigh-on-Sea (Town)| p5 = North Shoebury | p6 = Prittle Brook| p7 = Prittlewell| p8 = South Shoebury (Town)| p9 = Southchurch| p10 = Thorpe Bay| p11 = Westcliff-on-Sea| government_footnotes = | government_type = Unitary authorityLocal government in England#Councillors and mayors>Leadership| leader_name = Leader & Cabinet| leader_title1 = Governing Body| leader_name1 = Southend-on-Sea City Council| leader_title2 = ExecutiveGSS=E06000033}}List of MPs elected in the 2019 United Kingdom general election>MPsAnna Firth Conservative Party (UK)>(C)James Duddridge (C)| leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title = | established_date = | established_title1 = | established_date1 = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | founder = | named_for = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 41.76| area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_total_dunam = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation_max_m = | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_min_m = | elevation_min_ft = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_note = List of English districts by population>Ranked {{English district rank{{English district population>GSS=E06000033}}GSS=E06000033}} | population_density_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = 2021 United Kingdom census>2021)id=E06000033access-date=5 January 2024}}Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom>Ethnic groups| demographics1_info1 = {{Collapsible list Religion in England>Religion| demographics2_info1 = {{Collapsible list 51.55type:city_region:GB-ESS|display=inline,title}}| postal2_code_type = Post townsouthend-on-sea}}| postal_code_type = PostcodeSS postcode area>SS0-SS3Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom>Dialling code| area_code = 01702| blank_name = Grid referenceTQ883856}}ONS coding system>ONS code| blank1_info = 00KF (ONS)E06000033 (GSS)| blank2_name = | blank2_info = weblink}}| footnotes = | official_name = Labour Party (UK)>Labour}}Southend-on-Sea ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-uk-SouthendOnSea.ogg|ˌ|s|aʊ|θ|ɛ|n|d| |ɒ|n| |ˈ|s|iː|}}), commonly referred to as Southend ({{IPAc-en|s|aʊ|ˈ|θ|ɛ|n|d|}}), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, {{convert|40|mi}} east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier.BOOK, England, Lonely Planet travel guide, David, Else, 5th, Lonely Planet, 2009, 978-1-74104-590-1, 445, registration,weblink London Southend Airport is located north of the city centre.Southend-on-Sea originally consisted of a few poor fishermen's huts and farms at the southern end of the village of Prittlewell. In the 1790s, the first buildings around what was to become the High Street of Southend were completed. In the 19th century, Southend's status as a seaside resort grew after a visit from Princess Caroline of Brunswick, and Southend Pier was constructed. From the 1960s onwards, the city declined as a holiday destination. Southend redeveloped itself as the home of the Access credit card, due to its having one of the UK's first electronic telephone exchanges. After the 1960s, much of the city centre was developed for commerce and retail, and many original structures were lost to redevelopment. An annual seafront airshow, which started in 1986 and featured a flypast by Concorde, used to take place each May until 2012.On 18 October 2021, it was announced that Southend would be granted city status, as a memorial to the Conservative Member of Parliament for Southend West, Sir David Amess, a long-time supporter of city status for the borough, who was murdered on 15 October 2021.NEWS, 18 October 2021, Sir David Amess: Southend to become a city in honour of MP, BBC News,weblink 19 October 2021, WEB, 18 October 2021, Southend to become city in honour of Sir David Amess,weblink 19 October 2021, The Guardian, Southend was granted city status by letters patent dated 26 January 2022. On 1 March 2022, the letters patent were presented to Southend Borough Council by Charles, Prince of Wales.NEWS, 1 March 2022, Southend: Prince Charles presents city status document, BBC News,weblink 1 March 2022, WEB,weblink Crown Office, Warrant to prepare Letters Patent for conferring city status on Southend-on-Sea, 17 August 2022,

History

Originally the "south end" of the village of Prittlewell, Southend was home to a few poor fishermen's huts and farms at the southern extremity of Prittlewell Priory land. In the 1790s, landowner Daniel Scratton sold off land on either side of what was to become the High Street. The Grand Hotel (now Royal Hotel) and Grove Terrace (now Royal Terrace) were completed by 1794, and stagecoaches from London made it accessible.WEB,weblink A Brief History of Southend, Naval & Military Club, Southend-on-Sea, 14 June 2015, Due to the bad transportation links between Southend and London, there was not rapid development during the Georgian Era as there was in Brighton, although Southend is mentioned in Jane Austen's novel Emma of 1815. However, after the coming of the railways in the 19th century and the visit of Princess Caroline of Brunswick, Southend's status as a seaside resort grew. During the 19th century, Southend's pier was first constructed and the Clifftown development built,WEB,weblink History – About Us – Clifftown Studios & Theatre, 29 September 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140703084121weblink">weblink 3 July 2014, attracting many summer tourists to its seven miles of beaches and sea bathing. Good rail connections and proximity to London mean that much of the economy has been based on tourism and that Southend has been a dormitory town for city workers ever since. Southend Pier is the world's longest pleasure pier at {{convert|1.34|mi|abbr=on}}. It has suffered fires and ship collisions, most recently in October 2005,NEWS,weblink Fire burns through Southend Pier, 10 October 2005, CBBC Newsround, 27 March 2011, but the basic pier structure has been repaired each time.As a holiday destination, Southend declined from the 1960s onwards, as holidaying abroad became more affordable. Southend became the home of the Access credit card, as it had one of the UK's first electronic telephone exchanges (it is still home to RBS Card Services – one of the former members of Access), with offices based in the former EKCO factory, Maitland House (Keddies), Victoria Circus and Southchurch Road.WEB,weblink The Access Credit Card Offices: Priory Crescent, Access Credit Card, 26 February 2024, Since then, much of the city centre has been developed for commerce and retail, and during the 1960s many original structures were lost to redevelopment – such as the Talza Arcade and Victoria Market (replaced by what is now known as The Victoria Shopping Centre) and Southend Technical College (on the site of the ODEON Cinema, now a campus of South Essex College).WEB,weblink skills education careers – South Essex College, www.southessex.ac.uk, However, about 6.4 million tourists still visit Southend per year, generating estimated revenues of £200 million a year. H.M. Revenue & Customs (HMRC), (formerly H.M. Customs and Excise), were major employers in the city, and the central offices for the collection of VAT were located at Alexander House on Victoria Avenue. Staff were finally relocated to Stratford in December 2022.NEWS,weblink Alexander House flats bid images revealed as plans submitted, Evening Echo, 21 November 2023, An annual seafront airshow, started in 1986 when it featured a flypast by Concorde whilst on a passenger charter flight, used to take place each May and became one of Europe's largest free airshows. The aircraft flew parallel to the seafront, offset over the sea. The RAF Falcons parachute display team and RAF Red Arrows aerobatics team were regular visitors to the show. The last show was held in 2012; an attempt to revive the show for September 2015, as the Southend Airshow and Military Festival, failed.WEB,weblink southendairshow.com, 10 November 2016, On 15 October 2021, the Member of Parliament for Southend West, Sir David Amess, was fatally stabbed during a constituency meeting in Leigh-on-Sea. On 18 October 2021, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that the Queen had agreed to grant Southend-on-Sea with city status as a memorial to Amess, who had long campaigned for this status to be granted. Preparations, led by Amess, for Southend to enter a competition for city status in 2022 as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee were underway at the time of his death.WEB, Southend-on-Sea's City Status,weblink Southend-On-Sea Borough Council, 20 October 2021, WEB, Emes, Toby, Bid to make Southend a city officially launched,weblink Basildon Canvey Southend Echo, 22 September 2021, A "City Week" was held throughout the town between 13 and 20 February 2022,WEB, Southend City,weblink 20 February 2022, southend.city, beginning with the inaugural "He Built This City" concert named in honour of Amess.WEB, Pictures: 'Emotional' concert held at the Cliffs in honour of Sir David Amess,weblink 20 February 2022, Echo, 14 February 2022, WEB, What you need to know about week long celebrations to mark Southend city status,weblink 20 February 2022, Echo, 7 February 2022, The concert was held at the Cliffs Pavilion and included performers such as Digby Fairweather, Lee Mead, and Leanne Jarvis.WEB, Stars of Amess memorial concert: "we're going to do a lot in the city in Sir David's name",weblink 20 February 2022, Greatest Hits Radio (Essex), Other events such as a city ceremony and the Southend LuminoCity Festival of Light were held during the week. Sam Duckworth, who knew Amess personally, performed at some of the events. On 1 March, Southend Borough Council was presented letters patent from the Queen, by Charles, Prince of Wales, officially granting the borough city status. Southend became the second city in the ceremonial county of Essex, after Chelmsford, which was granted city status in 2012.WEB,weblink Why Essex could have a second city in 2021, Brad, Gray, 23 January 2020, EssexLive,

Governance

There is just one tier of local government covering Southend. The city council performs the functions of both a county and district council, being a unitary authority. There is one civil parish within the city at Leigh-on-Sea; the rest of the city is an unparished area.WEB, Election Maps,weblink Ordnance Survey, 8 June 2023, WEB,weblink Southend on Sea Registration District, UKBMD, 28 December 2021,

Administrative history

Southend's first elected council was a local board, which held its first meeting on 29 August 1866.NEWS, Southend,weblink 26 May 2023, Chelmsford Chronicle, 31 August 1866, 5, Prior to that the town was administered by the vestry for the wider parish of Prittlewell. The local board district was enlarged in 1877 to cover the whole parish of Prittlewell.BOOK, Yearsley, Ian, Southend in 50 buildings, 2016, Amberley Publishing, Stroud, 978-1-4456-5189-7,weblink 26 May 2023, The town was made a municipal borough in 1892. In 1897 the borough was enlarged to also include the neighbouring parish of Southchurch.WEB, Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 7) Act 1897,weblink legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 3 September 2023, The borough was enlarged again in 1913 to take in the former Leigh on Sea Urban District. In 1914 the enlarged Southend became a county borough making it independent from Essex County Council and a single-tier of local government. The county borough was enlarged in 1933 by the former area of Shoeburyness Urban District and part of Rochford Rural District.On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Southend became a district of Essex, with the county council once more providing county-level services to the town. However, in 1998 it again became the single tier of local government when it became a unitary authority.BOOK, Essex, (Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of England), James, Bettley, Nikolaus, Pevsner, Yale University Press, 2007, 978-0-300-11614-4, 690–691, Upon receiving city status on 1 March 2022, the council voted to rename itself 'Southend-on-Sea City Council'.File:Southend - Civic Centre.jpg|thumb|Southend Civic CentreSouthend Civic CentreThe Latin motto, 'Per Mare Per Ecclesiam', emblazoned on the municipal coat of arms, translates as 'By [the] Sea, By [the] Church', reflecting Southend's position between the church at Prittlewell and the sea as in the Thames estuary. The city has been twinned with the resort of Sopot in Poland since 1999WEB,weblink Sopot – Southend's Twin Town, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, 18 February 2015, and has been developing three-way associations with Lake Worth Beach, Florida.Southend Civic Centre was designed by borough architect, Patrick Burridge, and officially opened by the Queen Mother on 31 October 1967.WEB,weblink Southend Civic Centre, 14 June 2020, Modern Mooch, 8 February 2021,

Members of Parliament

Southend is represented by two Members of Parliament (MPs) at Westminster.The MP for Southend West was Sir David Amess (Conservative), who served from 1997 until his murder in 2021. Anna Firth has served as the MP for the constituency since the following 2022 Southend West by-election.Since 2005 the MP for Rochford and Southend East has been James Duddridge (Conservative), who replaced Sir Teddy Taylor. Despite its name the majority of the constituency is in Southend, including the centre of the city; Rochford makes up only a small part and the majority of Rochford District Council is represented in the Rayleigh constituency.

Demography

(File:SouthendOnSeaBUA.png|thumb|right|400px|Map of the Southend Urban Area with subdivisions)Southend is the seventh most densely populated area in the United Kingdom outside of the London Boroughs, with 38.8 people per hectare compared to a national average of 3.77. By 2006, the majority, or 52% of the Southend population were between the ages of 16–54, 18% were below age 15, 18% were above age 65 and the middle age populace between 55 and 64 accounted for the remaining 12%.WEB,weblink Archived copy, 2 October 2011,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120316194929weblink">weblink 16 March 2012, Save the Children's research data shows that for 2008–09, Southend had 4,000 children living in poverty, a rate of 12%, the same as Thurrock, but above the 11% child poverty rate of Essex as a whole.WEB,weblink The child poverty map of Britain, Ramesh, Randeep, 23 February 2011, The Guardian, 25 February 2017, The Department for Communities and Local Government's 2010 Indices of Multiple Deprivation weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110904051633weblink">Deprivation Indices data showed that Southend is one of Essex's most deprived areas. Out of 32,482 Lower Super Output Areas in England, area 014D in the Kursaal ward is 99th, area 015B in Milton ward is 108th, area 010A in Victoria ward is 542nd, and area 009D in Southchurch ward is 995th, as well as an additional 5 areas all within the top 10% most deprived areas in England (with the most deprived area having a rank of 1 and the least deprived a rank of 32,482).NEWS,weblink Deprivation mapped: how you show the poorest (and richest) places in England, Rogers, Simon, 31 March 2011, The Guardian, 25 February 2017, Victoria and Milton wards have the highest proportion of ethnic minority residents – at the 2011 Census these figures were 24.2% and 26.5% respectively. Southend has the highest percentage of residents receiving housing benefits (19%) and the third highest percentage of residents receiving council tax benefits in Essex.The urban area of Southend spills outside of the borough boundaries into the neighbouring Castle Point and Rochford districts, including the towns of Hadleigh, Benfleet, Rayleigh and Rochford, as well as the villages of Hockley and Hullbridge. According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 295,310,WEB,weblink 2011 Census – Built-up areas, Office for National Statistics, ONS, 1 July 2013, making it the largest urban area solely within the East of England.WEB,weblink 2011 Census – Office for National Statistics, www.ons.gov.uk,

Economy

This is a chart of the trend of regional gross value added of Southend-on-Sea at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.{| class="wikitable"! Year || Regional Gross Value AddedComponents may not sum to totals due to rounding || Agricultureincludes hunting and forestry || Industryincludes energy and construction || Servicesincludes financial intermediation services indirectly measured1,373 >| 1,0661,821 >| 1,4452,083 >| 1,665In 2006, travel insurance company InsureandGo relocated its offices from Braintree to Maitland House in Southend-on-Sea. The company brought 120 existing jobs from Braintree and announced the intention to create more in the future.WEB,weblink 300 new jobs for Southend, 31 May 2006, Echo, 14 April 2020, However the business announced the plan to relocate to Bristol in 2016.WEB,weblink More than 100 Insure & Go employees face redundancy in Southend – Evening Echo p.16 Nov 2016, 16 November 2015, 10 November 2016, The building is now home to Ventrica, a customer service outsourcing company.WEB,weblink Centrica – Our Facilities, 3 June 2019, WEB,weblink Ventrica, Southend, set to offer 200 new jobs – Evening Echo Cornell.A p.13 August 2018, 13 August 2018, 3 June 2019, Southend has industrial parks located at Progress Road, Comet and Aviation Ways in Eastwood and Stock Road in Sutton. Firms located in Southend include Olympus Keymed, Hi-Tec Sports and MK Electric. Southend has declined as a centre for credit card management with only Royal Bank of Scotland card services (now branded NatWest) still operating in the city.WEB,weblink HSBC cuts 1700 jobs, The Guardian, 3 November 2009, 15 December 2014, A fifth of the working population commutes to London daily. Wages for jobs based in Southend were the second lowest among UK cities in 2015. It also has the fourth-highest proportion of people aged over 65. This creates considerable pressure on the housing market. It is the 11th most expensive place to live in Britain.NEWS, Swinney, Paul, Southend is Britain's only high-wage, high-welfare city. What gives?,weblink 15 February 2016, City Metric, 15 February 2016, Southend-on-Sea County Borough Corporation has provided the borough with electricity since the early twentieth century from the Southend power station. Upon nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948 ownership passed to the British Electricity Authority and later to the Central Electricity Generating Board. Electricity connections to the national grid rendered the 5.75 megawatt (MW) power station redundant. Electricity was generated by diesel engines and by steam obtained from the exhaust gases. The power station closed in 1966; in its final year of operation, it delivered 2,720 MWh of electricity to the borough.CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1965, 1966. CEGB, London.

Transport

Airport

(File:Southend airport.jpg|thumb|left|Southend Airport, prior to the runway extension)London Southend Airport was developed from the military airfield at Rochford; it was opened as a civil airport in 1935. It now offers scheduled flights to destinations across Europe, corporate and recreational flights, aircraft maintenance and training for pilots and engineers. It is served by Southend Airport railway station, on the Shenfield–Southend line, part of the Great Eastern Main Line.{{-}}

Buses

(File:Arriva Southend bus 5404 (H264 GEV), 2009 Clacton Bus Rally.jpg|thumb|left|An Arriva Southend bus)Local bus services are provided by two main companies. Arriva Southend was formerly the council-owned Southend Corporation Transport and First Essex Buses was formerly Eastern National/Thamesway. Smaller providers include Stephensons of Essex.Southend has a bus station on Chichester Road, which was developed from a temporary facility added in the 1970s; the previous bus station was located on London Road and was run by Eastern National, but it was demolished in the 1980s to make way for a Sainsbury's supermarket.WEB,weblink Eastern National – southendtimeline, 10 November 2016, Arriva Southend is the only bus company based in Southend, with their depot located in Short Street; it was previously sited on the corner of London Road and Queensway and also a small facility in Tickfield Road.WEB,weblink The closure of Arriva Southend's London Road Garage – 2000 By Richard Delahoy, 10 November 2016, First Essex's buses in the Southend area are based out of the depot in Hadleigh but, prior to the 1980s, Eastern National had depots on London Road (at the bus station) and Fairfax Drive.WEB,weblink End of the road for busman Denis – Evening Echo p.19 February 2009, 19 February 2009, 23 November 2018, {{-}}

Railway

357036 at Southend Central.jpg|A c2c train at Southend Central stationSouthend Victoria railway station.JPG|Southend Victoria stationSouthend Cliff Railway in 2008.jpg|Southend Cliff RailwaySouthend is served by two lines on the National Rail network:

• Running from Southend Victoria north out of the city is the Shenfield–Southend line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line, operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. Services operate to London Liverpool Street, via {{rws|Shenfield}}.
• Running from {{rws|Shoeburyness}}, in the east of the borough, is the London, Tilbury and Southend line operated by c2c. It runs west through {{rws|Thorpe Bay}}, {{rws|Southend East}}, {{rws|Southend Central}} to London Fenchurch Street, either via {{rws|Benfleet}} and {{rws|Basildon}} or {{rws|Tilbury Town}} and {{rws|Barking}}. Additionally, one service from Southend Central each weekday evening terminates at Liverpool Street.

From 1910 to 1939, the London Underground's District line's eastbound service ran as far as Southend and Shoeburyness.BOOK, The story of London's underground, John Robert Day, John Reed, 9, 2005, Capital Transport, 978-1-85414-289-4, 66, Besides its main line railway connections, Southend is also the home of two smaller railways. The Southend Pier Railway provides transport along the length of Southend Pier, whilst the nearby Southend Cliff Railway provides a connection from the promenade to the cliff top above.WEB, Southend Cliff Railway, The Heritage Trail,weblink 15 May 2009,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090607134735weblink">weblink 7 June 2009,

Roads

(File:Arterial road 220608.jpg|thumb|right|A127 Kent Elms looking west)Two A-roads connect Southend with London and the rest of the country: the A127 (Southend Arterial Road), via Basildon and Romford, and the A13, via Thurrock and London Docklands. Both are major routes; however, within the borough, the A13 is now a single carriageway local single-carriageway route, whereas the A127 is an entirely dual-carriageway. Both connect to the M25 and eventually London.

Climate

(File:Seals off Southend.jpg|thumb|Seals off Southend)Southend-on-Sea is one of the driest places in the UK. It has a marine climate with summer highs of around {{convert|22|C|F}} and winters highs being around {{convert|7.8|C|F}}.WEB,weblink Southend-on-Sea climate averages, Met Office, 17 December 2021, Summer temperatures are generally slightly cooler than those in London. Frosts are occasional. During the 1991–2020 period there was an average of 29.6 days of air frost. Rainfall averaged {{convert|527|mm|in}}. Weather station data is available from Shoeburyness, which is adjacent to Southend in the eastern part of the urban area.{{Weather box|location = Shoeburyness, in eastern part of Southend Urban Area, 2m asl, 1991–2020|metric first = yes|single line = yes|Jan high C = 7.8|Feb high C = 8.3|Mar high C = 10.6|Apr high C = 13.5|May high C = 16.6|Jun high C = 19.8|Jul high C = 22.3|Aug high C = 22.4|Sep high C = 19.4|Oct high C = 15.3|Nov high C = 11.1|Dec high C = 8.4|year high C =|Jan low C = 2.7|Feb low C = 2.4|Mar low C = 3.7|Apr low C = 5.4|May low C = 8.3|Jun low C = 11.2|Jul low C = 13.6|Aug low C = 13.8|Sep low C = 11.5|Oct low C = 8.9|Nov low C = 5.5|Dec low C = 3.2|year low C =|Jan precipitation mm = 43.0|Feb precipitation mm = 36.1|Mar precipitation mm = 32.7|Apr precipitation mm = 36.1|May precipitation mm = 41.6|Jun precipitation mm = 44.1|Jul precipitation mm = 41.1|Aug precipitation mm = 48.6|Sep precipitation mm = 43.0|Oct precipitation mm = 57.8|Nov precipitation mm = 54.0|Dec precipitation mm = 48.8|year precipitation mm =|Jan rain days = 9.5|Feb rain days = 8.3|Mar rain days = 7.8|Apr rain days = 7.5|May rain days = 7.5|Jun rain days = 7.8|Jul rain days = 7.3|Aug rain days = 7.1|Sep rain days = 7.5|Oct rain days = 10.2|Nov rain days = 10.6|Dec rain days = 10.7|year rain days=|Jan sun = 70.5|Feb sun = 88.9|Mar sun = 136.8|Apr sun = 200.4|May sun = 241.2|Jun sun = 243.3|Jul sun = 257.0|Aug sun = 212.2|Sep sun = 162.4|Oct sun = 130.0|Nov sun = 84.7|Dec sun = 56.9|year sun =Met OfficeHTTP://WWW.METOFFICE.GOV.UK/PUBLIC/WEATHER/CLIMATE/SHOEBURYNESS#?TAB=CLIMATETABLESPUBLISHER=MET OFFICE, 17 December 2021, }}

Education

File:P1020316.JPG|University of Essex accommodation in SouthendFile:Cecil Jones College - geograph.org.uk - 307915.jpg|Cecil Jones AcademyFile:Westcliff High School for Boys.jpg|Westcliff High School for BoysFile:Southend - University of Essex..JPG|South Essex College Southend CampusFile:Southend Adult Community College - geograph.org.uk - 700459.jpg|Southend Adult Community College{{See also|List of schools in Southend-on-Sea}}

Secondary schools

All mainstream secondary schools are mixed-sex comprehensives, including Belfairs Academy; Cecil Jones Academy; Chase High School; Southchurch High School; Shoeburyness High School and The Eastwood Academy.In 2004, Southend retained the grammar school system and has four such schools: Southend High School for Boys; Southend High School for Girls; Westcliff High School for Boys and Westcliff High School for Girls.Additionally, there are two single-sex schools assisted by the Roman Catholic Church: St Bernard's High School (girls) and St Thomas More High School (boys). Both, while not grammar schools, contain a grammar stream; entrance is by the same exam as grammar schools.

Further and higher education

The main higher education provider in Southend is the University of Essex which has a campus in Elmer Approach on the site of the former Odeon cinema. It also operates the East 15 Acting School Southend campus at the Clifftown Theatre.WEB,weblink East 15 Acting School, Clifftown Theatre, 23 January 2023, 29 March 2023, In addition to a number of secondary schools that offer further education, the largest provider is South Essex College in a purpose-built building in the centre of town. Formerly known as South East Essex College, (and previously Southend Municipal College) the college changed name in January 2010 following a merger with Thurrock and Basildon College.WEB,weblink South Essex College Merger Approved, 30 November 2009, Additionally there is PROCAT that is based at Progress Road, while learners can travel to USP College (formerly SEEVIC College) in Thundersley. The East 15 Acting School, a drama school has its second campus in Southend, while the Southend Adult Community College is in Ambleside Drive. Southend United Futsal & Football Education Scholarship, located at Southend United's stadium Roots Hall, provides education for sports scholarships.

Sport

(File:Southend - Leisure and tennis.jpg|thumb|Southend – Leisure and Tennis Centre)Southend has two football teams, one of professional stature, Southend United. United currently competes in the Vanarama National League. The other, Southend Manor, plays in the Essex Senior League.There are two rugby union clubs Southend RFC which play in London 1 North and Westcliff R.F.C. who play in London & South East Premier. Southend was formerly home to the Essex Eels rugby league team. Southend was home to the Essex Pirates basketball team that played in the British Basketball League between 2009 and 2011.Essex County Cricket Club plays in Southend one week a season. Previously the festival was held at Chalkwell Park and most recently Southchurch Park, but it has now moved to Garons Park next to the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre. The only other cricket is local.The Old Southendians Hockey Club is based at Warner's Bridge in Southend.The eight-lane, floodlit, synthetic athletics track at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre is home to Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club. The facilities cover all track and field events.WEB,weblink Southend on Sea Athletic Club | Founded 1905, www.southend-on-sea-athletic-club.co.uk, The centre has a 25m swimming pool and a world championship level diving pool with 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10m boards, plus springboards with the only 1.3m in the UK.WEB,weblink Leisure Centres Directory - Southend Swimming & Diving Centre at Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre | Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, 29 September 2014,weblink 28 May 2015,

Entertainment and culture

Southend Pleasure Pier

File:Southend from Southend Pier.jpg|thumb|Southend on Sea from one mile out along the pier, the world's longest pleasure pier]]Southend-on-Sea is home to the world's longest pleasure pier, built in 1830 and stretching some {{convert|1.34|mi|km}} from shore.WEB,weblink History of Southend Pier, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160317234401weblink">weblink 17 March 2016, 17 October 2018,

Kursaal

The Kursaal was one of the earliest theme parks, built at the start of the 20th century. It closed in the 1970s and much of the land was developed as housing. The entrance hall, a listed building, used to house a bowling alley arcade operated by Megabowl and casino, however the bowling alley closed in 2019 and the casino closed in 2020. The building currently stands unused.(File:Kursaal Ballrooms - geograph.org.uk - 30246.jpg|thumb|The Kursaal)

Southend Carnival

Southend Carnival has been an annual event since 1906, where it was part of the annual regatta, and was set up to raise funds for the Southend Victoria Cottage Hospital. In 1926, a carnival association was formed, and by 1930, they were raising funds for the building of the new General Hospital with a range of events, including a fete in Chalkwell Park.WEB,weblink Southend – Carnival Archive, 3 June 2019, WEB,weblink Southend Carnival week starts Friday – Evening Echo Buckley.K p.8 August 2018, 8 August 2018, 3 June 2019, The parades, which included a daylight and torchlight parades were cut down to just a torchlight parade during the 1990s.

Cliff Lift

A short funicular railway, constructed in 1912, links the seafront to the High Street level of the town. The lift re-opened to the public in 2010, following a period of refurbishment.NEWS, Historic cliff lift reopens following refurbishment,weblink 12 March 2013, BBC Essex, 25 May 2010,

Other seafront attractions

(File:Southend on Sea-sunset.jpg|thumb|The sunset in Southend, a view of Adventure Island in 2007)An amusement park Adventure Island, formerly known as Peter Pan's Playground, straddles the pier entrance. The seafront houses the "Sea-Life Adventure" aquarium.The cliff gardens, which included Never Never Land and a Victorian bandstand were an attraction until slippage in 2003 made parts of the cliffs unstable. The bandstand has been removed and re-erected in Priory Park.Beaches include Three Shells and Jubilee Beach.A modern vertical lift links the base of the High Street with the seafront and the new pier entrance. The older Southend Cliff Railway, a short funicular, is a few hundred metres away.The London to Southend Classic Car Run takes place each summer. It is run by the South Eastern Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club and features classic cars which line the seafront.WEB,weblink South Eastern Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club, 2 April 2015, The Southend Shakedown, organised by Ace Cafe, is an annual event featuring motorbikes and scooters. There are other scooter runs throughout the year, including the Great London Rideout, which arrives at Southend seafront each year.WEB,weblink Bikers ride into town for Southend Shakedown, Echo, 26 April 2011,

Festival events

The Southend-on-Sea Film Festival is an annual event that began in 2009 and is run by the White Bus film and theatrical company based at The Old Waterworks Arts Center located inside a Victorian era Old Water Works plant. Ray Winstone attended the opening night gala in both 2010 and 2011, and has become the Festival Patron.WEB,weblink Latest News, 4 July 2011,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110823093051weblink">weblink 23 August 2011, Since 2021, the city has hosted a Halloween parade in October, while the Leigh Art Trail runs during July. Two events that started in 2022 was Southend City Jam, a street art festival, and LuminoCity, a light festival, however LuminoCity was announced to be cancelled for 2024 due to budget cuts at Southend City Council.NEWS,weblink LuminoCity Southend: a look back after festival cancelled, Evening Echo, 6 January 2024, The Old Leigh Regatta takes place every September,WEB,weblink Old Leigh Regatta, Leigh Lions, 29 March 2023, while Leigh Folk Festival has run since 1992, though will be taking a break in 2024.NEWS,weblink Leigh Folk Festival: organisers cancel 2024 event, Evening Echo, 28 November 2023, The Southend Jazz Festival has been run since 2020.NEWS,weblink Southend Jazz Festival returning for a fourth year, Evening Echo, 6 September 2023, Between 2008 and 2019, Chalkwell Park became home to the Village Green Art & Music Festival for a weekend every July,WEB,weblink Village Green festival keeps entry charge as details for 2015 bash are revealed, Evening Echo, 24 February 2015, 30 March 2015, but has not run since 2019 due to covid.

Shopping

(File:Southend high street - geograph.org.uk - 1175275.jpg|thumb|High Street, looking North)Southend High Street runs from the top of Pier Hill in the South, to Victoria Circus in the north. It currently has two shopping centres – the Victoria (built during the 1960s and a replacement for the old Talza Arcade, Victoria Arcade and Broadway Market)WEB,weblink Victoria Shopping Centre – Southend Timeline, 5 June 2015, and The Royals Shopping Centre (built late 1980s and opened in March 1988 by actor Jason Donovan, replacing the bottom part of High Street, Grove Road, Ritz Cinema and Grand Pier Hotel).WEB,weblink The Royals Shopping Centre, Southend Timeline, 24 March 2021, Southend High Street has many chain stores, with Boots in the Royals, and Next anchoring the Victoria.WEB,weblink Shopping in Southend-on-Sea – Sarfend.co.uk, 5 June 2015, This was not always the case with many independent stores closing in the 1970s and 1980s – Keddies (department store), J F Dixons (department store), Brightwells (department store), Garons (grocers, caterers and cinema),WEB,weblink Garons Cinema – cinematreasures.org, 18 November 2016, WEB,weblink The Edinburgh Gazette 11 April 1967, 18 November 2016, Owen Wallis (ironmongers and toys),WEB,weblink Owen Wallis & Sons, Southend – Flickr, 14 January 2004, 5 June 2015, Bermans (sports and toys),WEB,weblink Old Shop Fronts & Names – Sarfend.co.uk, 18 November 2016, J Patience (photographic retailers)JOURNAL,weblink Essex, The British Journalof Photography, 132, 1985, 257, & R. A. Jones (jewellers) being the most notable. One of Southend's most notable business, Schofield and Martin, was purchased by Waitrose in 1944 with the name being used until the 1960s. The Alexandra Street branch was the first Waitrose store in 1951 to be made self-service.WEB,weblink Acquisition of small food chains – Schofield and Martin, waitrosememorystore.org.uk, Southend is home to the largest store in the Waitrose portfolio.The longest surviving independent retail business in Southend was Ravens which operated from 1897 to 2017.NEWS,weblink Southend's oldest department store to shut after 120 years, Evening Echo, 23 June 2017, A Southend business that started in 1937 and is still active in 2022 is Dixons Retail.WEB,weblink About Us, 23 October 2014,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141006071042weblink">weblink 6 October 2014, WEB,weblink Fifth generation of family joins Ravens – Evening Echo p.3 Sept 2010, 3 September 2010, 22 November 2016, WEB,weblink Southend's oldest department store to shut after 120 years – Evening Echo p.22 June 2017, 23 June 2017, 29 June 2017, The city of Southend has shopping in other areas. Leigh Broadway and Leigh Road in Leigh-on-Sea, Hamlet Court Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southchurch Road and London Road are where many of Southend's independent businesses now reside.WEB,weblink Visit Southend – A Shopper's paradise, 5 June 2015, Hamlet Court Road was home to one of Southend's longest-standing business, Havens, which opened in 1901. In May 2017, the store announced they would be closing their store to concentrate as an online retailer.WEB,weblink End of an era as Havens store prepares to close after almost 100 years on the high street – Evening Echo p.12 May 2017, 12 May 2017, 29 June 2017, There are regular vintage fairs and markets in Southend, held at a variety of locations including the Leigh Community Centre and Garon Park.WEB,weblink The Big Southend Vintage & Retro Fair, Visit Southend, 19 March 2023, 29 March 2023, A record fair is frequently held at West Leigh Schools in Leigh on Sea.WEB,weblink Record Fairs UK, 5 June 2015,

Parks

Southend is home to many recreation grounds. Its first formal park to open was Prittlewell Square in the 19th century. Since then Priory Park and Victory Sports Grounds were donated by the town benefactor R A Jones, who also has the sports ground Jones Corner Recreation Ground named after his wife. Other formal parks that have opened since are Chalkwell Park and Southchurch Hall along with Southchurch Park, Garon Park and Gunners Park.File:Southend Cliff Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 734118.jpg|Southend Cliff GardensFile:Southend-on-Sea, UK - panoramio - cezma.jpg|Priory ParkFile:Prittlewell Square.jpg|Prittlewell Square

Conservation areas

Southend has various Conservation areas across the borough, with the first being designated in 1968.

Art, galleries, museums and libraries

Focal Point Gallery, based in The Forum, is South Essex's gallery for contemporary visual art, promoting and commissioning major solo exhibitions, group and thematic shows, a programme of events including performances, film screenings and talks, as well as offsite projects and temporary public artworks. The organisation is funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council and Arts Council England.NEWS,weblink An arty weekend in … Southend-on-Sea, Essex, The Guardian, 22 March 2023, Southend Museums Service, part of Southend on Sea City Council, operates two historic houses, an art gallery and a museum in the city. These include: Beecroft Art Gallery, Southchurch Hall, Prittlewell Priory and Southend Central Museum and Planetarium.WEB, Southend Museums,weblink Southend Museums Service, 12 March 2013, The museums service looks after around 50,000 objects including collections of archaeology, natural history, social history, fashion and textile, fine art and photography. Southend Central Museum is the home of the world-renowned Prittlewell Princely Burial artefactsweblink museums and archives include the Jazz Centre UK, a jazz cultural centre, that has operated out of the Beecroft Art Gallery since 2016NEWS,weblink Southend-on-Sea: Jazz Centre set to remain in Beecroft Gallery home, BBC, 31 May 2023, MAGAZINE,weblink The Jazz Centre UK wins fight to stay at Beecroft Art Gallery location, JazzWise, 14 July 2023, and Southend Pier Museum, located on Southend Pier.The Old Waterworks Arts Center operates on North Road, Westcliff in the former Victorian water works building. It holds art exhibitions, talks and workshops.WEB,weblink Westcliff TAP gallery opens after fire, Southend Standard, 17 January 2013, 30 March 2015, Metal, the art organisation set up by Jude Kelly OBE has been based in Chalkwell Hall since 2006.WEB,weblink Metal – visitsouthend.co.uk, 19 October 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20171019221322weblink">weblink 19 October 2017, The organisation offers residency space for artists and also organises the Village Green Art & Music Festival.WEB,weblink Southend-on-Sea: the arty way is Essex – The Guardian – Joanna O'Connor p.23 July 2017, TheGuardian.com, 23 July 2017, 19 October 2017, The park is also home to NetPark, which claims to be the world's first digital art park.Southend has several small libraries located in Leigh, Westcliff, Kent Elms and Southchurch. The central library has moved from its traditional location on Victoria Avenue to The Forum in Elmer Approach, a new facility paid for by Southend Council, South Essex College and The University of Essex. It replaced the former Farringdon Multistorey Car Park. The old Central Library building (built 1974) has become home to the Beecroft Gallery and the Jazz Centre UK. This building had replaced the former Carnegie funded free library which is now home to the Southend Central Museum.File:Southend-on-Sea Museum - geograph.org.uk - 560855.jpg|Southend Central Museum, Victoria AvenueFile:Beecroft Art Gallery front.jpg| Beecroft Art Gallery, Victoria AvenueFile:Southchurch Hall, Southend (north-west elevation) - geograph.org.uk - 5708565.jpg|Southchurch HallFile:Prittlewell Priory.jpg|Prittlewell PrioryFile:

Theatres

There are a number of theatres. The Edwardian Palace Theatre is a Grade II listed building dating from 1912. It shows plays by professional troupes and repertory groups, as well as comedy acts. The theatre has two circles and the steepest rake in Britain. Part of the theatre is a smaller venue called The Dixon Studio. The Cliffs Pavilion is a large building that hosts concerts and performances on ice, as well as pantomimes at Christmas opening in 1964. They are both owned by Southend Council and run by Southend Theatres Ltd.The most recent closed theatre was the New Empire Theatre. It was, unlike the other two, privately owned. It was used more by amateur groups. The theatre was converted from the old ABC Cinema, which had been the Empire Theatre built in 1896. The New Empire Theatre closed in 2009 after a dispute between the trust that ran the theatre and its owners. The building was badly damaged by fire on Saturday 1 August 2015WEB,weblink Fall of the Empire – burned out theatre in ictures, Evening Echo, 3 August 2015, 13 August 2015, and was demolished in 2017.WEB,weblink Cinema demolition is finally underway, Southend Standard, 6 March 2017, 23 November 2018, The Clifftown Theatre is located in the former Clifftown United Reformed Church and as well as regular performances is part of the East 15 Acting School campus.WEB,weblink Clifftown Theatre, 23 February 2017, File:The Cliffs Pavilion - geograph.org.uk - 734107.jpg|The Cliffs PavilionFile:New Empire Theatre, Alexandra Street, Southend-On-Sea.jpg|The former New Empire TheatreFile:Cliff Town United Reformed Church - geograph.org.uk - 793477.jpg|Clifftown Theatre - part of East 15's Southend campus

Cinema

Southend has one cinema – the Odeon Multiplex at Victoria Circus which has eight screens. The borough of Southend had at one time a total of 18 cinema theatres,WEB,weblink Southend Timeline, Southend Timeline, with the most famous being the Odeon (formerly the Astoria Theatre), which as well as showing films hosted live entertainers including the Beatles and Laurel and Hardy.WEB,weblink Start The Revolution Without Me: More Memories of Southend Cinema!, 23 August 2010, This building no longer stands having been replaced by the Southend Campus of the University of Essex. There are plans to build a new 10 screen cinema and entertainment facility on the site of the Seaway Car Park.WEB,weblink Ne Ten Screen Cinema Planned for Southend, Evening Echo, 16 January 2013, 16 December 2014, WEB,weblink REVEALED First Look at What £50 Million Southend Fun Palace Looks Like – Southend Standard, 6 December 2014, 16 December 2014, Southend has appeared in films over the years, with the New York New York arcade on Marine Parade being used in the British gangsta flick Essex Boys, the premiere of which took place at the Southend Odeon.WEB, Essex Boys premiere saw A-listers head to Southend's Odeon,weblink 19 July 2022, Echo, 11 October 2020, en, Southend Airport was used for the filming of the James Bond film Goldfinger.WEB, Look back on the day Sir Sean Connery flew into Southend for Bond filming,weblink 19 July 2022, Echo, 4 November 2020, en, Part of the 1989 black comedy film Killing Dad was set and filmed in Southend.WEB, Killing Dad,weblink 19 July 2022, Time Out Worldwide, 10 September 2012, en-GB, Southend and the surrounding areas were heavily used and featured in the Viral MarketingWEB, Jurassic World Dominion Dinotracker,weblink 15 June 2022, www.dinotracker.com, for the Universal Pictures 2022 American science fiction action film sequel Jurassic World Dominion, with a number of the featured videos on the DinoTracker website filmed in the Southend areaWEB, England, Sophie, 25 June 2022, Jurassic World marketing campaigns filmed in Southend,weblink 25 June 2022, Echo News, doubling for locations around the world. This is due to the fact that local resident and Jurassic World Franchise marketer Samuel Phillips utilised the area for both videos and imagery.NEWS, 25 June 2022, Jurassic World marketing campaigns filmed in Southend, 1, Echo Essex,weblink 25 June 2022, File:New Empire Theatre, Alexandra Street, Southend-On-Sea.jpg|The former ABC CinemaFile:Two buses in Southend-on-Sea - geograph.org.uk - 2756114.jpg|Former Astoria/Odeon cinema - High Street, SouthendFile:The ever changing face of Victoria Circus - geograph.org.uk - 533002.jpg|The current Odeon

Music

(File:The old Plaza Cinema, Southchurch Road - geograph.org.uk - 973645.jpg|thumb|The Plaza Centre)Southend has three primary venues; Chinnerys, the Riga Club (formerly at the Cricketers Pub London Road) at The Dickens, and the Cliffs Pavilion.{{cn|date=May 2024}}Concerts are also shown at the Plaza, a Christian community centre and concert hall based on Southchurch Road,WEB,weblink Concert Series – Southend Borough Council, 23 February 2017, which was formerly a cinema.WEB,weblink The Plaza Centre – Southend Christian Fellowship, 23 February 2017, Junk Club, at one time a centre of Southend's music scene, was predominantly held in the basement at the Royal Hotel during the period of 2001–06. Co-run by Oliver "Blitz" Abbott & Rhys Webb, of The Horrors, the underground club night played an eclectic mix from Post Punk to Acid House, 1960s Psychedelia to Electro. It was noted as spearheading what became known as the Southend Scene and was featured in the NME, Dazed & Confused, ID, Rolling Stone, Guardian and Vogue.NEWS,weblink The beach boys, 1 September 2006, The Guardian, Acts associated with the scene included: The Horrors; These New Puritans; The Violets; Ipso Facto; Neils Children and The Errorplains.There have also been a number of popular music videos filmed in Southend,"Music Videos Shot in Southend", Love Southend by such music artists as Oasis; Morrissey and George Michael.Bands and musicians originating from Southend include Busted; Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly; Danielle Dax; Eddie and the Hot Rods; Eight Rounds Rapid; The Horrors; The Kursaal Flyers; Nothing But Thieves; Procol Harum; Scroobius Pip; These New Puritans and Tonight.{{cn|date=September 2022}}Southend is mentioned in a number of songs including as the end destination in Billy Bragg's "A13, Trunk Road to the sea" where the final line of the chorus is "Southend's the end".WEB, Billy Bragg - A13 Trunk Road to the Sea Lyrics,weblink 26 July 2022, SongMeanings, en,

Radio

In 1981, Southend became the home of Essex Radio, which broadcast from studios below Clifftown Road. The station was formed by several local companies, including Keddies, Garons & TOTS nightclub, with David Keddie, owner of the Keddies department store in Southend, becoming its chairman.WEB, Keddies,weblink In and Around Southend-on-Sea, Sarfend.co.uk, 17 September 2014, In 2004, the renamed Essex FM, then Heart Essex moved to studios in Chelmsford. It is now part of Heart East.The BBC Local Radio station that broadcast to Southend is BBC Essex on 95.3 FM from the South Benfleet transmitter.WEB,weblink Mb21 - Transmitter Information - BBC Essex, On 28 March 2008, Southend got its own radio station for the first time which is also shared with Chelmsford Radio (formerly known as Dream 107.7 FM and Chelmer FM before that), Southend Radio started broadcasting on 105.1FM from purpose-built studios adjacent to the Adventure Island theme park.WEB,weblink Sarfend.co.uk's page on Radio in Southend,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20080326181754weblink">weblink 26 March 2008, The station merged with Chelmsford Radio in 2015 and became Radio Essex.

Television

Southend is served by London and East Anglia regional variations of the BBC and ITV. Television signals are received from either Crystal Palace or Sudbury TV transmitters.WEB,weblink Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter, May 2004, WEB,weblink Sudbury (Suffolk, England) Full Freeview transmitter, May 2004, The area can also pick up BBC South East and ITV Meridian from the Bluebell Hill TV transmitter.WEB,weblink Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) Full Freeview transmitter, May 2004, Southend has appeared in several television shows and advertisements.WEB,weblink Southend Timeline – TV Stars, 9 February 2015, It has been used on numerous occasions by the soap EastEnders with its most recent visit in 2022.WEB,weblink EastEnders starts take to Southend Streets, Evening Echo, 3 October 2013, 9 February 2015, NEWS,weblink EastEnders: Times they have filmed in the city of Southend, Evening Echo, 26 March 2022, Southend Pier was used by ITV show Minder for its end credits in season 8, 9 and 10,WEB,weblink Minder titles & Credits, 9 February 2015, and since 2014 has been home to Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast. Advertisements have included Abbey National, CGU Pensions, National Lottery, the 2015 Vauxhall Corsa adverts featuring Electric Avenue, a seafront arcadeWEB,weblink Southend is backfrop for new prime time ad, Evening Echo, 21 January 2015, 9 February 2015, the 2018 Guide Dogs for the Blind campaignWEB,weblink Guide Dogs' new DRTV ad reveals inspirational ambitions of a tattoo artist following sight loss, Marketing Communication News, 4 October 2018, 8 December 2020, and for the promo for David Hasselhoff's Dave programme Hoff the Record.WEB,weblink Hoff The Record – Dave Channel – UKTV.co.uk, 13 August 2015,

In fiction

Southend is the seaside vacation place chosen by the John Knightley family in Emma by Jane Austen, published 1816.WEB,weblink South End, Essex – Jane Austen Gazetteer – pemberley.com, 15 June 2015, The family arrived by stage coach, and strongly preferred it to the choice of the Perry family, Cromer, which was 100 miles from London, compared to the easier distance of 40 miles from the London home of the John and Isabella Knightley, as discussed at length with Mr. Woodhouse in the novel in Chapter XII of volume one.In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, after being saved from death in the vacuum of space, Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect find themselves in a distorted version of Southend (a consequence of the starship Heart of Gold's Infinite Improbability Drive). Dent briefly feared that both he and Prefect did in fact die, based on a childhood nightmare where his friends went to either Heaven or Hell but he went to Southend.Dance on My Grave, a book by Aidan Chambers, is set in Southend.WEB,weblink Summer of 85, filmuforia.co.uk, 17 October 2020, 14 December 2020, Chambers had worked as a teacher in the city's Westcliff High School for Boys for three years.WEB,weblink Adrian Chambers, British Council.org, 14 December 2020, In the novel Starter for Ten by David Nicholls, the main character Brian Jackson comes from Southend-on-Sea.NEWS,weblink Geek is the word, The Guardian, 12 October 2003, The book was adapted into a 2006 film directed by Tom Vaughan.

Places of worship

There are churches in the borough catering to different Christian denominations, such as Our Lady Help of Christians and St Helen's Church for the Roman Catholic community. There are two synagogues; one for orthodox Jews, in Westcliff, and a reform synagogue in Chalkwell. Three mosques provide for the Muslim population; one run by the Bangladeshi community,WEB,weblink Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory, mosques.muslimsinbritain.org, 25 February 2017, and the others run by the Pakistani community.WEB,weblink Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory, mosques.muslimsinbritain.org, 25 February 2017, WEB,weblink Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory, mosques.muslimsinbritain.org, 25 February 2017, There are two Hindu Temples, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan MandirWEB,weblink BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, BAPS Charities, 10 March 2023, and Southend Meenatshe Suntharasar Temple,WEB,weblink Southend Meenatshe Suntharasar Temple, Facebook, 10 March 2023, while there is one Buddhist temple, Amita Buddha Centre.NEWS,weblink Mayor to open town's first Buddhist temple, Evening Echo, 8 April 2015,

York Road Market

Demolition of the historic covered market began on 23 April 2010.WEB,weblink Southend York Road Market, Sarfend.co.uk, 21 October 2009, 15 December 2014, The site became a car park. A temporary market was held there every Friday until 2012 after the closure of the former Southend market at the rear of the Odeon.WEB,weblink Workmen move in to demolish market, Echo, 23 April 2010, As of 2013, a market is now held in the High Street every Thursday with over 30 stalls.WEB,weblink Southend market to double in size, Echo, 6 February 2014, {{needs update|date=September 2022}}

Twin town

Southend-on-Sea is twinned with:

• {{Flagicon|Poland}} Sopot, Poland, since October 1999WEB,weblink Town Twinning, Holmes, Katherine, www.southend.gov.uk, 25 February 2017,

Notable people

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• David Amess (1952–2021), British politician and local MP who was murdered in 2021; Southend was named a city in his honour.NEWS, Webber, Esther, UK MP David Amess dies after stabbing attack,weblink 19 October 2021, Politico, 15 October 2021, 16 October 2021,weblink live,
• Jasmine Armfield, actressWEB,weblink Jasmine Armfield Age and Career including Eastenders role as Bex Fowler – Metro.co.uk, 28 May 2019, 30 May 2020,
• Trevor Bailey, cricketerNEWS,weblink Former England cricketer Trevor Bailey's death in fire 'accidental' – bbc.co.uk, BBC News, 30 June 2011, 30 May 2020,
• John Barber (1919–2004), former Finance Director of Ford of Europe & Managing Director of British Leyland.WEB,weblink Obituary – John Barber, aronline.co.uk, 13 November 2004, 30 September 2020,
• Mathew Baynton, musician, writer, actorWEB,weblink MATHEW BAYNTON On Good and Bad Comedy – The Protagonist Magazine, 30 May 2020,
• David Bellos, professor/translatorWEB,weblink Language expert Bellos explores the art and science of translation, Princeton University,
• Angie Best, ex-wife of George BestWEB,weblink The next Best thing, Independent.ie, 7 June 2008, 16 December 2018,
• Brinn Bevan, artistic gymnastWEB,weblink Brinn Bevan profile, TeamGB.com, 30 May 2020,
• James Booth, actorThe Hadleigh and Thundersley Community Archive Retrieved 21 October 2016.
• James Bourne, musician, singer BustedWEB,weblink Busted to return for a reunion tour with Southend Singer James Bourne – Southend Standard, 10 December 2015, 30 May 2020,
• Tim Bowler, children's authorWEB,weblink ACHUKA – Children's Books UK – Tim Bowler, www.achuka.co.uk,
• Kevin Bowyer, concert organistWEB,weblink Kevin Bowyer profile – sound Scotland.co.uk, 30 May 2020,
• Gary Brooker, lead singer of Procol HarumBOOK, Johansen, Claes, Procol Harum: Beyond the Pale, SAF Publishing, 2000, 978-0-946-71928-0, registration,weblink 14,
• Dave Brown, comedian and actorWEB,weblink Behind the boosh photographs by Dave Brown - wsimag.com, 13 October 2013, 30 May 2020,
• Cameron Carter-Vickers, American soccer playerNEWS,weblink USA defender Cameron Carter-Vickers first spotted in Leigh, 23 November 2022,
• Dean Chalkley, photographerWEB,weblink Dean Chalkley – The Trawler, 28 November 2016, 30 May 2020,
• Aidan Chambers, Author
• Jeannie Clark, former professional wrestling managerWEB,weblink P1: Jeanie Clarke/Lady Blossom pens 'Through the Shattered Glass'- Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 December 2016, 30 May 2020,
• Brian Cleeve, author and broadcasterBurke, Sir Bernard, Burke's Irish family records, Burke's Peerage, 1976
• Dick Clement, screenwriterWEB,weblink Homage to Clement and La Frenais the writing duo who transformed British comedy – The Spectator, 26 September 2019, 30 May 2020,
• Dorothy Coke, artistBOOK, Penny Dunford, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1990, A Biographical Dictionary of Women Artists in Europe and America since 1850, 0-7108-1144-6, registration,weblink
• Eric Kirkham Cole, businessmanOxford Dictionary of National Biography: Cole, Eric Kirkham by Rowland F. Pocock
• Peter Cook, architectWEB, The Knighthood of Professor Peter Cook,weblink University College London, 22 June 2007, 2 November 2014,
• Phil Cornwell, actor and impressionistWEB,weblinkweblink 12 January 2022, subscription, live, Portrait of a Driver Phil Cornwell – The Telegraph, 20 November 2004, 30 May 2020, {{cbignore}}
• Tina Cousins, singerWEB,weblink Southend Tina gets the home town nerves – The Daily Gazette, 13 July 1999, 30 May 2020,
• Gemma Craven, actressWEB,weblink Southend Gemma of a daughter – The Daily Gazette, 10 April 2000, 30 May 2020,
• Rosalie Cunningham, singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalistMAGAZINE,weblink Rosalie Cunningham, Prog, Glass, Polly, 20 September 2019,
• Matthew Cutler, ballroom dancerWEB,weblink Strictly Dancing Essex Feature – bbc.co.uk, 28 October 2014, 30 May 2020,
• Danielle Dax, musician, actress and performance artistBOOK, Encyclopedia of Popular Music, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music, Colin Larkin (writer), Colin Larkin, Virgin Books, 2003, Third, 1-85227-969-9, 144/5,
• Warwick Deeping, authorBOOK,weblink The Ordeal of Warwick Deeping: Middlebrow Authorship and Cultural Embarrassment, Mary, Grover, 2009, Associated University Presse, 978-0-8386-4188-0, 30 May 2020,
• Richard de Southchurch, knight and landowner.BOOK, Public Record Office, Public Record Office, Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. III, Edward I, London, 1912, 109–10,
• Andy Ducat, cricketer, footballer.NEWS,weblink The remarkable story of Southend's sport star Andy Ducat, Evening Echo, 14 March 2022,
• Sam Duckworth, musicianWEB,weblinkweblink 24 May 2022, subscription, live, Sam Duckworth interview: 'I love making music and without sounding corny it feels like this is what I'm meant to do', The Independent, 12 October 2016, 7 January 2018,
• Warren Ellis, novelist and comic writerMAGAZINE,weblink Warren Ellis: On cannibalism – wired.co.uk, Wired UK, 5 July 2010, 30 May 2020,
• Nathalie Emmanuel, actressNEWS,weblink Celeb Birthdays for the Week of March 1–7, The New York Times, 26 February 2015, 4 April 2015,
• Digby Fairweather, jazz musician, author, founder of the National Jazz Archive.NEWS,weblink Digby Fairweather marks the 20th anniversary of his band the Half Dozen, Daily Gazette, 27 September 2015,
• Mark Foster, swimmerNEWS, Lamont, Tom, Local heroes: Mark Foster,weblink The Observer, Guardian Media Group, 1 February 2009, 17 August 2012,
• John Fowles, authorWEB,weblink BBC interview with John Fowles from October 1977, 4 October 2007, 30 May 2020,
• Becky Frater, first female helicopter commander in the Royal Navy and female member of the Black Cats display teamWEB,weblink Southend Air Festival May 2010, UK Airshow Review, 29 January 2021,
• John Georgiadis, violinist and conductorWEB,weblink John Georgiadis, former LSO leader, dies aged 81, Classical Music,
• Edward Greenfield (3 July 1928 – 1 July 2015) chief music writer in The Guardian from 1977 to 1993 and biographer of Andre PrevinNEWS,weblinkweblink 12 January 2022, subscription, live, Edward Greenfield Writer Obituary, The Telegraph, 3 July 2015, {{cbignore}}
• Benjamin Grosvenor, pianistWEB,weblink Anthem 2012 – Metal culture.co.uk, 30 May 2020,
• Daniel Hardcastle, authorWEB,weblink NERD CUBED Limited – Companies House, 30 May 2020,
• Roy Hay, musicianWEB,weblink Roy Hay – culture club.co.uk, 30 May 2020,
• Joshua Hayward, guitarist for The HorrorsMAGAZINE,weblink The Horrors' Joshua Hayward on new album V, The Skinny, 22 September 2017,
• John Hodge, aerospace engineerNEWS,weblink NASA pays tribute to Leigh's John Hodge, Evening Echo, 1 June 2021,
• John Horsley, actorWEB,weblink Obituary – John Horsley, actor, The Scotsman, 16 January 2014, 6 June 2020,
• John Hutton, politicianRichard Northedge "Hutton dressed as lamb?", The Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2007
• Dominic Iorfa , football playerNEWS,weblink Southend born Dominic Iorfa trains with full England squad, Evening Echo, 3 September 2015,
• Wilko Johnson, singer, guitarist and songwriter; Game of Thrones actorWEB,weblink Wilko Johnson backs campaign to save Southend music venue, bbc.co.uk, 19 February 2019, 6 June 2020,
• Daniel Jones, musician, producerWEB,weblink Daniel Jones Fanclub, facebook, 6 June 2020,
• R. A. Jones, store owner and town benefactorNEWS, Bring Southend's R A Jones clock back to life,weblink 14 March 2013, Echo, 17 March 2012,
• Phill Jupitus, comedianWEB,weblinkweblink 24 May 2022, subscription, live, Phill Jupitus you ask the questions, The Independent, 13 March 2003, 6 June 2020,
• Mickey Jupp, musicianNEWS,weblink I needed to chronicle the truth about a Southend rock legend Mickey Jupp, Evening Echo, 18 October 2015,
• Russell Kane, comedianNEWS,weblink Comedian to tie the knot in Southchurch Hall ceremony, Evening Echo, 6 January 2010,
• Dominic Littlewood, TV presenterNEWS,weblink Dom Littlewood: I'm still a Southend boy, Evening Echo, 8 August 2008,
• David Lloyd, tennis player
• John Lloyd, tennis playerNEWS,weblink The Murray brothers go one step further than Southend's Lloyd brothers and win the Davis Cup, The Argus, 30 November 2015,
• Robert Lloyd, opera singerBOOK, Adam, Nicky, 1993, Who's Who in British Opera, Scholar Press, Aldershot, 0-85967-894-6, registration,weblink
• Ron Martin, Southend United chairman, 1998–presentNEWS, Tallentire, Mark, Southend's new manager fighting against tide to keep Shrimpers afloat,weblink 21 April 2021, Guardian, 22 August 2010,
• Frank Matcham, English theatre designer, retired and died in SouthendWEB,weblink Frank Matcham, Manchester Victorian Architects, 3 April 2023, BOOK,weblink Essex: The Buildings of England, Pevsner. N, 2007, 978-0-300-11614-4, 716, Yale University Press,
• Lee Mead, musical theatre actorNEWS,weblink

• Jon Miller, TV presenterNEWS,weblink Jon Miller: Boffin presenter of 'How', Independent, 7 August 2008,
• Helen Mirren, actressBOOK, In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures, Helen, Mirren, 25 March 2008, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 978-1-41656-760-8, registration,weblink
• Jack Monroe, blogger, campaignerWEB,weblink About Jack, Jack, Monroe, 7 May 2014, Cooking on a Bootstrap, 20 January 2016,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160201220144weblink">weblink 1 February 2016,
• Peggy Mount, actressHayward, Anthony. "Obituary – Peggy Mount", The Independent, 14 November 2001, p. 6
• Tris Vonna Michell, artistWEB,weblink Tris Vonna-Michell, Tate, 3 April 2023,
• Maajid Nawaz, former Islamist activist who now campaigns against extremismNEWS, Shariatmadari, David, Maajid Nawaz: how a former Islamist became David Cameron's anti-extremism adviser,weblink The Guardian, London, 21 October 2016,weblink 22 October 2016, live,
• Julian Okai, English footballerWEB,weblink Julian Okai,
• Michael Osborne, first-class cricketerWEB,weblink Michael Osborne, Wisden, 3 April 2023,
• Annabel Port, broadcasterNEWS,weblink Mirror Works: Port with stilts on; HOW ANNABEL BECAME A RADIO STUNT QUEEN, The Mirror, 20 November 2003,
• Stephen Port, serial killerNEWS, De Simone, Daniel,weblink How did police miss Barking serial killer Stephen Port?, BBC News, 24 November 2016, 25 November 2016,
• Spencer Prior, footballerNEWS,weblink Prior is the new coach for womens national soccer team, Papau New Guinea Post Courier, 23 November 2022,
• Lara Pulver, actressWEB,weblink Lara Pulver, London Theatre, 3 April 2023,
• Rachel Riley, Countdown co-presenterWEB, More Success for Rachel Riley,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20211118152018weblink">weblink 18 November 2021, 2 January 2022, Thorpe Hall School,
• Simon Schama, historian / TV presenterWEB,weblink Simon Schama Interview &124; The Jewish Chronicle, Thejc.com, 12 October 2013, 26 August 2014,
• Anne Stallybrass, actressWEB, Anne Stallybrass obituary,weblink live, The Times, 11 August 2021,weblink 4 August 2021, 4 August 2021,
• Vivian Stanshall, musicianVivian Stanshall: Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man (1994), BBC Radio 4
• Sam Strike, actorNEWS,weblink Southend teen to star in TV spy show, Evening Echo, 13 December 2012,
• Keith Taylor, politicianWEB,weblink Keith Taylor obituary, Green World, 3 April 2023,
• Peter Taylor, footballer and football managerBOOK, Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989, Mike Purkiss & Nigel Sands, 1990, 89, Breedon Books, 0-907969-54-2,
• Theoretical Girl, singer-songwriterNEWS,weblink Good music, not fame, drives me, Evening Echo, 29 July 2009,
• Steve Tilson, footballer – voted Southend United's greatest ever playerWEB,weblink FL125: Tilson a Southend great – southendunited.co.uk, 27 February 2017,
• Kara Tointon, actressWEB,weblink Dad's pride in his two TV star daughters, Echo-news.co.uk, 11 October 2010,
• Hannah Tointon, actress
• Robin Trower, rock-blues guitaristBOOK, Encyclopedia of Popular Music, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1997, Virgin Books, 1-85227-745-9, Colin, Larkin, Colin Larkin (writer), Concise, 1192/3,
• Gary Vandermolen, footballerNEWS,weblink Interview: The Englishman who won over Jerusalem, Jeremy Last, The Jerusalem Post, 21 March 2008, 24 September 2018,
• David Webb, football managerNEWS,weblink Catching up with former Southend United and Torquay Manager David Webb, Evening Echo, 16 September 2019,
• Paul Webb, musician, bassist for Talk TalkMAGAZINE,weblink Classic Album: Talk Talk The Colour of Spring, Classic Pop, 25 February 2021,
• Rhys "Spider" Webb, bassist of The Horrors
• Michael Wilding, actorNEWS, Flint, Peter, Michael Wilding, British Movie Star,weblink 10 April 2019, The Washington Post, 9 July 1979,
• David Witts, actorNEWS,weblink Eastenders star David Witts thanks former Southend High School for Boys teacher, Thomas, Emma, 27 January 2013, Echo, Newsquest, 1 May 2013,
• C. R. Alder Wright (1844–1894), scientist - founder of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and inventor of HeroinWEB,weblink The Royal Society,
• Ian Yearsley, local historian and author"Ingatestone & Fryerning: A History" by Ian Yearsley, p.1
• Nothing But Thieves, musiciansWEB,weblink We've just been signed to the same record label as Pharrell Williams and David Bowie, echo-news.co.uk, 11 May 2015, Kelly, Buckley, 17 July 2014, 16 January 2023,weblink live,

{{Div col end}}

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Southend-on-Sea.{{Expand list|date=August 2023}}

Individuals

• David Stanley {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|BEM|}}: 24 July 2023.WEB,weblink Founder of Southend's Music Man Project given freedom of city, Peter Walker and Christine Sexton, 24 July 2023, BBC News Essex, 2 August 2023,
• Kevin Maher: March 2024.WEB,weblink Blues boss to receive Freedom of the City accolade, Sexton, Christine, 16 December 2023, BBC News Essex, 16 December 2023,

Military Units

• 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment: 17 June 2010.WEB, Royal Anglians given freedom of Southend,weblink BBC News Essex, 17 June 2010, 2 August 2023, en,

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons category|Southend-on-Sea}}{{Wikivoyage|Southend-on-Sea}}

• {{officialweblink }}
• EB1911, Southend-on-Sea, x,
• {{curlie|/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Essex/Southend-on-Sea/}}
• Southend Punk Rock History 1976 – 1986, a detailed site containing information on the Punk Rock explosion as experienced by Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK

{{Essex}}{{East of England}}{{UK cities}}{{Unitary authorities of England}}{{London commuter belt}}{{Authority control}}