The Royal Naval Association headquarters in East Street, Prittlewell, may well be demolished and the land, including the car park, could be redeveloped for residential housing, according to sources. The building, which was previously the Civil Defence Headquarters for Southend, has been used by the RNA for more than 30 years, but has recently received complaints from the council about noise late at night (!) ahead of the rumour of its closure.
If it goes ahead, a concern has been raised about the three remaining cottages between the RNA headquarters and the old St. Mary's School. One has been in dilapidated order and has been boarded up for a long time; one closest to the RNA was recently let out on a short term lease and is now unoccupied.
(19-07-08) |
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KINGSWEAR CASTLE REMAINING SAILING DATES |
The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle will be offering an afternoon cruise up the river on 26th July. The vessel will leave Southend at 2pm and returning at 3.30pm. Tickets are still available for an opportunity to take a trip on this historic ship. Prices are £10 per adult (£9 concession) and £5 per child.
If the weather is a bit 'iffy', half the upper deck is covered with an awning with roll-down canvas side screens for use in inclement weather, but it is recommended that passengers take something warm to wear. There are two saloons below deck, and there is a bar and buffet serving area offering drinks, refreshments and snacks.
There is one more sailing date booked for 2008 on board the Kingswear Castle, leaving from Southend, and that is Saturday 9th August (again an afternoon cruise). Book your tickets here (30-06-08) |
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PIER FOUNDATION NEEDS SUPPORT |
Trevor Bell of the Southend Pier Museum Foundation has held centre stage again at the Library to promote the Pier and the Pier Museum, and to encourage new members to join in and support the venture, which is now all but self-financed. Trevor, as well as other long-serving bastions of the Foundation, are keen to ensure that the Pier is not overlooked by visitors as well as local residents. "It is a vital piece of the town's heritage and must be preserved." he told us yesterday. With annual membership at just £5, it offers free admission to the museum where there is a plethera of nostalgia awaiting everyone including a working signal box; two rare and beautifully preserved cars from 1890 and 1949; working 1d. slot machines, and many more seaside memories. |
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Volunteers are also sought to help with various elements of the Foundation, too (01702 614553/611214).
The Pier Museum, situated below the Pier's shore station, and housed in the old Pier workshops, is open now until October on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11am to 5pm. (29-06-08)
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VICTORIA CIRCUS PLANS MADE PUBLIC |
Renaissance Southend, the urban regeneration company, along with consultants Indigo are holding two concurrent exhibition days for the public where they will be showing their plans for possible improvements to the area around Victoria Circus. The plans will be on show at Victoria Circus and the Royals shopping centre from 7am to 6pm on Friday 11th July, and at 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday 12th July. (28-06-08) |
LONDON EXPRESS SERVICE X1 TO BE AXED |
It is understood that the daily Limited Stop Service from Southend to London is to cease. Stephenson's of Rochford have made the decision to curtail the service after passenger loadings had been seen to be steadily declining over a long period of time. The overheads and running costs of maintaining the service and replacement of the existing coach stock is deemed not to be econominally viable given the trend of patronage, and application for de-registration of the routes has been submitted. The last service journey will run on 11th July. The Rochford-based coach and bus company picked up the service after it was axed by Southend Transport (Arriva).
The express coach service was born from the rail strikes of the late-1970s and, under the management of Derek Giles, was initially linked with Reading Services to successfully meet passenger demand (and from the early-80s running a regular serviice to and from London Heathrow Airport with tri-axle double-decked Van Hool Astromegas), which also proved to be a huge success with commuters. |
The London Express Service in the 1980s |
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An average compliment of 33 coaches from the Southend garage provided morning and afternoon services to London from Southend (X1), Canvey Island (X31), and Prittlewell (X41).
Since ex-First Group's Bill Hiron took over the running of Stephensons Coaches, he and business partner Lyn Watson have been steadily expanding the company, and now have additional depots operating local services in Maldon and Witham. (15-05-08) |
NEW BANDSTAND HOME UNDER WAY |
Priory Park and the Old World Gardens look magnificent now with the vast array of colours with the early summer bedding flowers out and last season's hard pruning paying off with some stunning climbers. Work has also been going well opposite the café. The transplantation of shrubs, and removal of bulbs and perennials is complete, and the area has now been cordoned off to secure the site for the footings which will provide the base for the Bandstand.
It is understood that the Bandstand could be in place within eight weeks, although it is still unclear what (if any) security measures may be put into place to protect it from vandalism. CCTV has not been ruled out, and would be less expensive to install and maintain than bringing back the Park Wardens, but some form of response team (if not through Park Watch or the local constabulary) would have to be on call to deal with any situations that the cameras may pick up.
That said, the Bandstand in the park is sure to be a hit with local park-goers and visitors to the town. The opening day will be one of the momentous in Southend's recent history. (13-05-08) |
The new site for the Bandstand |
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At the last minute, the disappointing announcement was given that the world's tallest tall ship, the 'Sedov' will not be docking at the end of the Pier - nor anywhere else in the UK. It is understood that the visit, scheduled to last from 30th April to 5th May, was cancelled as a gesture by Russia to highlight the deterioration of relations between Russia and Downing Street over ongoing disagreements about a very controversial extradition issue.
The Sedov has made several visits to Southend in recent years and the captain and crew have developed an affection for the town.
The Dutch ship 'Artemis' will replace the Sedov at the end of the pier, and is expected to fulfil the agenda already advertised. During this period, the ship will be open to the public for viewing between 10am and 6pm. There are also two 9am departures, one on Saturday 3rd, and one on Sunday 4th, for a sailing trip in the estuary, returning at 2pm. On Monday, 4th May, the visit will come to and end at 4pm. |
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The Southend Council has given assurance that those who have already paid for tickets to board the Sedov, will be able to use them for the Artemis. Admission to board the Artemis for on the day is £3. The price of the sailing is unknown at this time of writing. (01-05-08) |
Ecomold, the last of the owners of EKCO Plastics, a subsidiary company founded by E.K. Cole in 1956, is to close, bringing the life of the Prittlebrook estate to a virtual end. It is understood that the closure, that will cost more than 180 jobs, will take place over the next six months.
EKCO Plastics was responsible for an extensive range of industrial mouldings, and 'Gold Seal' domestic ware when it was launched. In the early 1980s the company was sold to 'Linpac', who later sold it on. It passed through other hands again before Ecomold took it over, and catered for the production of mouldings for the car industry.
There seems little chance of a buyer coming forward with a rescue package at this late stage, since the company has been in Administration since November last year. As far as is known, Ecomold's factory in Dunstable is also closing down within the same timespan.
The announced closure places a huge question mark over the future of the Prittlebrook estate, where the buildings on the Priory Crescent side, including the large office building (last occupied by First Data Resources), have had the entrances and ground floor windows boarded up for some time. (30-04-08)
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The Vulcan Restoration Trust have announced four open days giving people the opportunity to inspect Avro Vulcan XL426 at close quarters and have a guided tour of the cockpit. Members of the trust will be available to answer questions. The aircraft, designed to replace the Avro Lancaster, has been resident at Southend Airport since 1986. It first flew in 1956 and served with the RAF at Scampton for 24 years. It set an unofficial record in 1963 when it crossed the North Atlantic in four hours and 52 minutes.
The first of the open days is on 27th April. The gates open at 10am and close at 4pm. Entry is £1.50 plus £2 for the cockpit tour. The other dates are 29th June, 3rd August, and 21st September. (23-04-08)
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PRIORY MAY HOUSE SAXON KING TREASURE |
It is understood that an application has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund that includes the renovation of the Priory Museum in Priory Park, new acquisitions, and to house and exhibit the treasure removed from the burial chamber of a Saxon King (dubbed the Prince of Prittlewell, or the King of Bling), which was found, ironically, during excavation work in preparation for the road-widening scheme for Priory Crescent in 2003.
Three trenches were opened up by MoLAS between 22nd October and 23rd December 2003, for evaluation by Geophysical investigation (comprising both magnetometer and resistivity surveys by Stratascan). One of the trenches opened exposed a 12' wide, 5' high, wood-lined burial site is believed to be that a 7th Century Saxon King, possibly Sigeberht or Sabert.
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The body had dissolved but artefacts including flagon, bowl, folding stool and gold-foil crosses were uncovered and found to be in remarkable condition, and are currently on display in the Museum of London.
The burial site, a tiny scrap of land on rising ground to the east of the Prittle Brook, Southend, squashed between a busy main road and a railway line, is a patch of colourful tents, wooden treehouses and protest banners marking Camp Bling - England's only current anti-road protest site. (15-04-08) |
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