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) |
SOUTHEND RADIO ON THE AIR |
The new local radio for Southend went on-air at 8am on 28th March from its new, purpose-built studio complex next to Adventure Island on the seafront. The venture, Southend Radio is backed by the Stockvale Group (of which Philip Miller, MBE, is the Chairman) to provide provide high quality news and information about the town and surrounding areas, plus lots of entertainment – a dynamic mix of intelligent speech and great music from the 60s to today.
Ofcom, the media regulator in the UK, awarded the FM commercial local radio licence to Southend Radio.
You can listen to the station on 105.1 FM in the Southend area.
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The new studio complex nearing completion in February, 2008
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The building of the new Stadium for Southend United on the Fossetts Park development has received the green light and the contractors can get to work on it. The future is clear for the club's current home at Roots Hall. The old Southend landmark is to be demolished, and a new Sainsbury's supermarket and petrol station is to be built. |
The re-development of the site could include the demolition of the parade of shops at the bottom of Victoria Avenue, and possibly of the 'Prospects' college in Fairfax Drive to allow access roads to be built to and from the new Sainsburys. This could effectively improve the traffic flow on the main road in and out of Southend between the Blue Boar junction and Cuckoo corner, which currently comes to a virtual standstill on market days. The current Sainsburys supermarket in Southend is to close, and the site re-developed for offices. It could be construed as a monopolising move by the retailer, and may have a serious knock-on effect on the economy of the town itself.
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As much as the Delamare project (Victoria Plaza) and other high street retailers are threatened by the huge retail park at Fossetts, off Eastern Avenue, their futures are further compromised by the new Sainsburys site on the approach road to Southend. Shoppers would be able to access these 'fringe-of-the-town' one-stop parks by public transport, or using the ample car parking available, alleviating the need to go into central Southend at all. |
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If you have never heard of Joyce Long, please read on. Joyce is a fundraiser for Southend Hospaital, and over the past 20 years has raised more then £1.2 million through regular charity sales for the purchases of vital equipment. The latest is a multi-functional Datascope vital signs monitor for the A & E Department. This unsung hero surely deserves some recognition.
Joyce's next fundraising drive is on Monday, 3rd March, at 22 Park Road (Opposite the White Hart Pub in Hart Road), Thundersley. It will be the start of a week-long sale of antiques, musical instruments, collectables and bric-a-brac. Joyce is no stranger to the airwaves either. For many years she was a Radio Operator for 'Bestax' Taxis in Rayleigh, and was affectionately known among the drivers and regular customers as 'Joyce the Voice'. |
They suggested they could try the Pier or the Crematorium. However, the council have now agreed that it may be hung as a lasting tribute in the Central Museum, in Victoria Avenue.
The association's chairman, Don Shepherd, who served with the Royal Engineers in the landings, is keen for it to be hung where future generations can see it and learn about this piece of history, and has written to the Labour councillor to ask why it is being refused the pride of place it deserves in the Civic Centre. The museum, however, may have been the best place for it all along.
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With that side of the Victoria Avenue earmarked for some major changes by way of building and redevelopment, including the proposal that the Library be moved, and the Civic Centre itself awaiting its own fate, the museum would seem to the ideal and indeed safest place for it. |
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