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)

Trevor Bell of the Southend Pier Museum Foundation has held centre stage again at the Library to promote the Pier Pier, the 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.

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)

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)

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.

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)

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)

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