Sitting to the north of the Thames Estuary, Southend is located around 20 miles from London and when the sun shines visitors flock to get a spot on the beach. But it’s not always been a buzzing holiday resort, originally the “south end” of the village of Prittlewell, Southend was simply home to a few fishermen’s huts and farms. The first settlement at Prittlewell is thought to have been a 6th or 7th century Saxon village, close to St Mary’s Church, which possibly contains evidence of a Saxon arch on its north side. It became a busy market town in the Middle Ages and became more prosperous in both the 15th and 16th centuries. New to the city? Need a reminder? Then Southend Museums (southendmuseums.co.uk) provide a plethora of fantastic facts and events at Central Museum, Prittlewell Priory, Beecroft Art Gallery, Southchurch Hall and Southend Planetarium. In 2022 Southend was granted city status as a memorial to the Conservative MP, Sir David Amess and Prince Charles presented a letters patent to the mayor of Southend to mark its city status. Southend is rightly proud of some iconic landmarks…including the pier. The original wooden pier, at 600ft, was too short to use at low tide, so it was extended several times until in 1929 its 1.34-mile length made it famous as the longest pleasure pier in the world. There’s also the iconic Cliff Lift which was constructed more than a century ago. Located on Western Esplanade it has fantastic views of the pier and the estuary and is a much-valued part of Southend’s rich heritage and run entirely by volunteers. For families there’s Adventure Island and Sealife adventure and a wide range of green spaces and events happening throughout the year. While it attracts around six million tourists every year, those living in Southend take advantage of the best of both worlds. The coast is right on the doorstep, but London is also within reach. Southend Victoria has trains to London Liverpool Street, and Southend Central is on the line from London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness and there’s also road links and Southend Airport. Properties range from Victorian terraces to grand homes along the seafront and for parents thinking about education, a good choice of primary and secondary school settings are offered, including four grammar schools. Further and higher education comes via South Essex College with four modern campuses as well as a campus for the University of Essex.
Eating and drinking
You can’t visit the seaside without trying fish and chips. One name will be on the lips of many locals…Oldhams (oldhamsofwestcliff.co.uk) which is family run and a staple of the city since 1967. Find them opposite the Palace Theatre in West Street. Perched on the side of the Alexandra Bowling Green in Cambridge Road, La Petite Petanque (lapetitepetanque.co.uk) was built in 1925 and much of the art deco restaurant still has many of the original features. It’s that, and the food, which make it a great location to dine. Menus cater for everyone and it’s ideal for those looking for a venue to hold a birthday celebration, baby shower or wedding. Tomassi’s (tomassis.co.uk) is an institution in Southend. First created in 1912 by Pasqual and Marianna Tomassi, today the ice creams including bingo bingo, mystical macaroon and chocabocker glory are still proving popular with visitors and locals but there’s also a full menu available boasting a good choice of dishes. Over at Aurum (aurumsouthend.co.uk) the 70-seater dining area serves up its award-winning Himalayan salt-aged steak and fresh seafood but there’s also the adjoining gin-centric bar with more than 30 types of gin…a great way to kick off or end your evening in the city.
Shopping
This year marks 50 years since Southend’s high street was pedestrianised and today the city has plenty of shops for everyone. There are two shopping centres, The Victoria Shopping Centre (victoriasc.co.uk) and Royals Shopping (royalsshoppingcentre.co.uk) which provide everything from the well-known high street fashion stores to food and drink and parking. Both are keen to be at the heart of the community so there’s plenty of events at both centres throughout the year to keep children entertained and to make shopping in the city a pleasure. But there’s also some special independents, too. Ace Comics (acecomics.co.uk) in Clarence Street has a diverse range selection of comics, books, toys and games and in nearby Westcliff, Argosy Toys (argosytoys.co.uk) has been open since 1947 making it one of the oldest and much-loved independent toy shops in the UK…both will help to keep the children entertained with some of the coolest toys this summer! With shops dotted around the city, HARP Southend’s Homeless Charity (harpsouthend.org.uk) offers many items in their stores included specialised vinyl, clothing and footwear. Sales help go towards providing housing, advice and support to more than 1,000 people each year.
EXPLORING
Seven miles of coastline with four beaches awarded Blue Flag status for 2024, including East Beach, Shoebury Common, Three Shells and Westcliff Bay are certainly appealing. From the beach to the pier (southendpier.co.uk) and a stunning replica of a 16th-18th century Spanish galleon, Galeon Andalucia, returns to Southend Pier between August 22 and 28. Whilst here, take a selfie at the new selfie signpost and if you don’t fancy the 1.34 mile walk back… let the train take the strain! All year round, but particularly in the summer, there are events galore. Music in the Park returns to Priory Park bandstand until September 29 and a superhero weekend is happening August 17-18! Galleries, including Focal Point and Beecroft, showcase the thriving art scene the city has to offer, and two theatres, The Palace Theatre and Cliffs Pavilion (trafalgartickets.com) provide year-round entertainment. The Palace Theatre, built in 1912, retains all of the charm of its music hall origins and has an eclectic programme, while this year work will commence on a major refurbishment of the Cliffs Pavilion to include a new outdoor piazza and major expansion of the restaurant. Top shows for August include Pretty Woman The Musical along with The Addams Family from the theatre’s Summer Youth Project.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Southend Pier
Staycation
No one can tire of sea views and Hamiltons Boutique Hotel (hamiltonsboutiquehotel.co.uk) offers a special stay. The Grade II listed building has royal connections… Princess Caroline stayed at the hotel in 1803 and the hotel forms part of the Royal Terrace, the only surviving Georgian terrace in the city, built in the 1790s. Fully restored in 2007, it not only provides character, stylish décor and, of course, comfort, but has also been a go-to for numerous celebrity guests. Hamiltons Boutique Hotel is for adults only and rooms have the combination of the Georgian character but with modern, integrated technology. The Balcony Suite, with its own private terrace and separate lounge area offers all you could want or need and all rooms have ensuite bathrooms and tea and coffee making facilities. With 55 luxurious bedrooms and romantic suites, each room at Muthu Westcliff Hotel (muthuhotelsmgm.com) is individually designed to offer the finest combination of both modern and original features. The suites have great views over the Thames Estuary as well as a walk-in shower and bath. And finally, over at Suenos Guesthouse (suenosguesthouse.com) the five-star accommodation offers five individual rooms with facilities and special personal touches…something the owners pride themselves on.
