​Southend Council will once again be supporting local Armed Forces Day celebrations this weekend (Saturday 30 June), plus marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
 
Organised by the Southend Carnival Events on behalf of the Council, the Southend Armed Forces Day event will celebrate and honour our service men and women past and present.
 
On Saturday 30 June, Southend High Street will welcome a number of groups including: Normandy Veterans association, Veterans’ Breakfast Club, Royal Naval association, armed forces charity SSAFA, Sea Cadets, Westcliff Royal British Legion, The Air Training Corps, 217Fd Squadron, Royal Engineers and the Royal Air Force Association among many others.

Families and visitors are invited to join the celebration alongside veterans, community groups and the Mayor of Southend, Cllr Derek Jarvis.
 
The celebrations will start with a parade (muster 10:30am) from Southend Central railway bridge. Leaving at 10:45am, the parade will finish outside the Victoria Shopping Centre at 11am for the Service of Thanksgiving including the firing of the Royal Artillery Regiment gun to mark the start and end of the silence. There will be a choir performance from Midday and live music from 1pm to 4pm.
 
Charity stalls, display stands and First World War storytelling will also take place across the High Street all day.
 
Council leader John Lamb said: “We have a rich military history in Southend-on-Sea, and we are proud to celebrate the lives of all our service men and women, past, present and future.
 
“In previous years we have enjoyed a wonderful weekend of events, and this weekend will be no exception.
 
“This year we are also marking 100 years since the end of the First World War. We will be remembering those who lost their lives serving our country, during one of the deadliest conflicts in history. We cherish this opportunity to remember and thank them with veterans and members of the public alike.”
 
Further information about the event can be found at www.visitsouthend.co.uk
 
Those attending will be able to use the public car parks located near Southend High Street. Please note that London Road, from College Way to the Odeon Cinema will be closed to traffic from approximately 7am to 5pm.Arrangements have been made for the taxi rank to be temporarily relocated to suspended bays outside Santander.

A major new festival is coming to Southend this summer, bringing a range of cultural events to the town centre, seafront and Pier.

Inspired by its famous Scottish counterpart, the brand-new Southend Festival has ambitions to become the 'go-to place’ for some of Britain’s top comedians as they warm-up for the famous Edinburgh Fringe. The festival’s organisers, Southend BID, also hopes its exciting, six-week programme of events, including art, music, literature, performance and more will put the Essex coastal town on the wider cultural map.
 
Opening on Sunday 1 July and running until Wednesday 15 August, there’s a ton of fun to be had. For families, there are three unmissable events which will keep creative kids happy; Art Trail (12 July – 15 August), Paint Jam (30 July – 3 August) and Chalk Fest (31 July).
 
The Art Trail is a free event that will turn Southend High Street into a gallery. Local artists, will display their works in a variety of locations, including the Royals and Victoria shopping centres, Legend Deli, Grosvenor Casino and McDonald’s. Visitors can see these pieces – ranging from digital art, sculpture and painting, to performance and crafts – created by artists ranging from those who have never shown before, through to seasoned exhibitors.
 
Paint Jam sees a welcome return to Southend of some of the leading exponents of street and graffiti art working in Britain and Europe right now. London-based Mr Cenz is coming back to create one of his signature portraits. Cenz’s distinctive work features shapes, abstracted line work, photorealism and illustration. Southend’s very own Scotty will also be creating eye-catching murals. Joining in the spray-based fun will be another local graffiti artist, Karl Sims. 
 
Renowned for his passion of involving youngsters with art, John Bulley is hosting Chalk Fest. Weather-permitting, of course, John says this event promises to be fun, bright and spontaneous, with unique artwork created on the pavements outside the Victoria Shopping Centre.
 
Comedy fans can watch the likes of Kate Lucas, Stephen Bailey, Patrick Monahan and Hal Cruttenden, who will be using the Southend Festival as a warm-up before they perform their new shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. There are nearly thirty such preview shows – all organised by Little Smash Comedy - taking place in locations ranging from Dick De Vignes and the Railway Hotel, to The Alex and Twenty-One.
 
Local authors and writers will join young performance poets to entertain festival goers with a particular interest in the written word. There will be appearances by the likes of renowned local cookery writer and campaigner Jack Monroe, who headlines the Fighting Talk event, and Poetry World Cup finalist, Aislinn Evans. Evans is an East London poet and artist, former SLAMbassador and the youngest ever UK poetry slam champion. Just 18-years old, Aislinn covers broad-ranging issues, from playground romance to religious persecution.

Other highlights of the Festival involve Southend Pride (14 – 21 July) – which features an appearance and comedy performance by Britain’s Got Talent sensation, Robert White -  the 30th annual Puppet Festival (4 August) on the iconic Southend Pier. Cabaret Finale (29 July) at the Park Inn Palace hotel will feature no less than eleven acts.

Southend BID manager Alison Dewey said: "By creating the Festival, we hope to raise both the profile of Southend on a regional and national level, whilst also creating an exciting and dynamic showcase for all the incredible, creative people we have living and working in and around Southend.

“We’ve tried to create a programme that really does have something for everyone; from politics to poetry, comedy to child-friendly fun days, I think people really will notice a new buzz and vibrancy around the town centre during the six weeks of the Festival.” 

For more information about the Southend Festival, click on www.visitsouthend.co.uk, like the Facebook page @VisitSouthendonSea, or follow @VisitSouthend on Twitter.

​A new wheeled sports facility is set to be developed in central Southend, following a wide ranging public consultation into three possible sites.
 
The consultation revealed that the preferred option was for a facility to be built on part of the former Warrior Square swim centre site. Cabinet members will be asked to agree the recommended site, that a planning application is submitted and a contractor is sought to build the facility.

Cllr James Courtenay, cabinet member for growth, says: “Whilst we do have a selection of similar free to use facilities available at other sites across the Borough, we have been well aware that young people in particular need somewhere close to the town centre.
 
“I am therefore very pleased that this work is set to go ahead subject to cabinet and planning approval.
 
“We have a number of skateboarders, BMX’ers and scooterists in the town and we asked them what they wanted as part of the consultation exercise to ensure we get this right.
 
“What is clear from the consultation is that the design of this is very important, both to ensure that it is properly used and it is what users of different abilities want and need. Users have rightly asked to be involved as we move this forwards, and we will therefore ensure that the chosen contractor consults them on the proposed design of the new facility.”
 
The two locations ruled out through the consultation were the London Road North Car Park and the plaza area south of the Civic Centre.

London Southend Airport owner, Stobart Group, has today announced an exciting new partnership with Ryanair.

This five-year agreement, extendable to ten, will see Ryanair open a new base at London Southend Airport with three Ryanair planes operating out of the airport from Summer 2019, providing 13 routes to eight European countries, including six new destinations.

Ryanair is making a $300 million investment in the new routes and will operate over 55 weekly flights, creating 750 “on-site” jobs per year.
This agreement will enable the airport to welcome at least one million additional passengers in the first year and in excess of five million in the first five years.

The destinations will include Alicante, Barcelona Reus, Bilbao, Brest, Corfu, Cluj, Dublin, Faro, Kosice, Malaga, Milan Bergamo, Palma and Venice.

David O’Brien, Chief Commercial Officer of Ryanair, said: “We are pleased to add London Southend Airport to our UK base network. Ryanair guests travelling to and from London and the Essex area can now enjoy low fares on a choice of 13 routes through London Southend’s exceptionally passenger friendly terminal. Southend’s train station will deliver direct services from the terminal to London Liverpool St and also the new Crossrail service (opening in 2019), making the airport even more accessible from all parts of London.”

Warwick Brady, CEO of Stobart Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ryanair, Europe’s favourite airline, and its customers to London Southend Airport.

"Passengers are increasingly turning to London Southend Airport amid the capacity crisis found elsewhere in the capital, where holidaymakers and business travellers face frustration from overcrowded airports, impacting on customer service.

"In contrast, London Southend Airport offers an excellent, efficient passenger experience, and we are delighted that this is becoming increasingly recognised, demonstrated by the tremendous momentum within our Aviation division.

"We have a clear and focused strategy to grow our airport in order to welcome five million passengers a year by 2022. This long-term partnership agreement with a leading airline such as Ryanair will help us achieve that aim. Since joining Stobart Group over 12 months ago I have been working closely alongside the team at London Southend Airport to secure a major airline that will allow us to deliver on our growth targets. This agreement demonstrates that we now have the right team, skill set and strategy in place to deliver on our stated ambitions."

​About the Ryanair route destinations
13 new routes: Alicante (5 weekly), Barcelona Reus (2 weekly), Bilbao (4 weekly), Brest (2 weekly), Corfu (2 weekly), Cluj (3 weekly), Dublin (12 weekly), Faro (5 weekly), Kosice (3 weekly), Malaga (5 weekly), Milan Bergamo (4 weekly), Palma (4 weekly) & Venice (4 weekly).

There were more visitors to Southend Pier last month than any other May since official records began in 2006.
 
A total of 47,048 visitors visited the world’s longest pleasure pier this May, smashing the previous record of 37,349 in May 2016.
 
Two bank holidays of sunny weather, boat trips from the pier, new concessions and the popular Sunday Showcase music events are all thought to have contributed the pier’s record-breaking popularity.
 
Pier admission figures show 15,346 visitors on the early May Bank Holiday weekend alone, with an additional 11,351 on the late May Bank Holiday weekend.
 
Cllr James Courtenay, Executive Councillor for Growth, said: “It is very encouraging to see so many visitors flocking to the pier this month. While some of this can be attributed to the good weather, boat trips from the pier, pop-up attractions and regular events have all played their part in this month’s success.
 
“This year, we are continuing the ‘cultural beach huts’ on the pier, with some now operating as concession stalls at the pier head and selling food, drinks and souvenirs. This is in addition to the continuation of crazy golf, the ice cream sales – including Southend’s own Rossi’s and Gelato Italia - and the refurbishment of sun shelters.
 
“2018 promises to be a milestone year in the pier’s history, with work due to start in autumn on the expansion of the pier entrance into a former penny arcade and designs soon to be published for a new visitor pavilion on the former Bowling Deck.
 
“We remain committed to investing in the pier to widen its offer and appeal and ensure Southend is able to compete against other rival resorts.”
 
New Laurel & Hardy Gift Shop
​
A new Laurel & Hardy pop-up gift shop is to officially open from a beach hut on Southend Pier on 8 June in recognition of the film duo’s famous link to the town. A range of officially licensed Laurel and Hardy gifts and souvenirs will be on sale, including tshirts, caps and hats, mugs, postcards, umbrellas, aprons, keyrings, tankards, prints and posters.
 
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy famously stayed and performed in Southend for a week in August 1952, when they performed at the former Odeon and stayed at the Palace Hotel – something commemorated there by an official Blue Plaque.
 
Diane Pinnock, Proprietor of Laurel & Hardy Gifts, said: “I am delighted to be opening a pop-up gift shop at the end of the pier.  The beach huts make a perfect little shop as they are so eye catching and surprisingly spacious.  We have a great range of gifts and souvenirs for both tourists and local people which are also available on line at www.laurelandhardygifts.com. 
 
To keep abreast of the latest Pier news, please go to www.visitsouthend.co.uk