Southend Business Partnership is hosting a free event on Tuesday 23rd September to help local firms to grow.

This special briefing takes place from 9am until 12 noon at the Tickfield Centre, Tickfield Avenue, Southend, SS2 6LL, and includes vital ideas and solutions about how to improve sales processes to win more business.

This session is supported by the Council and is being delivered by Pro-actions UK.

Executive Councillor for Enterprise, Tourism & Economic Development, Councillor Graham Longley said: “This is a great opportunity for the owners of local businesses of all sizes to get the benefit of specific targeted advice for free.” 

Click here to book online now.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is preparing to welcome a delegation of dignitaries from China.

The visitors from Shanghai are coming to the borough on Tuesday 26th August to share information and learn about the best ways to improve and maintain successful management structures, training, and risk prevention.

On arrival at the Forum Southend-on-Sea, the six guests from Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality & Technical Supervision will meet the council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Ian Gilbert, Chief Executive, Rob Tinlin, and other senior council officials.

After hearing about the council’s improvement journey, people and performance management and other procedures, the delegation will be treated to a tour of the borough.

Their journey culminates in a meeting with the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Chris Walker, at his official residence, Porters.

Councillor Ian Gilbert said: “We are very honoured to welcome our visitors from Shanghai and hope their trip will begin a continuing dialogue between our two regions. “We are extremely proud to be able to share with them the Council’s best practices, and to showcase our borough.

“At the same time, we are also greatly looking forward to learning from our guests too.”

London Southend Airport has beaten all other UK airports for the second year running to once again be named Best in Britain in the latest Which? airport passenger survey.

The Essex terminal topped the poll with a customer score of 85% - a 1% increase on last year - and a maximum five star rating in seven of the ten categories assessed (that’s an improvement on the five categories maximum scored  in the 2013 poll).

This left other London airports such as City (80%), Heathrow (Terminal 5, 64%), Gatwick (North, 49%)  Stansted (43%) and Luton (37%) lagging further down the table.

In June 2014, 7,011 Which? members were asked to complete an online survey about their experiences of flying from a UK airport in the past year.

The customer scores are based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the airport to a friend.

Categories surveyed included queues at security, Pick-up and Drop-off, queues for Passport Control, queues for Bag Drop, queues for Baggage Reclaim, space following Security and distance to Boarding Gate (all of which London Southend scored the maximum five stars in), plus seating provision, queues for Check-In and food outlets.

London Southend Airport Managing Director Roger Clements said “This is fantastic news and once again testament to all the hard work that the team here at London Southend has put in. We think our short walking distances, friendly staff and unique ‘Simply Easier’ promises to passengers – that they should wait no more than 4-minutes to go through security and that, on arrival with hand baggage, they are on the rail station platform within 15 minutes of leaving the aircraft with a fast and frequent service to the heart of  London every 20-minutes – are the key factors of our success over the last two years and why more and more passengers are choosing London's newest airport.”

He added “Around the time this survey was undertaken we completed a £10 million extension to the terminal in order to ensure that we continue to deliver these high standards of customer service as the airport grows. As well as increased Check-In and Security Desks the Departure Lounge also  became 4.5 times larger, meaning a huge increase in seating provision. We are now investing heavily in new restaurant and bar facilities and we hope to have  them open by early 2015. So next year when Which? undertakes its survey we
are  aiming to top score in all of the categories.”

Which? Executive Director, Richard Lloyd, said: “The message from travellers is clear – larger airports continue to let people down on the basics, from baggage reclaim to food outlets.  People deserve an enjoyable break without any stress, so we want to hear from consumers so that we can help to stop the holiday hassles."

Three special council meetings have been called for Tuesday 2nd September for councillors to consider using compulsory purchase powers to acquire Heath House and Carby House in Victoria Avenue.

Cabinet, Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee and Full Council will all take place to consider the matter.

Cllr Ian Gilbert, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Cllr for Community Development, says: “The regeneration of Victoria Avenue is an urgent priority of the Council. This is a key gateway into the town and the redevelopment of these two buildings is absolutely vital.

“Whilst we will continue to try and negotiate with the landowners ahead of these meetings and any decisions, we have got to the stage where we must take firm action on what is an eyesore for the town.

“Therefore, these three meetings have been set up for councillors to consider the use of compulsory purchase powers to acquire Heath House and Carby House.

“Using CPO powers is long and complex and can take anything from eighteen months to two years and beyond to go through the legal process, so it is important that we get the ball rolling at the earliest opportunity.

“Having control of this land would provide a wonderful opportunity for the council and the local community for the major transformation of this area. Action is well overdue and I am pleased that we are getting on with things.”

The meetings will take place as follows:

Cabinet – 5.00 p.m. in the Jubilee Room
Policy & Resources Committee – meeting to commence at 5.45 p.m. or the rising of Cabinet whichever is the later in the Council Chamber.
Council - meeting to commence at 6.30 p.m. or the rising of the Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee whichever is the later in the Council Chamber.

The reports will full details and recommendations will be published at the end of August.

There has been a mixed response to news that a £6 million casino will open at the Park Inn Palace Hotel in September.

The 24-hour Grosvenor Casino and Mecca bingo hall will be Southend’s third casino, adding to the Genting Club and Rendezvous casinos that have been established for many years.

Visitors to the Southend Rising website asked whether there was enough demand for three casinos in the borough? There has been speculation that only two out of the three can survive.

The people behind the Grosvenor Casino will have done their research and their sums though.

It’s perhaps true that Southend’s residents and typical day-trippers will not contribute enough to sustain three casinos, but there is another, potentially colossal, market emerging just 35 miles away.

In May, a £1 billion deal was struck to create a vast Chinese business park in London’s Royal Docks. The site – already being likened to a mini Asian city - will provide a European headquarters for hundreds of Chinese companies, bring tens of thousands of jobs to the area and generate billions of pounds for the UK economy.

Could Southend benefit from some of this investment? Of course, the majority of the money will go to London or return to China, but is it unreasonable to suggest that some of new, skilled and wealthy Chinese workers will want to visit, or perhaps live, in Southend?

Southend already has a large Chinese community, Southend Airport offers convenient access to numerous European business cities, the coast is a bonus that not even London can offer, and there are now three casinos.

If you think it’s a trivial or unfair stereotype that many Chinese people like to gamble, consider this: last year in Macau (a tiny special administrative region of China) some $38 billion was taken by the casinos. That is six times the amount spent in Las Vegas.

Billions more were spent at the hotels, restaurants, luxury goods shops and other businesses that have sprung up around Macau to service the extraordinary gambling industry.

Yes, London has plenty of casinos, but just imagine what Southend could do with a miniscule fraction of that revenue. How many jobs could be created? How many new hotels, restaurants and leisure activities would open? How much money could be invested to improve local transport and infrastructure? How many quality new shops could we see (Macau's casinos attract Gucci, Prada and Louise Vuitton, rather than Poundland and Cash Converters).

Some will scoff at the idea of major Chinese investment in Southend, and the Nimbys will scream their usual negative nonsense, but let’s be ambitious.

Let’s work with the local Chinese community and reach out to the new arrivals in East London. We all know that Southend needs a lick of paint here and there, but there is so much to attract people who have serious money to invest.

A NEW £6 million casino on Southend seafront is set to open next month.

The 24-hour Grosvenor Casino and Mecca bingo hall is due to open below the Park Inn Palace Hotel on September 18.

Traders have welcomed the fact it will bring much-needed investment to the seafront and create more than 100 jobs.

Tom Docherty, the casino’s general manager, said: “Southend is a popular seaside town with a long-established association with entertainment and innovation, making it ideal.

“We’re confident our new casino will attract new and existing gamers into Southend, with its state-of-the-art facilities, and further increase interest in the area as a key tourist destination.

“It will be a stylish new venue, where you can enjoy the thrill of gaming and live sports around the clock, and also support employment in the area.”

He added the casino would be “a new and exciting venue, perfect for serious gamers or those just looking for a fun, alternative night out.”

It will have a 100-seat poker room available for private functions and tuition, plus slot machines, electronic gaming and a VIP room for high-stakes games.

It will also have a restaurant and bar and a separate sports lounge with betting terminals, showing Premier League football, rugby, cricket, boxing and motor racing.

Mr Docherty added: “We’re hugely excited about our sports lounge and sports betting facilities, as this will be only the second Grosvenor Casino in the UK to have such facilities.”

Paul Thompson, chairman of Southend Seafront Traders’ Association, said he hoped the appeal of the casino would also be boosted by a new multiplex cinema on the Seaway Car Park.

He added: “It will be good. It’s more investment in the seafront and investment in Southend, which is good news.

“Once we get it going, and if the cinema gets up and running, things will be looking good for Southend seafront again.

“It will give people staying in the hotels something to do in the evenings. Everything is on the up.”

Southend’s well-loved Beecroft Art Gallery begins its new life on Saturday 9th August in the former Southend Central Library in Victoria Avenue, Southend.

The gallery will re-open at 10am in its new location with two major exhibitions, more displays will follow later and a grand official opening will be staged on Wednesday 10th September.

One of the first eye-catching displays on Saturday 9th August is ‘Beauty and the Beach’ - a sought-after collection of iconic bathing suits from 1940s to the 1960s.

These will be on show until December in specially-made beach huts and display cabinets built by a volunteer carpenter. Then the exhibition will go on tour throughout the British Isles.

Also on display for the gallery’s re-launch will be the permanent collection of local scenes – featuring the original 1930’s seaside painting by maritime artist Charles Pears used as the basis for a railway poster. 

This valuable artwork - which pictures a small section of Southend Pier -  was donated to the gallery by Network Rail.

Visitors will be able to use an iPad in the gallery to try out a ‘then and now’ app which pairs these historic pictures of recognisable places, with photos of how the same locations look today.

Another exhibition will be iconic photos of football stadiums – including Southend’s own Roots Hall – by Dave Shields.

September sees the launch of a major exhibition of the University of Essex’s unique collection of contemporary Latin American Art. This is the only major Latin American Art exhibition in Britain, and it coincides with the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations. 

The same month there will be a special display of portraits by Martin Huxter, of descendants of the people who sat for Van Gogh’s painting, The Potato Eaters.

Overseeing the gallery is a painting of Walter Beecroft himself – the Leigh-on-Sea Solicitor who founded the gallery which for 60 years was housed in a former hotel Station Road, Westcliff.

Mr Beecroft bought the hotel as a temporary gallery space to display the artwork, intending to establish a permanent gallery elsewhere. In recent years the Station Road building deteriorated and became unsafe for visitors as well as for the paintings.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development, Councillor Graham Longley said: “We hope as many people as possible will be able to come along and enjoy the Beecroft Gallery’s fabulous works of art on display at the former Southend Central Library.

“This new location, a fully accessible space, is ideal for the Beecroft’s pictures and other artworks. The paintings can now be seen by all while also being kept safe with dimmable spotlights and tinted windows, and for the first time we have the room to host the region’s only dedicated costume exhibition collection.

“It is a wonderful way to share our borough’s art heritage in an easiy-reached building on one of the main routes into Southend.”

Residents and businesses in Southend and Rochford have eight weeks to give their views on proposed modifications to plans for major development in the area round London Southend Airport.

Southend Borough and Rochford District Councils are asking for views on amendments they are proposing to the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) in response to extensive public consultation and a subsequent public examination by a Government inspector.

The plan includes policies for developing the airport and new business space, which together could create thousands of much needed jobs for the area. It also includes environment enhancements as well as transport improvements and regeneration proposals.

This final stage of consultation aims to ensure that anyone who commented on the Plan at the previous stage has an opportunity to consider whether the proposed modifications deal with their concerns. All those who submitted representations at the last stage will be directly invited to comment.  However, anyone may comment on the proposed changes if they wish. The Inspector has made clear that he will only be considering comments on the modifications, and not other aspects of the plan.

The councils are inviting comments on the modifications from now until midday on September, 25, 2014. 

Southend Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Regulatory Control, Mike Assenheim, said: “Developing the area around the London Southend Airport is critical to our plans to boost the economies of Southend and Rochford by attracting investment and creating much needed jobs.

“We’re determined to make sure that our proposals are the best possible fit for Southend and Rochford, which is why we’ve listened carefully to the views of the residents, business and community groups who have already taken part in the consultation to date.

“As a result of that consultation, several changes have been made to the plan. We now want to know if these changes have addressed the issues people have raised. These will be taken into account before the Inspector issues his Final Report on the plan.” 

Rochford District Council’s portfolio holder responsible for Planning, Councillor Ian Ward, said: “The consultation process surrounding the JAAP is crucial because it ensures people’s opinions are taken into account.

“These opinions have been sought at every stage of the process, and now we are asking people to tell us what they think of the Government inspector’s suggested amendments. 

“The premise of the JAAP is that we need to make the most of the opportunities presented by the regeneration of London Southend Airport, in the interests of local residents and businesses. It is envisaged that the Plan will create in the region of 6,000 jobs, while also bringing forward improvements to the surrounding infrastructure. The Plan has already helped us secure funding through SELEP  (the South East Local Enterprise Partnership) for major road improvements that will benefit both the Southend Borough and the Rochford District.”

The Schedule of Modifications is available to view on the Councils’ website at:www.rochford.gov.uk (see under ‘In Focus’), www.southend.gov.uk at Council offices or in local libraries. Comments on the proposed modifications can be made through the online consultation system at this link: http://rochford.jdi-consult.net/jaap/ or on the official representation form which can be obtained from Council offices or phone 01702 318191.

The next stage will be for the Government Inspector to produce his final report. If this is found to be sound, it will then be for the two councils to adopt the JAAP through Full Council.

The schedule of amendments can be downloaded from the links below:

http://www.southend.gov.uk/downloads/file/2956/schedule_of_modifications

http://www.southend.gov.uk/downloads/file/2957/jaap_sa_addendum_complete