SOUTHEND RISING
Follow us on social media
  • Home
  • Latest News
    • Your News
  • About Southend
    • Getting to Southend
    • Eating and sleeping
    • Useful links
  • Gallery
  • Publicity services
    • Advertise
    • Business Booster
  • Directory
    • Accounting and financial services
    • Automotive, travel and transport services
    • Business services
    • Design and print
    • Housing services
    • Entertainment and tourism
    • Health, hair and beauty
    • Hotels and accommodation
    • Insurance and legal services
    • Media, marketing and publishing
    • Mother and baby
    • Photography
    • Recruitment services
    • Restaurants, bars and clubs
    • Retail shopping
    • Trades
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Terms & Conditions

Millions flock to the Forum

28/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Visitors to the The Forum Southend-on-Sea have topped 1.75 million since the public library and academic centre opened three years ago.
 
The building, a unique partnership between Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the University of Essex and South Essex College was developed after all three pooled resources to jointly provide the country’s first wholly integrated public, university and college library designed for the internet age - totally wi-fi enabled and with scores of available ICT, along with state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities.
 
The venue is a magnet for members of the public and students and more than one million items have been borrowed over the three years with other visitors attending exhibitions and events.
  
The outdoor Big Screen has also proved a winner for the town.  More than 2,000 people enjoyed this summer’s free sci-fi season and artists and filmmakers from around the world are clamouring to have their work featured on the screen.
 
Since The Forum Southend-on-Sea opened there have been more than 70,000 logins in the University’s high-tech  Learning Hub and South Essex College students have borrowed more than 40,000 books.
 
Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Cllr for Culture, says: “All of the partners are immensely proud of The Forum Southend-on-Sea’s resounding success.  As well as being an attractive asset for the town and the student community, it has drawn visitors from around the world, keen to understand how this successful project works.
 
“Located in the town centre on the site of a former multi-story car park, this thriving joint public and academic library and learning hub serves the whole community – residents of all ages, visitors and students.  Together they are all able to gain the benefits of all the enhanced and additional facilities yielded by the combined resources of the three institutions.
 
“This is why it offers such advantages to the whole borough and further afield too – clearly showing how much of a community benefit it is.  It is also a focus for culture as it is home to Focal Point Gallery, and, among other activities, the Big Screen outside has introduced the chance for residents and visitors to see acclaimed live broadcasts of Royal Opera Performances, ballet and sci-fi films.”
 
The building itself has received national and regional acclaim, being commended in the 2015 Civic Trust awards, shortlisted in the ‘Buildings that Inspire’ category of the Guardian University awards and winning the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) East of England Community Benefit category.
 
The building was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Kent on 2nd February 2016 where a stunning statue of Her Majesty The Queen was unveiled.
0 Comments

Residents to receive demolition notices as £320m Queensway project progresses

14/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Major plans for the £320m regeneration of the Queensway estate in central Southend are set to be discussed by councillors next week (September 20th).
 
The report seeks Cabinet approval for a number of recommendations, including:

-       The preparation and submission of an outline planning application
-       To progress selection of a delivery partner to take the project forwards
-       A preferred financial option to allow the project to go ahead
-       To confirm the decision to demolish the tower blocks and other flats within the project area and serve initial demolition notices on all secure tenants of flats and houses
 
Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Councillor with responsibility for Regeneration, said: “The local Queensway community are well aware of the council’s intentions to regenerate this area, and we have had open and frank conversations with them for over a year now.  The message that we are getting clearly is to 'get on with it', and I am pleased that this report will enable us to start doing just that.
 
“The community are also clear that we believe the tower blocks must come down so we can create a wonderful new community, with new and better housing, improved infrastructure and links to the town, better public spaces and create a place that people want to live.
 
“This report is about putting the technical policies and procedures in place to enable us to progress the project and work towards the submission of an outline planning application. Things like demolition notices will obviously sound daunting but these have to be put in place to allow a major regeneration like this to happen.
 
“We have already reiterated previous promises to residents – if they want to remain a part of the future and Better  Queensway then they can.  If they do not and want to move somewhere else then we will also assist people to do this.”
 
For more information about the project, visit www.southend.gov.uk/betterqueensway or email betterqueensway@southend.gov.uk

0 Comments

Library set for refurbishment

12/9/2016

0 Comments

 
​Kent Elms Library on Rayleigh Road is set for a major refurbishment that will reinvent the layout of the main library.
 
The refurbishment will create a fresh new welcoming area for customers as well as changes to the entrance to provide better access for those with mobility needs and pushchairs. A private meeting room is also being created as a space which can be hired out.
 
The library will close for the works at 7pm on Tuesday 20th September and will reopen on Monday 7thNovember at 9am.
 
Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism and the Economy, says: “We are excited to start work on the refurbishment of Kent Elms Library; we hope that residents and library users will enjoy the changes being made and improvements to access.
“Libraries are an important part of the community and we look forward to welcoming library users and hope it will encourage new customers.
 
“Library users will be able to borrow double the number of items before the closure as well as being offered extended dates on loaned items.”
 
While Kent Elms Library is closed residents are being urged to use the nearest branches: Westcliff Library, 649 London Road, Westcliff and Leigh Library, Broadway West, Leigh-on-Sea. Users can also visit The Forum, Elmer Square, Southend-on-Sea.
 
All library users are able to renew items online at www.southend.gov.uk/libraries or by phoning 01702 534151. It is suggested that anyone reserving items for collections should change the pick-up location to one of the other local library branches: Leigh, Westcliff or The Forum.
 
Library staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist Library users and answer any questions regarding loans and renewals.
0 Comments

Airport business park progressing as infrastructure works start

9/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Infrastructure works have started on the "game changing" £150m "Airport Business Park Southend".
 
Enabling works have started that will allow the first phase of major infrastructure changes to begin in November.  This will see access to the new business park site created via a new roundabout off Cherry Orchard Way.  The first section of the business park’s main "spine road" will also be built, along with utility and drainage works to serve the first development plots. Landscaping and the development of a sub-station will also be completed by Spring 2017.
 
Work to create ten new rugby pitches as part of the relocation of Westcliff Rugby Club (WRFC) is also underway.  The new pitches are due to be available for WRFC in time for the 2017/18 season.
 
Recently, Kemsley LLP and Dedman Gray were appointed to market the development which is being taken forward jointly by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Henry Boot Developments Ltd.

Cllr John Lamb, Leader of Southend Council, said: “These major infrastructure works are vital to allow this game changing development to take place and this constitutes the first phase of construction of this exciting and vital project.
 
“This project is strategically important for both Southend-on-Sea and the Rochford District, and will bring in significant public and private sector investment and generate thousands of new jobs in over 1million square feet of attractive, modern business premises in the area around London Southend Airport. It will further boost the regeneration of the borough, cementing Southend-on-Sea as a place to live, visit and do business, and open up employment opportunities for local people in skilled sectors such as advanced engineering, aviation and medical technology.”
 
Leader of Rochford District Council, Cllr Terry Cutmore, said:  “These infrastructure works form the first phase of a project which will ensure the Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea become renowned as a leading regional centre for the science, medical and technology sectors.
 
“This is an exciting moment as we will begin to see the £150m business park taking shape, with the creation of access routes and a new sub-station.
 
“Once completed, we envisage this development will create thousands of jobs, attract inward investment and bring lasting prosperity to the region.”
 
Background:
 
The site is located to the north-west corner of the airport and comprises circa 52 acres of developable land. Outline planning consent has already been achieved for 1 million square feet of advanced technology businesses, hi-specification office space, a new Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Medical Technology (Med Tech) campus, an innovation centre and a hotel. The development is expected to attract occupiers from the medical, aviation, advanced engineering and manufacturing sectors.
 
Given Southend's extensive skill base, it is envisaged that ABP Southend will attract Med-Tech and advanced technology occupiers. Kemsley LLP, together with local agents Dedman Gray, will be working closely with Henry Boot Developments, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and the Essex Investment Office to promote this important business park to local, national and international businesses.
0 Comments

Press release - 30 jobs created as Deliveroo launches in Southend

8/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Deliveroo, the on-demand delivery service for high-quality restaurant meals, launched this week in Southend.

More than 30 jobs will be created for local people in Southend over the course of the first year, with the majority of these being Deliveroo riders, who aim to deliver food, which will be cooked, fresh to order and delivered from the restaurant kitchen to the customers’ door within 30 minutes.
​

More than 15 restaurants have signed up to the service, meaning people can now get their favourite food from their most loved local restaurants including PizzaExpress, Mangetout, ASK Italian and Pasta Pia.

Jeremy Rawlinson, General Manager at Deliveroo, said: “We’re extremely excited to be launching in Southend and we’re looking forward to bringing some of the town’s delicious dishes straight from the hands of local chefs to customers’ doors.

“Our new riders in Southend are now kitted out in their new hyper-reflective kit and locals can order from the fantastic variety of restaurants in Southend, whatever they want, whenever they want, all from the comfort of their own home, office desk or wherever else hunger strikes.
 
“We already have a number of great partners across the town and we are excited to expand and widen the variety of restaurants on offer to our customers in Southend over the course of the next year.”

Deliveroo customers have the option to schedule orders via the Deliveroo app up to one day in advance or receive food as soon as possible between 12 noon and 11pm, from a variety of leading local, independent and high-quality chain restaurants, conveniently delivered to their homes and offices in an average of 30 minutes.
​

To download the Deliveroo app visit the app store on an iPhone or Android device.  
0 Comments
    Picture

    Send us your news

    Please send your press releases, photos and videos to news@southendrising.com

    RSS Feed




    Archives

    June 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Business
    Education And Training
    Education And Training
    Employment
    Housing
    Infrastructure
    Investment
    Leisure
    Regeneration
    Retail
    Sustainability
    Tourism
    Travel

    RSS Feed


    Southend Rising

    Promote Your Page Too
    Click to set custom HTML

Latest News

Your news



About Southend

Getting to Southend
Eating and Sleeping

Gallery
​
Useful links

Directory




PR services

Advertise​ 
​Business Booster

Jobs

Current vacancies
Advertise your vacancies

About Us

Contact Us
Terms and Conditions

© 2020 Southend Rising                                                                                                                                                                                                        Site by Amygdala Press