Pedestrianised Southend High Street be scrapped?

[The Big Dady]

Business leaders want SBC to remove the pedestrianised sections of Southend High Street to allow car/traffic to flow again, along with removing double yellow lines to allow parking and free parking for the first two hours.

This is in a bid to help regenerate the ailing High Street, especially with the impact Seaway Leisure and Fossetts Farm planned developments could have.

So what do you think?

Full Story + poll
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/17308780.should-pedestrianised-southend-high-street-be-scrapped/

 

[RobM]

Free parking I agree with (wouldn't we all?) but not in the pedestrian area.

 

[Member]

The reason I've not been down Southend high street for years is because of my inability to drive down the full length of it. I'm sure that'll make it even more of a pleasant shopping experience.

 

[AndyT]

Personally, I'd revamp the whole layout.

Have a retail and parking area at the top of the High Street (North End) incorporating all the major chain brands, as well as larger food outlets and so on. In a Bas Vegas style. We already have the Odeon there and the University, so just open that area out more.

From the South of the railway bridge, I'd make that more upmarket with pavement cafes and boutique shops, incorporating Pier Hill and the like and making it more of a desirable shopping and restaurant area. Maybe take a leaf out of the Bond Street development in Chelmsford.

Running a road through the centre will only solve one thing. There wouldn't be so many people with clipboards around!

 

[southendkid]

I don't see what removing the pedestrianised area would do aside from make the pavement a lot more cramped in the Summer when the high street is at its busiest, it's not like people drive from shop to shop when shopping, you park somewhere and then walk to the high street. The parking prices are the real issue so hopefully the council sees sense and implements the 2 hours free parking proposal.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The key to revitalising the High Street is making it somewhere people actually want to spend time.

What it needs is independent cafes, restaurants and leisure activities (the climbing wall would be a good start), making the most of the Essex Riviera's climate.

 

[AndyT]

Spot on, YB.

We have the natural setting. Just needs someone to revitalise it.

 

[Benfleet A1]

The key to revitalising the High Street is making it somewhere people actually want to spend time.

What it needs is independent cafes, restaurants and leisure activities (the climbing wall would be a good start), making the most of the Essex Riviera's climate.

Agree with you 100% but the main problem is rents and business rates. Obscenely expensive.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

Something that will always set a high street back in weather. One of the best things I thought they could to revamp the area is to add shelter through a series of canopies sporadically placed not throughout [outside a cafe, or Greggs] with modern integrated street furniture [rather than standard benches] and some greenery.

If that's too much, add some trees and strap some tensile canopies between them. In the summer they can add a pop of colour and in the winter Christmas lights can be put in them which is also nice.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

I also think they should embrace busting and install a feature in the underpass.