Southend Council

[Shrimper]

Can someone please tell me why the Council decided to seemingly try and turn everyone away yesterday with this bike event?

The high street is on its knees and the seafront traders rely on the money they make in the summer months and weekend to keep them going through the year. So why are the council being so anti-social?

What is so wrong with having an official event for the bikers so that loads can come to the seafront on one day and spend their money in the town?

 

[Ricey]

Is that the one they do from Ace Cafe?

 

[Firestorm]

The official Ace café run was cancelled by the organisers last year as the overheads became prohibitive when Essex police upped their charge.

This years there was no application to SBC for an organised event and there was no policing provision set aside by Essex either , then the hastily organised facebook unofficial event materialised and the Authorities had to act appropriately.

The cancellation of the official event was not down to the council

 

[Shrimper]

The official Ace café run was cancelled by the organisers last year as the overheads became prohibitive when Essex police upped their charge.

This years there was no application to SBC for an organised event and there was no policing provision set aside by Essex either , then the hastily organised facebook unofficial event materialised and the Authorities had to act appropriately.

The cancellation of the official event was not down to the council

Right, but why couldn't the council/police work with them to let them have an event and agree it. There's pictures of the seafront yesterday with barriers everywhere and police loitering around. It's not a good look for the town, especially when there are more important things they could be doing with their time and it will no doubt drive people away. Ann Holland has been absolutely awful as Tourism head.

 

[jassyfa1]

FWIW when our fishing club wants to organise an open match ( a match that anyone can fish) in the borough, we have to submit paperwork and pay around £80 once permission has been granted. The paperwork is around 20 pages long and there is segments enquiring about road closures and policing the event. As £80 gets you a bit of beach to fish on that is still open to the public God only knows how much it would cost the organisers to pay for the shakedown event.

 

[* ORM *]

Southend tourism died after the Pier fire in 1976. 42 years later and still nothing monumental done with the second biggest asset this town has. We are a day tripper resort that is now making a thoroughly good fist of destroying what’s left of the high street to.

 

[Shrimper]

Southend tourism died after the Pier fire in 1976. 42 years later and still nothing monumental done with the second biggest asset this town has. We are a day tripper resort that is now making a thoroughly good fist of destroying what’s left of the high street to.

Can't help but think the council should get a list of annual regular events going throughout the year to regularly boost the coffers. Airshow needs to come back too

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

The council elections are approaching in May IIRC. If people care then they ought to address the prospective Councillors and elicit their views on FF, re-developing Roots Hall, Airshow, Policing in the High Street etc. Can I suggest that those views be in an audit-able media document where the person can be held to account; and also that if a prospective Councillor has no view then that also is interesting as no opinion on important local issues might be a worry?

 

[* ORM *]

The council elections are approaching in May IIRC. If people care then they ought to address the prospective Councillors and elicit their views on FF, re-developing Roots Hall, Airshow, Policing in the High Street etc. Can I suggest that those views be in an audit-able media document where the person can be held to account; and also that if a prospective Councillor has no view then that also is interesting as no opinion on important local issues might be a worry?

That's an excellent point. Part of the problem with change is apathy. Social media channelled the right way would make people sit up and take notice.

 

[londonblue]

Can't help but think the council should get a list of annual regular events going throughout the year to regularly boost the coffers. Airshow needs to come back too

Since the crash at the air show in Shoreham the CAA have made it extremely difficult to put on airshows. As much as that is an excellent idea, it isn't as easy as that.

 

[Lord Football]

Its not just the airshow..... There seems to be little going on to improve the town. We are so lucky to have the seafront we have, yet we don't use it. There are some nasty politics and self interest going on from some of the business owners in that part of the world.

The High Street is dying, partly because business rates too high but mainly because of the advent of on-line shopping and out of town supermarkets. It's that same everywhere, not just here. The answer of course is to help business by reducing business rates and make parking that much easier and cheaper. But that would result in your council tax going up to compensate. Then we end up in a different argument.

I don't know what the answer is.....

 

[rigsby]

Its not just the airshow..... There seems to be little going on to improve the town. We are so lucky to have the seafront we have, yet we don't use it. There are some nasty politics and self interest going on from some of the business owners in that part of the world.

The High Street is dying, partly because business rates too high but mainly because of the advent of on-line shopping and out of town supermarkets. It's that same everywhere, not just here. The answer of course is to help business by reducing business rates and make parking that much easier and cheaper. But that would result in your council tax going up to compensate. Then we end up in a different argument.

I don't know what the answer is.....

Certainly not from the small independent business owners. They are the ones who have improved the sea front and attract alternative visitors......They have done it out of there own pocket as well.

 

[LCBB72]

I say ban the Leigh Folk Festival , nothing but trouble all those folkies .:winking:

 

[Mad Cyril]

Can someone please tell me why the Council decided to seemingly try and turn everyone away yesterday with this bike event?

The high street is on its knees and the seafront traders rely on the money they make in the summer months and weekend to keep them going through the year. So why are the council being so anti-social?

What is so wrong with having an official event for the bikers so that loads can come to the seafront on one day and spend their money in the town?

I don't often support Southend Council but they are absolutely right here.

Let's do the maths.

1000 bikers = 1000 x (1 pint + 1 portion chips) = £5000

1 couch load on a beano = 50 x (20 pints + 1 portion chips) = £3575

Net spend per biker = £5

Net spend per drunken reveller = £71.50 (not including fines for public order offences or half and halfs procured on Burdett Road)

It is quite clear that drunken troublemakers bring in a greater net spend per person than bikers who drink nothing, claim they are well behaved and yet a percentage are always nicked for speeding, pulling wheelies near a bunch of little kiddies or jumping through hoops of fire.

 

[Mad Cyril]

On a more serious note maybe seafront traders should organise more events or put their hands in there pockets to improve access or parking facilities.

They may pay business rates but I bet most pay minimum wage and offer little in job security. I can't imagine many of the residents of Southend feel much benefit from day trippers.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Certainly not from the small independent business owners. They are the ones who have improved the sea front and attract alternative visitors......They have done it out of there own pocket as well.

Like the arches, home of the £8 cooked breakfast?

 

[londonblue]

Its not just the airshow..... There seems to be little going on to improve the town. We are so lucky to have the seafront we have, yet we don't use it. There are some nasty politics and self interest going on from some of the business owners in that part of the world.

The High Street is dying, partly because business rates too high but mainly because of the advent of on-line shopping and out of town supermarkets. It's that same everywhere, not just here. The answer of course is to help business by reducing business rates and make parking that much easier and cheaper. But that would result in your council tax going up to compensate. Then we end up in a different argument.

I don't know what the answer is.....

Southend Council probably need to help re-invent the high street. Admittedly it's been a long time since I was there so I may be out of date. They have a fantastic pedestrianised area that is perfect for restaurants with outside seating. A few covers and heaters and the outside could be used for a greater proportion of the year. Of course, the insides can be used all year round...

That, coupled with some leisure facilities (such as the cinema, some kind of kids' indoor play areas, maybe a climbing centre etc etc) would make the area far more attractive for some shops to sit alongside...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

This is what happened where I use to live in York (and apologies for going all Barna with a Gruaniad link)

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/29/high-street-closed-betting-shops-york-back-from-dead

tbh it's probably more of a model for Hamlet Court Rd than the High Street

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Like the arches, home of the £8 cooked breakfast?

I prefer Wetherspoons, or Toby carvery 'all you can eat brekkie' for under a fiver.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

This is my comparison as an illustration of the problem of Southend High Street that I think the Council could do worse than consider.
About once a fortnight me, Mrs G and the dog will park at Chalkwell and walk along the front into Leigh and up from there along the Broadway/Leigh Rd and get some shopping, have maybe a pint, or a coffee and cake etc but certainly spend some money.
However we don't consider parking up walking into Southend and along the front. why? Few friendly cafes/pubs, too many beggars, arses etc, few independent traders so not much of interest , and an overall unpleasant atmosphere undertone.