Southend – East not South
Southend –on- Sea is the third largest town in England with the word “south” in the title. It also has the longest pier in the UK which on a clear day can be spotted from space. It is the nearest seaside town to London and became famous in the 19th century as a resort that wealthy industrialists visited at the weekend. Throughout the early to the mid-20th century it enjoyed a reputation as one of the most desirable tourist locations in the UK, but went into economic decline when holidays abroad became more popular in the 1960s. Nonetheless, over six million tourists continue to visit Southend each year, partly as a consequence of major re-developments within the town in the past decade.
Summer Holidays in Southend
Unsurprisingly, as Southend endures as a much loved holiday destination, it has a wealth of leisure and entertainment options on offer. These include, the world famous, Southend pier which stretches a world breaking 1.3 miles into the sea, Adventure Land, a recently refurbished theme park with over 50 rides and attractions and the Southend Cliff Railway which connects the high street to the bustling sea-front of the town. In 2009, the town started hosting the Southend-on-Sea Film Festival, which has continued to feature works from established film makers and new, cutting edge talent.
Shopping
Southend offers an enviable and eclectic range of shopping options and experiences. The high street itself has two shopping centres for shoppers of all tastes and ages to explore, the Victoria, one of the first shopping centres built in the UK and the recently refurbished, The Royals. Both centres provide a first class assortment of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and boutiques. In recent years, Southend has also started to offer some outstanding markets as part of its wide shopping repertoire, which include a twice monthly farmer’s market that is held in the town centre. The market has become famous for its locally sourced seafood specialities and other delicious delights.
Housing in Southend
In recent years, Southend has developed a reputation as an increasingly desirable place to live party based on a £50 million seafront development, which has transformed the image of the town. The combination of gentrification, affordable property prices and close proximity to London (it can be commuted to from the capital in 40 minutes) has truly breathed new life into the iconic town and its surrounding areas. Property prices vary hugely in the area, with the most attractive part of the town between Southend Central station and Southend Cliff Gardens featuring imposing late Victorian terrace houses that sell for around £700,000. For people with lower budgets, Thorpe Bay has a selection of three and four bedroom semi- detached houses that regularly appear on the market. The town also boasts several highly rated schools, including, Southend High School for Girls, Southend High School for Boys and Bourne Green Infants and Junior School.
Sports
If you’re a sports fan, Southend has plenty to choose from, including the up and coming football league team, Southend United, two rugby union clubs, Southend RFC and Westcliff RFC and a basketball team, the Essex Pirates. The area is also well known for being the home of the Essex County Cricket Club and the Old Southendians Hockey Club who have enjoyed considerable success within their leagues. If you’re an athletics and tennis enthusiast, the Southend–on-Sea Athletics club could well prove to be worth a visit, and regularly hosts a variety of field and track, swimming, tennis and badminton events. However, if you take a more leisurely approach to exercise, the ample seafront provides an opportunity for miles of relaxed walking and sightseeing.
Legal Jobs Market in Southend
There are 60 solicitors firms and organisations employing solicitors within 5 miles of Southend town centre. This is not an area known for very much commercial work at all, and legal aid is fairly prevalent in the town. 23% of children are estimated to live in poverty and Southend is not known for high levels of affluency. Crime solicitors have been in demand in the town for many years, together with family and child care solicitors. Conveyancing has been fairly bucket shop volume type work, although with house prices increasing in the area this may well change. For details of how Ten Percent Legal Recruitment can help you find a legal job in Essex including Southend please email a CV to cv@ten-percent.co.uk