🔵 Southend 'City Day' is Official

Good morning, Southend. I hope you’ve had a great week.

There most likely won’t be an issue of Southend Spotlight next week as I’ll be visiting family over Christmas. I hope you have an amazing Christmas and New Years celebration and I’ll speak to you next year!

Let’s get into it… in today’s Southend Spotlight:

• Southend City Day is Official 🥳 

• Seven New Local Businesses Open 🛍️

• Another new signing for The Shrimpers ⚽️

Don’t forget to check out the upcoming events list at the end of this email and to forward this email to anyone you know that may be interested.  

— Tom McCloud

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• Highlights

• This Weekend

• Local History

• Southend Utd

• News You May Have Missed

• Upcoming Events

HIGHLIGHTS
🍾 Southend City Day

Southend’s first-ever City Day celebration is set for Saturday, 1 March 2025, marking the anniversary of the city status granted in 2022.

The event will feature live performances, walkabout entertainers, community activities, and food stalls, bringing the High Street and seafront to life.

Local performers, schools, cultural groups, and traders are invited to join the festivities, which will also honor the late Sir David Amess MP for his role in achieving city status.

You can read the full post on the councils website.

Is this something that excites you? Will you attend the City Day celebrations?

🛍️ Seven New Businesses Open in ‘The Bridge’

The Victoria Shopping Centre’s The Bridge competition winners are gearing up to launch their new ventures. After a competitive process, these businesses earned six months of rent-free space in Southend’s Victoria Shopping Centre.

The successful entrepreneurs have been busy preparing their stores and are set to open this month, bringing exciting new offerings to the heart of the city.

Congratulations to the business owners; hopefully this is a significant stepping stone towards the success of future local businesses.

The successful businesses are:

• Create 98

• The Princess Emporium

• Dalarna Vintage

• Something About Rose

• Dr Drip

• Sacred Studios

• The Thrift Club

THIS WEEKEND
❄️ New Year’s Day Dip

Okay this event is not actually ‘this weekend’ — it’s 1st Jan 2025 but I wanted to include it as it’s for a good cause and a lot of fun (even just to watch).

This is the ninth year of the RNLI Southend New Year’s Day Dip in which participants brave the 5°C waters to raise funds for the Southend RNLI

Sign in starts from 10:45, with the dip at 11:30 on Jubilee Beach along Marine Parade. It costs £6 in advance (including a free hot drink and a mince pie) or £25 on the day.

Sign up here 

🎤 Carols in the Park  

Southend Band’s beloved Carols in the Park returns on Sunday, 22 December, at 2 PM at Priory Park Bandstand.

This festive singalong draws crowds year after year, with families bundling up to enjoy the magical atmosphere created by the town’s brass band.

Santa often makes a special appearance with treats for the kids, and admission is free, with song sheets provided. Don’t forget to bring a chair and get ready for a heartwarming afternoon of Christmas cheer!

LOCAL HISTORY
Western Esplanade, 1934

Southend is rich with interesting pieces of history and every week we dedicate a section of this newsletter to sharing that history with you. If you have suggestions for the next piece, reply to this email.

The above photo was taken in 1934 along the esplanade, presumably on a nice sunny day. I know many people may yearn for those days, but I bet the fish and chips back then weren’t as nice.

THE BLUES
⚽️ Shrimpers Sign Striker, Charley Kendall

Southend United have signed striker Charley Kendall on an 18-month deal from Woking. The 24-year-old brings National League experience and a strong goal-scoring record, including 30 goals in 2021/22 with Eastbourne Borough.

Head Coach Kevin Maher called Kendall a great fit for the squad, praising his energy, goal threat, and potential. Kendall, wearing number 24, is eager to make an impact at Roots Hall.

You can read more here, on the Southend Utd website.

🚪 Shrimpers At Your Doorstep  

The Shrimpers’ “At Your Doorstep” campaign is back for 2024, celebrating locals who go above and beyond.

Every day this week a deserving member of the local community has been visited and celebrated by the Southend Utd team.

Yesterday's honouree was Bob, a lifelong Blues fan battling Parkinson’s while raising funds through challenges like the Four Peaks and a Southend-to-Oxford walk.

Known as “Bobby Womble,” he’s raised vital funds for charity while proudly repping the Shrimpers. Gus Scott-Morriss surprised Bob at home with gifts from the club, recognizing his incredible spirit and dedication.

Watch the YouTube video here.

Latest Results

• Saturday 7th Dec — 15:00 (FA Trophy - 3rd Round)

  • Brentwood Town 2-5 Southend Utd

• Saturday 14th Dec — 15:00

  • Southend Utd 0-0 Hartlepool Utd

Next Games

• Saturday 21st Dec — 15:00

  • York City vs. Southend Utd

• Thursday 26th Dec — 15:00

  • Southend Utd vs. Ebbsfleet Utd

Current Position

NEWS
📰 You May Have Missed…

• Seafront hotels £10M revamp plans rejected 

• Popular Southend Thai restaurant opens second location 

• Popular Leigh wine shop opens location in Southend 

• Proms at The Vulcan announced to return in 2025

• Cafe owner fulfils dreams and opens on Southchurch Rd

• Radio Essex presenter leaves after 20 years

• Shoebury East Beach £600,000 playground plans revealed 

EVENTS
🗓️ Upcoming Events

• Christmas Lantern Tour TODAY Fri 20th Dec

• Grinch-travaganza TODAY Fri 20th Dec

• Die Hard screening TODAY Fri 20th Dec

• Christmas Afternoon Tea Sat 21st Dec

• The Solstice at Southchurch Sat 21st Dec

• Family Christmas Disco Sat 21st Dec

• Carols in the Park Sun 22nd Dec

• Breakfast with Santa Sun 22nd Dec

• Santa Bus Mon 23rd Dec

• New Year’s Eve Seafront Fireworks Tue 31st Dec

• RNLI New Year’s Day Dip Wed 1st Jan

• Free New Year’s Day Concert Wed 1st Jan

If you enjoy hearing about the latest events in and around Southend, please share the newsletter with your friends and family. The more people that subscribe the more events we get to hear about and share with you all!

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