w/c 6 April 2020
This Easter weekend is one like no other. Instead of eagerly encouraging visitors to make use of our 7 miles of beaches and fantastic leisure attractions, we are all doing quite the opposite. Late last week the new “Don’t Visit Southend” marketing campaign was launched with the aim of deterring people from our high street, seafront and beaches.
Normally we would see a huge influx of residents and tourists keen to catch some rays on the beach, spend their pennies in the arcade machines, share a bag a chips and sip on a refreshing drink by our seaside. What we’re all hoping to hear this year however is that everyone has kept away despite the warmer weather to help stop the spread of the virus.
Thankfully the majority of us are already adhering to the new social distancing restrictions but sadly you will still have seen plenty of incidents on the news of groups heading to public spaces. At any other time this new campaign from a seaside town would have been absurd but for now it is completely necessary to get the message across – don’t visit Southend, stay home, save lives.
Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses are undergoing a huge strain in aid of stopping the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus by temporarily closing their doors and now Southend Borough Council have taken further measures to discourage visitors by banning parking along the seafront and shutting a number of car parks.
Let’s join together in these difficult times by staying apart. If we do then it will bring a faster end to this pandemic meaning lives will be saved, businesses can reopen sooner and normality can resume. So this Easter let’s spread the message loud and clear: Don’t Visit Southend.
- Suzanne Gloyne