about southend-ON-SEA
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The bustling coastal town of Southend-on-Sea was awarded city status in 2022.
The city lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles east of central London. It's a unique place, in that it offers the elements of a British seaside destination, alongside a fantastic offer of retail, dining, services, leisure, entertainment experiences and office space.
By working together, we can aim to deliver a 'visit, eat, shop, stay, explore’ narrative.
SOUTHEND
BUSINESSES
There are a range of businesses in Southend city centre providing a mixture of retail, leisure, culture, restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes - both independent and national.
44%
RETAIL
27%
FOOD & DRINK
21%
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
8%
LEISURE
180K
BOROUGH POPULATION
7M
VISITORS PER ANNUM
SOUTHEND'S
VISITORS
Southend-on-Sea is close to London and as one of the closest seaside resorts to the capital, it is a landmark destination in the South East of England receiving almost 7 million visitors a year - a high proportion of those spending significant periods within the BID area.
With excellent links to Europe via London Southend Airport, there are an increasing number of international visitors, alongside day trippers and those visiting from home counties like Kent.