Leigh on Sea News

Council to crack down on Southend and Leigh's derelict and neglected sites with launch of “Dirty Dozen” list

Southend-on-Sea City Council is cracking down on the blight of derelict and neglected sites by naming and shaming the city’s top 12 offenders through a new initiative called the “Dirty Dozen” list.

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5 Top Christmas Styling Tips by Zoe from Beautiful Healthy Home

Hi, I’m Zoë from Beautiful Healthy Home, your local interior design studio that puts health at the heart of design. In this month’s blog I pick out my favourite Christmas accents to help you bring joy and connection within your own beautiful and healthy home.

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£8.5m boost set to improve bus services for Southend passengers

This multi-year allocation allows the council to plan improvements across the network with confidence. It also enables Southend to build on recent successes, including the new 23A/B bus service from Leigh-on-Sea Railway Station to London Southend Airport route and Airport Business Park and the extension of late-night bus services, which are already giving passengers more choice and flexibility when travelling.

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The Palace Theatre Summer Youth Project: Shrek The Musical Auditions

The Palace Theatre is pleased to reveal that 2026’s Summer Youth Project (SYP) will be Shrek The Musical. Open to young people aged between 9 and 19 with a passion for performing, cast auditions will be held in April.

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Southend launches Culture Small Grants Scheme to support community-led creativity

New grants from £250–£1,500 available now. Open to people, groups and organisations connected to Southend

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Lady McAdden Raises Over £5,000 at Festive Fundraiser

Leigh-on-Sea–based breast cancer charity Lady McAdden brought together 120 local women last week to kick off the festive season in style, raising over £5,000 in funds.

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£90m partnership to tackle flooding and wastewater using smart technology and dry gardens

Residents will see tangible improvements to streets and neighbourhoods, with rain gardens installed across the city. These will be designed with Beth Chatto’s award-winning team, maximising plantlife and be cheaper to maintain the ‘dry gardens’.

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New Properties from Bear this December

New Listings in and around Leigh this December.

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Festive Sundays Bring Christmas Magic to Southend’s High Street

Running on Sunday 7 th , 14 th and 21 st December from 12-3pm, the series forms part of Southend City BID’s much loved Christmas in the City festive program. Each Sunday will feature a unique theme packed with free activities, performances and interactive experiences for all ages.

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2025 Christmas Events

Our list of Christmas events taking place this December in Leigh and Southend.

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Youth-led event empowers young people to stand against violence towards women and girls

Working with Essex Police and specialist local organisations, the group explored consent, healthy relationships, sexual offences, personal safety and how to seek support when needed.

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One month on: new recycling and waste service hits major milestone

Initial data shows food waste recycling has doubled, black bin waste is falling, and the overall recycling rate is now expected to exceed 50%

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Why Light Up Leigh will be a success, but do we deserve more by Enzo Harrison

For many businesses in our Broadway, Leigh Lights is their biggest earner of the year. Without it, many would have to make tough decisions when the new year rolls around.

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Fawlty Towers Review by Lynn Carroll

Fawlty Towers came to Southend Cliffs Pavilion last night straight from the West End and what a fabulous show it was. The world needs laughter and we got it in good measure with this comedy play, the audience applause proved it beyond doubt.

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Essex residents given their say on keeping their council services delivered locally

Speaking shortly after the announcement from the Government that they will consult with residents and stakeholders across Essex on the four different proposals to re-organise local government.

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easyJet launches new route from London Southend to Jersey for summer 2026

easyJet has today announced the launch of a new route for summer 2026 from London Southend Airport to Jersey, with seats now on sale.

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Choice Raises Over £37,000 for Havens Hospices Through Carrier Bag Sales

The funds, generated purely from sales of bags across its 23 stores, were raised over a 12-month period.

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Free festive parking returns to Southend to support local shopping and small businesses

Southend-on-Sea City Council is bringing back free Sunday parking throughout December to encourage residents and visitors to shop locally and support small businesses during the festive season.

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ForwardMotion inspires the next generation of Southend cyclists

ForwardMotion is helping more young people in Southend get confident on two wheels, after supporting Eastwood Primary School’s cycling celebrations last month

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Southend-on-Sea leads the charge with 3,000 new EV charging spaces

Southend residents, businesses, and visitors will soon have easier access to electric vehicle (EV) charging, as Southend-on-Sea City Council partners with Zest to install over 3,000 public chargers across the city

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