Works set to resume on City Beach sun shelters

August 30, 2018 by Southend Borough Council

Work is set to resume on the City Beach sun shelters, and are set to be open to the public by the end of September.

The construction work began in June 2018, with the foundation works completed and the benches partly installed. Works were scheduled to be completed in time for the summer holidays; however the contractors informed the council they would not be able to complete the works in time for the summer holidays.

Following this, the council made the decision to delay the works until after the summer to allow full access to City Beach throughout the busy summer holidays.

Cllr James Courtenay, cabinet member for growth, said: “We were bitterly disappointed to discover the sun shelters would not be completed in time for the summer holidays. The shelters would have offered a place to relax and take shelter from the sweltering heat we had throughout the summer. 

“The decision to delay the works was a difficult one, and not something we took lightly, but we wanted residents and visitors to have full access to City Beach, a hive of activity in the summer, and having sections closed off for building works and deliveries would have disrupted local businesses and impacted on the overall experience of visitors to the seafront.

“With a lot of activities coming up over the autumn, we are excited to see the finished product in the coming weeks, and we hope the shelters can allow people visiting the seafront to relax in a comfortable environment.” 

Councillors set aside £45k for the new shelters as part of the 2018-2019 budget-setting process in order to provide extra recreational facilities to City Beach and add a splash of colour to one of the most popular areas of Southend’s seafront.

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