Celebrating the City of Southend

On 1 March 2022 Prince Charles attended the official ceremony in Southend-on-Sea to mark the town becoming a city. Southend¿s city status had been tirelessly campaigned for by Southend West¿s MP Sir David Amess before his tragic death. He sought recognition for the important role Southend has played through history, both within Essex and the country as a whole. Southend developed from a small fishing village on the Thames Estuary into a popular and fashionable resort in the nineteenth century following the visit of Princess Caroline of Brunswick and Lady Hamilton. Later that century Southend¿s first pier opened. It was later rebuilt and is the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.34 miles. The pier has its own railway but there is much more to Southend than its pier, with its many other seaside attractions, drawing many to its rich calendar of events, regenerated shopping centres, entertainment and cultural venues, conservation areas and local airport.Celebrating the City of Southen