BY GABRIELLE
In a bid to attract more tourists, extensive renovations are to be carried out on Southend’s pier, including the building of a new attraction.
Plans are in motion to construct a new pavilion where the pier’s bowling alley once stood. The bowling alley was destroyed in a fire in 1995. There are proposals to move the pier’s museum into the new pavilion. Further proposals for the Southend site include turning the museum into a “London Dungeon type attraction” which would explore the history of ships moored on the pier in forgone eras.
The renovation of the pier is to also include a new train platform, plans that have been approved by Southend Council. The new platform will accommodate eco-friendly trains and come at a proposed cost of £3.25 million. The new platform will be constructed at the land end of the pier. Severn Lamb, a leading amusement transport supplier in the UK, won the contract to build the eco-friendly trains for Southern Pier in January 2020.
In addition, a Marine Plaza development has also been approved for Southend’s waterfront, at a cost of £100 million.
