SOUTHEND Council is refusing to back down over plans to evict a volunteer-led jazz charity from its home of six years.

The Jazz Centre UK (TJCUK) has operated from the lower ground of the Beecroft Gallery free of charge since 2016.

But last August Southend Council told the charity it had to vacate the space within 12 months.

An online calling for the council to rescind the order has amassed more than 500 signatures, however council bosses are sticking to their guns.

Lib Dem councillor Carole Mulroney, responsible for environment, culture and tourism, said: “We have held regular conversations with the Jazz Centre Trustees and put them in touch with some other venues to progress ideas for a new home, which they themselves have indicated is their future aim.

“The generous terms under which they have been at the Beecroft for the last six years will not continue in their current form after the 12 months’ notice period, so an alternative long-term solution needs to be found.

The Leigh councillor added: “Both parties are aware of the need for change and particularly with the financial pressures on the council we intend to expand our museum and gallery offer including nationally recognised collections, our research and restoration space and reduce our storage resources.”

Over the years, the charity – which boasts Jools Hollands and Sir Van Morrison as patrons – has used the space to host a walk-through history of jazz, a museum, performance spaces, a cinema and retail outlets for jazz books and records.

But now, the council wants us the space to house its “ever-growing heritage collections” – including artefacts from the London shipwreck, a 76-gun ship which accidentally blew up in 1665 and sank in the Thames Estuary.

Jazz centre founder Digby Fairweather remains hopeful the charity can win over the council with public support.

“This decision has been taken on highly dubious and suspect grounds and I very much hope that full discussion by the council and cabinet will see fit to overturn it without delay,” he said.

“Last Sunday the centre hosted an open day aimed at demonstrating the breadth of the centre's activities, its engagement with the community, and the cultural loss to the city that would result from TJCUK's closure, or its forced departure to another part of the UK,” Mr Fairweather added.