CONCERNED residents of a street threatened by the bulldozers are defiant about selling up to make way for a ten-screen cinema.

Herbert Grove lies at the centre of the St John’s Quarter development which would see Seaway car park and the area between the seafront and Tylers Avenue car park regenerated.

The Echo revealed this week Southend Council is in talks with an unamed operator for the multiplex cinema on Seaway car park.
The council has said it would, if necessary, use compulsory purchase orders to further the plans.

However, residents are furious.

Danny Smith, 36, said: “I’m not moving and I’m not selling – that’s the end of it. This house has been in the family for 25 years.”

Council leader Nigel Holdcroft tried to calm any worries.
He said: “Discussions are at a very early stage as part of our overall plans to regenerate the town centre.


“Clearly there is a lot of further discussion and negoiation that needs to take place before detailed proposals come forward.”