Southend residents are keen for the town to become a city.

Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West, has been calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to recognise the town as the first post-Brexit city.

In the UK, a town can only become a city after it has been granted city status by the monarch. Traditionally a town would need a cathedral to apply for the status, however it is no longer dependant on specific criteria. There is no real privilege to those granted the status other than the chance to attract more investment, however, residents are supporting the idea.

Responses to the bid came flooding in on Facebook, one user, Andy Wilkins, said: “We might as well go for it. We’ve got a decent airport, could have Crossrail coming along and it might lead to new investors coming along into the town soon if we were to get city status.”

Andy Skinner from Southend also posted: “Why not? If all the people who bash our town hate it that much, move, go live somewhere else and let us Southenders live in the town we like and love.”

Other resident raised concerns, including the current battle to keep Southend A&E from being downgraded.

Kayleigh Anne said: “I wonder how much money will be spent on this bid for Southend to become a city? Maybe it would be better spent protecting our A&E from being scaled down, regenerating the high street to stop the rise in derelict empty shops or to help the rising number of homeless people.

“Our local elected representatives need a thorough lesson in perspective. This town is being let down. We don’t need it to become a city being let down. Look after the people first and make it a nice place to live and then we can talk about city status.”

Sir David is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky after he helped lead both of the unsuccessful campaigns for Southend’s city status in 2013 and 2017.

In Parliament on March 14, Sir David Amess highlighted a project by Southend’s Mencap charity that broke a world record.

He believes this community spirit is one of many reasons why Southend should be made a city.