THE Sands Restaurant, on Southend’s Western Esplanade, has hosted the annual Whitebait Festival for a second year.
The ancient festival was revived by Southend Chamber of Trade and Industry in 1934.
The event was presided over by the mayor’s chaplain, who conducted a 20-minute service of thanks for the fruits of the sea.
The blessing ended with a small quantity of fish being returned to the sea and was followed by a lunch with whitebait as the starter.
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