HAVING your band described as “crazed genius” by DJ Steve Lamacq, being picked as the Guardian’s new band of the day and receiving salivating reviews from music magazines is the coverage most up-and-coming bands only dream of. “It’s wonderful of course
SIDES are set to be duly split with the launch of a new comedy club in Rayleigh. Friday will see the first in a new series of stand-up comedy nights at the Mill Arts Centre, and this week will feature comics Andrew Roper and John Newton, with Bryan Lacey
LEADING blues vocalist Paul Cox will return to the New Crawdaddy Blues Club tomorrow, accompanied by French guitar sensation Charlie Fabert. Paul is a familiar face at the club and has appeared on numerous occasions playing with his own band
PLANS to bring a derelict building back to life as a 12-bed hotel with restaurant and bar have scraped through despite concerns about parking. Southend Council's development control committee voted seven to six in favour of allowing the redevelopment
CANVEY Town Council has lost a second town clerk in the space of two years. John Burridge has been relieved of his duties after just six months in the job, because councillors were worried about the hours he was keeping. Mr Burridge, 59, who lives in
A FORMER hotel faces council action for reopening as a house of multiple occupation without permission. Southend Council is recommending enforcement action should be taken against the owners of the former Balmoral Hotel, in Valkyrie Road, Westcliff.
A TARGET to treat patients within 18 weeks of referral has been missed in four specialist surgery areas at Southend Hospital. As part of the NHS constitution pledge and its contract with NHS South East Essex, 90 per cent of admitted patients and 95
THE firm in charge of council houses in Basildon could be scrapped, less than four years after being set up. St Georges Community Housing was created by Basildon Council in April 2007 to run the district’s 12,000 council homes, because the firm could
RESIDENTS living on Thorney Bay Park will finally be forced to pay council tax following a Government review. The Valuation Office Agency has written to the occupiers of 292 homes on the Canvey Island caravan site, informing them they are now eligible
WITH the strong south westerly winds, rain and cold temperatures, not many anglers graced the banks at all at Aquatels this week. But most of those who did brave the weather managed to have something something out of the water with fish being caught
RAYLEIGH Town Archery Club is on the crest of a wave following a string of successes. The club finished second at the Southern Counties championship, while helping Essex to victory in the county section. And it is spreading its wings to get more young
SOUTHEND Rugby head coach Andy Holloway wants Saturday’s 25-23 defeat to Taunton to be a kick up the backside for his players. The previously unbeaten Seasiders were narrowly seen off at Warners Bridge. And Holloway is now demanding
WESTCLIFF moved to the top of the London One North table with a 29-20 win at Colchester. The home-side were the architects of their own misfortune but Westcliff showed why they are tipped to perform well this season, defending well and attacking throughout
DESPITE having to make five changes to last week’s winning side, Canvey Island recorded a second successive victory as they saw off Harlow 36-0. After a tentative start, the Islanders tore in to Harlow and the first try came from a driving maul with
HUNDREDS of residents eagerly queued up for a dose of protection in the coming months. A line of residents snaked from Christ Church hall, in Wickford town centre, to Somerfields car park as they waited for a free flu jab. Patients at the Robert Frew
SOUTHEND United fans can buy one, get one free on tickets for the Crewe Alexandra game with the launch of Blue Monday. Blue Monday will take place on Monday, October 11, for Southend supporters. And it means that any fan who purchases a ticket for
BILLERICAY-BASED Forest Glade crashed out of the Essex Olympian Senior Division Cup after losing 8-2 to defending champions Westhamians in the second round. Craig Jones and Joe Tregunno were on target for Glade but a Stuart Jones hat-trick helped see
SOUTHEND United’s under-18 side edged out local rivals Colchester United in a five-goal thriller at the Garrison ‘B’ Ground to ensure their progress to the knockout stages of the Youth Alliance Cup. Blues needed to win their final game of
RESIDENTS fear an underpass which has no lights will become plagued by muggers. The lights at the Roundacre underpass, which connects Gloucester Park to Basildon town centre, have still not been replaced after several months. Now residents have said
MATT Paterson fired himself back in to the plans of Southend United manager Paul Sturrock with two goals in a 3-1 win at Barnet last night. The striker seemed to be heading out of Roots Hall after falling out of favour. But he bagged a brace against
THE Russians are coming... to the Southend Judo Club international event next month. A team from the eastern European country are the latest to confirm they will be taking part in the two-day judo extravaganza on Saturday, November 27, and Sunday, November
TWO men have been charged with offences following a police chase in Leigh. Officers carried out a pursuit in London Road at about 4.20am on Tuesday October 5. A 33-year-old man from Southend was arrested and later charged with dangerous driving, driving
A KOSHER food firm has been ordered to pay nearly £28,000 for waste offences. Osem UK, based at Hemmells Park in Hemells, Laindon, imports and sells Jewish and ethnic foods. But Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard the firm failed to register itself with
Firefighters and police rushed to Tilbury docks in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday) following reports of a chemical spill. The leakage of a corrosive liquid called paraquat dichloride was coming from a cargo container that has been dislodged
MOTORISTS have been hit by a spate of crime in Rayleigh. There were 29 vehicle crimes committed in in June, July and August. Sgt Steve Joynes, of Rochford police, said: “I want to make sure that car owners are taking simple steps to keep their property
AN estate plagued by antisocial behaviour is improving with a raft of tough measures, including an alcohol ban and better lights in alleyways frequented by youths. Residents on the Four Rivers Estate, Shoebury, are reaping the rewards thanks to work
IT will be a “huge blow” if NHS cuts see plans for a new hospital in Grays scrapped, it has been claimed. Labour councillor John Kent said he will do all he can to save the project, which has been put on hold after NHS South West Essex announced its
A MAN has died in hospital after a road crash in Shoebury last night. Police were called to Bournes Green Chase at about 7.30pm yesterday evening (Tuesday), following reports that a white Citroen van had left the carriageway and struck a
POLICE have arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting a schoolboy. Officers questioned the man, from Southend, in connection with the attack on eight-year-old Bradley Hawes as he walked to Hamstel Junior School last Monday.
KENNELS are being inundated with Staffordshire bull terriers. The owner of Acres Way Kennels in Great Birches, Thundersley, said she currently has 20 staffies waiting for homes, making up some two-thirds of all dogs there. Sue Clarkson
SOUTHEND Youth Council has launched a campaign to save a service for teenagers from a Government axe. It is unclear which services will be affected, but the youth council is already making a pre-emptive stand to save Connexions, which looks after the
DAZZLING dance troupe Diversity have injected a dose of street cred into a campaign to create a state-of-the-art children’s A&E unit in Basildon. The 11-strong south Essex group, led by Ashley Banjo from Wickford, are backing Basildon Hospital
