Foresters Arms, Southend, to close to make way for Marine Plaza

Landlords of the Foresters Arms has been served notice to vacate the premises on the site of the Marine Plaza development.

A fish and chip shop and a taxi rank have already closed and, apart from a car park, the Foresters remains the last-standing business on the prominent site.

Lawyers for developers, the Inner London Group, are said to be working on ending the pub’s short-term lease.

Larry Fenttiman, a director of the group, said: “It’s all going to plan; the fish and chip shop has gone and will return at some point and the taxi rank has gone and we’ve said we will provide some kind of taxi rank in the development.

“Apart from the car park operators, the pub is the last to go.

“Once the short-term tenants have vacated the property, we will put the hoardings up and begin demolition.

“We have to clear the whole site before we can start because of health and safety rules.”

Mr Fenttiman added: “We own the pub but there is a short-term tenancy agreement which is being terminated.

“We think that will be completed within a month. We had to get the leases back from various tenants and from our point of view, that’s all moving well.

“We’ve let the car park operators remain until the last minute as people need parking when the weather’s nice and they are looking after the site.”

Planning permission was granted in 2015 for 282 flats along with shops and restaurants on the landmark seafront site opposite the Kursaal.

The plans stalled after being hit by the gloomy economic climate in recent years, but the company secured a construction partner to provide a £60 million boost and allow the scheme to get off the ground.

The 282 homes across six buildings, will range in height from four to 14 storeys.

The work is likely to take five years to complete.