A BREWER has told of his pride after Southend's only brewery released a new beer celebrating the seaside town gaining city status.

Her Majesty the Queen accorded Southend city status in honour of Sir David Amess MP who was stabbed to death at a constituents’ surgery in Leigh on October 15.

Sir David had fought passionately for city status for years and the move, marking the Queen's upcoming Platinum Jubilee, forms the ultimate commemoration for the veteran MP.

George's Brewery, based in Wakering, has released a new beer, Pier City Pale Ale, named to celebrate official city status for Southend.

The beer, which is currently available at Mawson's Micropub in Southchurch Road, will soon be available from the Royal Pavilion restaurant on the pier.

Lead brewer Jamie Reeve said the beer would honour the memory of Sir David by celebrating city status despite the “very sad circumstances”.

“We wanted iconic images of Southend on the label so we have the Kursaal, the pier train and the pier, as you can’t have the Pier City Pale Ale without the pier on it, and a Red Arrow display,” he explained.

Born in Rochford, Jamie grew up in Wakering and says he is “very much a local boy at heart”.

“It is very nice to be able to put something out there with the word city on it, something we have all been after for so long now,” he continued.

“At the end of the day I get to sit in the pub with a pint and say, ‘I made that’, which is a really nice feeling. I take pride in the drink, which reflects my pride in Southend.”

He added: “It was brewed as a golden ale with a lot of citrus flavours to get the old fame of sunny Southend across in a beer glass. It’s very fresh and forward facing, we are trying to capture the spirit of the city in the drink.”

George’s Brewery was established in 2010 by former brick layer Mark Mawson and has won awards for its Cockleboats Best Bitter beer.