ISLANDERS are being urged to shun Southend High Street and forget Basildon’s Eastgate Shopping Centre in a bid to boost Canvey’s ailing town centre.

Businessman James Parkin, who owns the Movie Starr Cinema and Parkin’s Place in Eastern Esplanade, has launched the “We Love Canvey” campaign to encourage residents to try doing all their shopping on the island.

Mr Parkin and Mike Machin, chairman of the Canvey Traders Association, have been visiting town centre shops putting up posters to get the campaign off the ground.

He said: “We have got about 20 posters up so far.

“Traders are saying it’s exactly what they need – a bit of a boost.

“We’ve got a town centre which has everything you need, really.

“We want islanders to stop leaving Canvey in their droves every Saturday morning, and start supporting local shops in the run-up to Christmas.”

The campaign is also calling on businesses to up their game, improve their premises and raise standards of service. It wants entrepreneurial residents to consider opening up shops in the some of the town centre’s empty units.

A masterplan for the regeneration of the town centre has been drawn up, but the plans, which include a new Sainsbury’s supermarket and a new town square, could take years to implement and will rely on attracting funding from the private sector.

Mr Parkin, 31, who has lived on the island all his life and is also a Conservative party activist, said: “The campaign ties in with the regeneration, but it is something we can do now.

“We know Canvey isn’t perfect. We don’t have the best selection of shops in our town centre, our beach isn’t twinned with Bondi and our accents are more East Ham than Sloane Square, but despite all of that, us islanders really do love Canvey.

“We have decided to shout our love for Canvey from the rooftops – so loudly that people on and off the island start believing us and begin to give Canvey a chance.”

Norman Smith, councillor responsible for economic development and regeneration, backed the campaign and said: “I think its an excellent idea.

“It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation. We need the regeneration to attract people, but we need people using the town centre to attract investment.”