Southend will have some Royal visitors next week to mark it becoming a city
It will officially become a city from the 1st March
Last updated 27th May 2022
The future King and Queen will be paying a visit to Southend next week to mark the town officially becoming a city.
His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, will present letters to the Mayor of the new city, Cllr Margaret Borton, confirming the city status at a formal council meeting.
Lady Amess, the wife of former MP Sir David Amess, will receive the first 'Freedom of the City' on behalf of her late husband.
Their Royal Highnesses will then also unveil a new eco-friendly Pier train, which will be named after Sir David Amess, meeting staff working on the Pier and on behalf of the RNLI and Coastguard, and meet members of the local community, business and voluntary sector at a reception held at Sands on Sea restaurant.
A community-led bid for city status was going be submitted in December 2021 as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
However, on 18th October 2021, The Prime Minister announced that Her Majesty the Queen would grant Southend-on-Sea City Status as a tribute to Sir David Amess, who sadly died on Friday 15th October 2021.
The Worshipful The Mayor, Cllr Margaret Borton, said: “Formally receiving city status from His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales will be a special moment for Southend-on-Sea, and we are hugely honoured to receive a Royal visit from Their Royal Highnesses on what is sure to be a momentous day for our new City.”
Cllr Ian Gilbert, Leader of the Council, says: “This will be a landmark day for our new City and indeed our new City Council, and one that will live long in the memory for all of us. To have a Royal visit to formally recognise our new status is wonderful and will go down as a huge day in the history of our City.”
Cllr Tony Cox, Leader of the Southend Conservative group, says: “A Royal visit is a huge honour, and my only wish is that Sir David could see this moment himself. I know that his family are immensely proud of the legacy he has left, and it is fitting that Lady Amess will receive the first Freedom of the City on behalf of her late husband.”
New roadsigns will also be installed at the Borough boundaries to highlight our new status, and the council will agree to become known as Southend-on-Sea City Council from 1st March.