As part of the celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, towns around the UK are bidding for city status, and Southend’s thrown its hat into the ring for consideration.

There are just 66 cities in the UK, and none of them are in Essex. Local MPs and businesses are backing the bid for Southend to become a city. The town last tried for promotion to city-ship in 2002.

Southend West PM David Amess is leading the drive, and he made a passionate plea in Parliament on the 14th of February – there’s a transcript of this at: They work for you

Competition could be stiff though. We have the seaside, most of a pier, the airshow and Cuckoo Corner on our side, but local rival Chelmsford is also a wannabe city. Chelmsford’s got a cathedral, is the centre of local government and has a football team optimistically called Chelmsford City.

Want to be living in the City of Southend? Add your support below…

According to a report in the Echo, the coffee company’s plans to take over the amusement arcade at 37 The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea are set to be approved, as no complaints have been received from neighbouring properties.

Changes to shops on Leigh Broadway always cause controversy – for example: opposition to the Tesco Express on the old Woolworths site, the demise of Grindleys bookshop, use of Estuary as a bar, and the arrival of the amusement arcades, which are now to be replaced by Costa.

Principle objections to Costa’s arrival seems to be that there are enough coffee shops on Leigh Broadway already, and that arrival of a chain may harm the independent coffee outlets already on the Broadway.

On the pro side, it’s a new business coming to Leigh, and the two branches of Costa on Southend High Street always seem busy, indicating an apparent local demand.

Site of new Costa Coffee on Leigh Broadway, taken Feb 2011

Is the arrival of Costa to Leigh Broadway a good thing, or another nail in Leigh’s shopping heritage? Have your say here…