Oracle on-Sea February 2019

February 2019 2018

Your all-seeing local

OR CLE ORACLE

Leigh, Chalkwell, Thorpe Bay, Southchurch, Westcliff & the Garrison Southend Conservation & Shoeburyness Area

#SAVESOUTHEND Please help! Sign the petition - p8 #SAVESOUTHEND Are parking fees killing trade?

LOCAL ISSUES! Seaway, the debate continues.....

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February 2019

ORACLE

WELCOME

This month’s Oracle has a number of articles from local residents/business owners explaining how the demise of Southend’s High Street is impacting on their lives. As a result a local resident has started a petition asking the council for two hours free parking in the town. Businesses/retail outlets are struggling with the lack of footfall, due to the problems that are all too evident on Southend’s High Street. I have agreed to give this petition Oracle’s full support and help her raise her target of 1,500 signatures, as I know first-hand how the lack of footfall is impacting on local trade. Southend is a town of many local entrepreneurs and their support is needed by its residents.

We need to work together to stop this dreadful decline of our town centre and STOP blaming Amazon for lack of footfall!

There are many other towns locally who have thriving High Streets, so let's encourage visitors back and take pride in our town again.

Two hours free parking would be a great start to help these struggling traders and at the same time encourage other businesses back into the High Street, potentially creating a win-win scenario. For more details on how you can support this petition, please visit Oracle’s website www.oraclepublications.co.uk/petition and download your petition.

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Happy Valentines!

Emma Wynne-Morgan Publisher

01702 393838

Oracle House, 11 Clarence Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1AN www.oraclepublications.co.uk info@oraclepublications.co.uk Oracle Publications and Creative Media @oracle_essex Printed by Printwize Ltd, Witham CM8 3BN – 01376 500900

February 2019

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CONTENTS Seaway, the debate continues.....

9/10

Local Issues by Paul Thompson

Are parking fees killing trade?

16

#SaveSouthend by Craig Smith

Dreamland? 20 #SaveSouthend by a Local Conservation Resident

My essential beauty hacks to surviving winter. 26 Salon advice by Craig Smith

What is gluten?

30

Health by Genesis Ali

Root vegetable bhajis with a coriander and lime dip.

34 Recipe by Judy Barden Brainbox 36 What’s On 38 Advertiser Directory 42

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   

Advertorials Planet Escapes JR Medical

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All rights reserved. No part of Oracle Publications UK Ltd may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means either

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All rights reserved. No part of Oracle Publications UK Ltd may be wholly or in part without prior permission of the publisher. reproduced or used in any form or by any means either wholly or in Oracle Publications UK Ltdofisthe editorially and UK part without prior permission publisher.autonomous Oracle Publications theisopinions areand not those of the publisher unless Ltd editoriallyexpressed autonomous the opinions expressed are not those expressly stated. of the publisher unless expressly stated.

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 February 2019

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February 2019

DON’T PANIC KEEP CALM AND LETS

SAVE SOUTHEND

P

Town Centre Car Parking

P

It’s hard not to notice the terrible decline of our town centre.

All retailers will tell Welcome back to Southend you it’s getting hard with 2 HOURS FREE parking to continue trading especially if you operate a town centre business.

Some might say that retail trading, as we know it, has gone forever.

But we don’t agree. Sure things are changing but going out to town for a bit of shopping, getting your hair done, stopping off for a coffee, will always have a place in our lives… But it needs help and this is where you can help change things!

2 hours free

We want Southend Borough Council to introduce 2 HOURS FREE PARKING. It’s a simple, but an effective way to encourage that ‘let’s nip into town’ trip. It will bring back shoppers to the town centre virtually overnight.

Let’s lobby! If you agree with our simple, easy to achieve proposal, email, write, phone (carrier pigeon) your Councillor to get them push this through. It needs urgent action by the Council before it’s too late.

And don’t let your Councillor tell you they can’t afford it…

They sell town centre car parks for a £1!

Published by P. Miller on behalf of the Concerned Southenders Group at Sunken Gardens, Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1EE

February 2019

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February 2019

LOCAL ISSUES

Seaway, the debate continues.....

Recent Oracle articles on the decline of our High St. by Philip Miller MBE and my article on the proposed Seaway development have certainly sparked a debate into life, amongst concerned residents, businesses and councillors, and rightly so.

January’s issue marked the turn of Southend council to put forward their views on Seaway and the High St and this was done by Cllr Courtenay, the deputy leader of the council & conservatives. The council also released papers for its January cabinet meeting which provide further financial insight into the Seaway deal.

The council article lays claim to the Seaway cinema development as the key to turning around the fortunes of our High St. by bolstering it as a Leisure destination. Any business in the town will tell you removing the 2 hr minimum parking tariff and providing more parking spaces at cheaper rates would be key. I have no idea as to the retail, tourism or general level of business experience that is held within the council at the moment but their claims don’t stack up to me.

Seaway car park serves as the largest tourist February 2019

car park for the town, with 661 spaces. It’s certainly not located on the High Street.

Secondly the mix of cinema, restaurants and hotel is replicated at the top of the High St. by existing business such as the Odeon, Nandos as well as new businesses such as Molo Lounge and Revolution. It seem’s more logical to me that the council’s proposed cinema development on Seaway will kill off businesses at the top of the high street. Many of those customers using the Odeon, shops and surrounding restaurants etc would switch to the newer cinema development close to the seafront away from the high st.

Asset managers owning the Odeon & the Kursaal have already written to the council voicing concerns that the Odeon and bowling alley will likely close down. The BID canvassed its members with 61% of the businesses against the Seaway development, due to insufficient parking availability within the proposals. Remembering that the Festival Leisure Park has over 2000 parking spaces, the proposed development with only 555 spaces represents a critical threat to tourism and seafront businesses as tourists will not be able to park and town centre congestion will go through the roof.

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9

Courtenay’s Misleading &

businesses to die off as ‘collateral damage’?

incorrect facts:

Courtenay’s spin claims 500 jobs created yet cabinet papers indicate 270-323 jobs. He has mislead the public with incorrect income claims in the January Oracle article & his December Echo article. Council documents state Seaway net revenue is £396,974 p/a, however Courtenay understated this figure at £331,000. Having looked at the figures I can tell you that his basic VAT calculation is incorrect, thus understating income by £20k.

He states the £94k rates bill has to be paid to the government. Again incorrect as only 50% of this is paid to government. The echo article goes on to claim the costs of the Parking contractor APCOA are excluded from costs, this again is not true as £11,537 has already been deducted from costs for APCOA. Councillor Courtenay is up for re-election in May. If successful he may well become the leader of the council. Given he has put this incorrect and misleading information into the public domain, and therefore made the Seaway deal seem more appealing the question many of you may ask yourself is ‘whether or not Mr Courtenay should even be a Councillor?’

I am also deeply concerned that as far as I know, not a single elected councillor has been given the contract between SBC and Turnstone Estates to review. How can councillors make decisions when information is being withheld?

Does the contract contain information officers do not want elected councillors to see?

As usual I expect SBC will ‘push on’ with this scheme despite no consultation, without a feasibility study and without having carried out an impact assessment on its effects on either the high street or the seafront.

If you feel passionate about our High St. and Seafront as I do, please ask your local councillors if they are supporting this development?

Cllr James Courtenay quoted to Echo Online the following:

Perhaps the most concerning figure is the council’s valuation of the existing Seaway site at £3.8mn. The site comprises the 661 space car park (generating net £400k p/a), the Rossi site & 29 Herbert Grove that the council purchased for £1.75mn, & 1-3 Herbert Grove valued at £750k. No matter how many times I look at these figures, valuing the car park conservatively at £4.5mn, the site should value up at £7mn, far higher than the council’s figure of £3.8mn.

In summary not only will this development harm the seafront, it risks putting the final nail into the high street’s coffin. In my opinion SBC is selling off the tax payers assets at a rate far below market value, remember they sold the lease off for a premium of £1! Are they acting as Turncoats with respect to all the existing businesses and investors both on the high street and on the seafront, with senior council officers seemingly happy for these existing 10

Source: Evening Echo Online, 20th Dec 2018

By Paul Thompson Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides as balance is very important. Write your letter in the comment section located under the relevant article on our website. Or contact a member of our team if you would like an article printed. oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

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February 2019

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February 2019

i Southend Independent Association

18,372 21%

LET’S MAKE SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SAFER AGAIN

Under this Conservative administration major crimes in Southend have risen to That’s an increase year on year by

THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE

ONLY BY VOTING INDEPENDENT WILL THAT HAPPEN

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#SAVESOUTHEND

Are parking fees killing trade?

Grateful Heads has successfully traded in Alexandra Street, Southend for nearly 35 years - but the past few years have definitely been a little harder for the salon.

The decline of the High Street has had a direct effect on the side roads and streets in the town centre, with stores closing, increasing incidents of aggressive begging and higher parking charges leaving many people little choice but to take their custom elsewhere.

Parking charges

A key problem for my business is the fact that parking charges have been increased and this has hit some of my customers hard in the wallet. Many now have to pay for a minimum of two hours parking every time they visit.

Some have to buy four hours’ worth of parking, but may only need a little over two hours.

The situation is becoming horrendous and as a direct consequence of this, we are losing clients who have been loyal Grateful Heads customers for years. Especially as they are further deterred from spending more time in Southend due to their experiences of antisocial behaviour and the shrinking number of stores in which to shop and browse.

I don’t want this to be a personal sob-story.

I know just how tough the current economic climate is, not just for Southend but most towns in the UK. I also know that Southend Council faces many challenges to save money and make the best use of what is available.

16

What next?

So, I would urge our local councillors and the Council officers to start thinking more boldly and bravely. I have long said that re-opening the High Street to cars would reintroduce a through-flow of potential shoppers and visitors. However, I would balance this by asking our planners to consider pedestrianizing the side roads, such as Alexandra Street. Having your hair done in Grateful Heads is a wonderful, relaxing experience. It would be terrific if my customers could step out of the salon’s front door and enter a traffic-free zone, planted with trees and lined with places to shop, enjoy a spot of lunch or a drink with friends. This sort of scheme is proving both popular and successful across Europe, we just need the will and funding to do it here.

But let’s not stop there. Phillip Hammond has apparently called the end of austerity, so let’s offer 2 hours of free parking and show that Southend really is open for business.

by Craig Smith Director of Grateful Heads Hair Salon Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides as balance is very important. Write your letter in the comment section located under the relevant article on our website. oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

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February 2019

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February 2019

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#SAVESOUTHEND

Dreamland?

I have lived in this Borough for many years: during the past 24 years I have been privileged to live in the Southend Conservation area. The High Street is, literally, just around the corner.

The High Street has become a total disgrace. It is filthy, poorly served by decent shops and a magnet for “dossers” or worse. During the daylight hours it is bad enough: at night it certainly does not attract anyone unprepared to run “the Gauntlet”.

There is a genuine issue about homelessness. The reasons giving rise to this, in respect of people who had genuinely and previously enjoyed homes with the Southend Borough, may not be the Council’s fault.

However, the immigration of the large numbers of homeless from outside the Southend Borough is certainly the responsibility of Councillors and Officials who are desperate to balance the financial books.

No longer a town

I have come to the sad conclusion that Southend is not a town anymore but, rather, a haphazard amalgamation of areas which have been ill-planned without any central focus point.

A “Town” cannot really be classed as a “town” without an area which its ratepayers can properly call a “Town Centre”.

Where is the “Town Centre”?

Is it Victoria Avenue: somewhere along the High Street; the Seafront?

I do urge the readers of this article to compare the capital sums spent on Victoria Avenue – where, coincidentally, the Civic Centre lies - to those spent on the High Street; similarly, to compare those capital sums to the monies which are now apparently to be “recouped” from the Seaway “complex” sometime whenever.

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In fairness to the present Council, the rot set in years ago, with the advent of Customs and Excise along Victoria Avenue. At that point, all the focus of the Council shifted north of the A13 and away from the Borough’s traditional roots. Back then, our elected Concillors dreamed of big ideas. As a result, the unsightly sprawl of 1960’s concrete jungle along Victoria Avenue was created. What an unsightly mess that continues to be.

I sense that the same “dreamland” now dominates this present Council’s thinking with regard to its proposed Seaway project. Grandiose ideas, but ill thought through on a long-term basis and doomed to the same failure.

Our parking spaces

The loss of the genuine parking spaces at Seaway is a major disaster waiting to happen for those retailers who continue to struggle on, in the High Street. The pathetic and desperate reaction by the Council to ameliorate or to explain its decision to lose those spaces is another farce. It now proposes to flood the Conservation Area and other “Resident Permit Areas” with Parking Meters instead: oh, yes, that means that visitors being attracted by the Council to what remains of “The Cliffs” will be paying a ludicrous sum for the privilege.

Philip Miller’s article made me smile in wry amusement, not for what he said but for how he said it. Sadly, that’s the only thing about this debacle that has given me a smile.

by Conservation Area Resident Local resident and business owner Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides as balance is very important. Write your letter in the comment section located under the relevant article on our website. oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

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February 2019

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BEAUTY

My essential beauty hacks to survive winter

Now, I don’t profess to be a great shakes as a weather forecaster, but what I can tell you is that winter is set to stay with us for quite some time yet. Never mind all those folks in Game of Thrones banging on about ‘winter is coming’, while looking all dour and Northern, we just have to get on with it and deal with the effects that it throws at us.

Water!

It may come as no surprise that my first tip is to drink plenty of water. Chilly and blustery days can very quickly drain your skin, hair and nails of their natural hydration and leave you on the verge of looking like a White Walker.

However, there are other little adjustments you can make to combat the ongoing effects of winter. And don’t forget that cold weather outdoors is one thing, but exposure to central heating in your home and warm office airconditioning can also compromise the vitality of your appearance.

If you’re outdoors quite a lot, chapped lips can be a frequent problem. Make sure that you have a handy stick of Lypsyl and apply some before you leave the house.

Dry hands can also be an occupational hazard of venturing outside on very cold days. If

you’re a dog owner, you’ll also know what the combination of an over-enthusiastic hound and a rope lead can do as you head off for your morning constitutional. Norwegian Formula hand cream by Nutrogena is both affordable and effective.

If you suffer from split ends, think of a good quality hair serum as skincare for your hair. Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny serum uses lightweight silicones to smooth, condition and seal hair, leaving it glossy, frizz-free and silky to the touch.

It also speeds up drying process, causing less damage in the process.

Nature I don’t quite know how nature does it but whether you’re wearing jeans, tights or leggings, winter can play havoc with your legs. Dry, itchy and sometimes more resembling a reptile than a sexy, sophisticated Oracle reader, your legs can be made terribly uncomfortable by the cold.

Nivea Q10 Firming Body Lotion with Vitamin C is terrific if you suffer with scaly legs. A daily application will leave your skin feeling smooth and supple and regular use will also help to firm your skin and improve its elasticity.

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HEALTH

What is gluten?

We have all heard about gluten free foods. Gluten free bread, gluten free pasta, the list goes on. But what is it and why is it now excluded from so many foods?

Gluten is a protein found in certain grains, such as wheat, rye and barley. It is found in the endosperm (a type of tissue produced in seeds that are ground to make flour) and nourishes plant embryos during germination. It helps food maintain its shape by providing elasticity and moisture. It also allows bread to rise and provides a chewy texture.

Not all grains contain gluten. Some examples of gluten-free grains are sorghum, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, corn (polenta) and teff. Oats are also gluten-free but can be contaminated during processing.

Is gluten bad?

Gluten is only bad for certain people. The modern diet is high in refined wheat products which has led to consumption of significant amounts of gluten. Over consumption of

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gluten may lead to digestive symptoms such as bloating, pain and stomach cramps. These symptoms usual suggest a person is gluten sensitive or gluten intolerance. This not to be confused with celiac disease. When someone with celiac disease consumes gluten, it triggers an auto immune response that damages their intestines, preventing them from absorbing vital nutrients. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is another condition that is affected by gluten.

Gluten grains are high starch and sugars that can be easily fermented by intestinal bacteria.

This Is what causes bloating, cramping.

Gluten free diet involves the avoidance of any product made from wheat, barley or rye. Though avoiding gluten can be hard fortunately there are now a wide range of gluten-free products and resources available.

If you intend to follow a gluten-free diet, you must ensure it is nutrient dense and full of whole foods. Watch out for ‘hidden’ gluten by making sure you read labels.

by Genesis Ali Nutritionist at V Health Thorpe Bay

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FOOD

Root vegetable bhajis with a coriander and lime dip

Transform root vegetables into something special by making them into bhajis. Anyone who likes spice cookery will probably have most of the ingredients in their store cupboard. The batter has the onions in and then you can split it up and make your different flavours just by adding your vegetables. Give them a go. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

70g carrot, grated 1 tsp nigella seeds 50g parsnip, peeled into shavings with a potato peeler 1 tbsp desiccated coconut ½ small pack coriander, stalks only, finely chopped (use the leaves below) 70g beetroot, half grated, half cut into fine matchsticks 1 tsp grated ginger sunflower oil, for frying lemon/lime wedges, to serve

For the batter

2 tbsp balti paste 150g gram flour/chickpea flour (or plain flour) ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp garam masala 1/8 tsp hot chilli powder 1 large onions, thinly sliced

For the coriander and lime dip 150g coconut yogurt ½ small pack coriander, leaves picked zest and juice 1 lime

To make the batter, stir the balti paste into 125 ml cold water. Mix the flour, baking powder and spices in a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre, then pour in the balti water and gradually stir together to a smooth batter. Stir in the onions, then divide between 3 bowls.

Stir the carrot and nigella seeds into one batch of batter, the parsnip, coconut and chopped coriander stalks into another, and the beetroot and ginger into the third.

Make the coriander dip by whizzing half the coconut yogurt with the coriander leaves and lime juice until well blitzed and green. Stir through the lime zest and remaining yogurt, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar then keep cold until serving.

Heat the oil in a deep pan or a non-stick wok to 180C or until a piece of bread browns in 20 secs. Starting with the parsnip and ending with the beetroot, add spoonfuls of the mixture to the oil, a few at a time, and cook for a few mins, turning occasionally until evenly browned and crispy – about 4 mins. Lift out onto kitchen paper with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with a little salt and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.

Serve the hot bhajis with the coriander dip, and lemon and lime wedges for squeezing over.

by Judy Barden Next month: Lamb and Aubergine Moussaka with a Twist

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