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Welcome A very warm welcome to the February 2017 edition of the Southend and Westcliff Local Business Guide.

This month should bring some brighter weather and we therefore feature some of Essex’s lovely farms for you and your family to visit in our article on page 4. We also have our regular ‘What’s On in Southend & Westcliff’ on pages 22 and 23 where this month we feature a Wedding Fayre on Southend Pier, Art History mornings, a local Wildlife Day, a Football Art Exhibition and the Essex Book Festival featuring local Authors day and MP Alan Johnson.

We have our regular community feature on the Acres Way Kennels, based in Castle Point (pages 10-11) and we are pleased to tell you that Reggie has been successfully re-homed. Unfortunately Ruby and Luna are still waiting for a new home, but I’m sure they’ll get placed very soon. This month we feature 3 new dogs that are looking for loving homes.

Within our Community section this month we bring you an interesting article on the history of the Southend Cliff Railway (page 8) and we also have a feature article on the history and development of the Palace Hotel (page 16). We also have a feature on Top Money Saving Tips (page 20) as well as our regular column from our financial expert Martin Lamb from Joseph R Lamb Financial Advisers (centre pages).

Advertisers Index GARDEN SERVICES, HOME IMPROVEMENT & CONSTRUCTION KITCHENS

5

PLUMBING & HEATING

21, 26

SKIP HIRE

19

WINDOW RESTORATION

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WINDOW SHUTTERS

9

FINANCIAL, LEGAL & PROPERTY SERVICES ACCOUNTANT ESTATE AGENTS FINANCIAL ADVISOR

2 Inside Back Centre Pages

If you are a local business and would like to advertise in the Guide, then please contact our salesperson Ricky on 01375 402546 who will give you a no obligation quote. It really is a cost effective way of promoting your business and generating business from your local community.

LAND PURCHASE

The Southend & Westcliff Local Business Guide

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Email: info@thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

SELF STORAGE

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TUTORING

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Sales - Ricky Edwards 01375 402546

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HOUSEHOLD & LIFESTYLE BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

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CAR REPAIRS

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HEALTH & BEAUTY HOME CARE SERVICE

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The Local Business Guide do not make any recommendations as to the fitness of the advertisers appearing in this publication to carry our their services and no recommendations should be deemed to have been made.

All rights reserved. No part of The Local Business Guide Limited publications may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means either wholly or in part without prior permission of the publisher. This magazine is published by The Local Business Guide Ltd © The Local Business Guide 2017 www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

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to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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Cloudy2Clear Announce Trusted Trader Partnership Consumer champions Which? have now joined the thousands of customers who recognise that Cloudy2Clear Windows really are a business that you can TRUST. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has received the coveted ‘Which Trusted Trader’ status after going through a rigorous accreditation process entirely focussed on customer service.

Group Managing Director Marcus McGee believes that Which? have endorsed Cloudy2Clear’s long standing company policy of delivering the

highest standards possible at all times. ‘Our service is simple. If your double glazing has misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 5 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Whilst a number of tradespeople perhaps don’t focus on customer care as much as they should do, we make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle.

Locally Cloudy2Clear service the Southend, Westcliff on Sea, prittlewell, Southchurch

& Chalkwell areas and manager Chris Miller agrees that this approach is a major factor in his success. ‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated as both my customers and, obviously a body as nationally important as Which? now recognise.’

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Children’s Farms In Essex With the sun hopefully beginning to shine, now is a great time for a fun and educational visit to one of the many farms in Essex. Lee Valley Park Farms in Waltham Abbey offer two fantastic experiences and are nestled in the middle of picturesque River Lee Country Park. At Hayes Hill Farm you can meet a variety of exciting animals and explore various play areas. At Holyfield Hall Farm you can learn about life on a working modern dairy and arable farm. Visit www.visitleevalley.org.uk/go/farms for more information including special events and opening times.

Boydells Dairy Farm in Braintree is a working family farm open to the public and specialises in sheep milking. Set in the beautiful North Essex countryside it provides a fun-packed and educational visit for children and adults alike.

The farm is open to the public 2pm to 5pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

For more details visit www.boydellsdairy.co.uk Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood cares for a variety of animals including horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, ducks, cats and more recently has become home to smaller animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. The sanctuary even has its own resident bull called Max, who loves nothing more than being tickled between his horns! Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is open to the public every day from 1pm - 4pm.

For more details visit www.hopefield.org.uk.

Barleylands Farm Park offers all weather, free range family fun. Say hello to cuddly farmyard friends, join in animal activities, meet birds of prey, visit the reptile house, run wild in the indoor play area or jump aboard the tractor and trailer ride or miniature railway. For more information including details of the many special events held at Barleylands visit www.barleylands.co.uk 4

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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Southend & Westcliff History Southend Cliff Railway The site of the Cliff Lift was originally occupied by a moving public walkway which opened in 1901. It was built by the American engineer Jesse Reno and was called “Reno’s Electric Stairway.” When it opened, it was quite unique in the country and was the forerunner to the modern day escalators.

“Reno’s Electric Stairway” was basically made of wooden slatted steps attached to a looped chain, driven by a diesel engine with very little safety measures in place. The biggest drawback to the facility was the fact that there was no cover from the elements. It was also noisy, uncomfortable and quite unreliable needing to stop regularly for maintenance work to be undertaken so a replacement was needed.

The current cliff lift was built by Waygood & Company and opened on August bank Holiday 2012. It is a single track twin gauge counterweight rack railway. The length of the railway is 130 feet (40 meters) climbing from the seafront to cliff top rising 57 feet (17

meters). The car could carry 18 people at a time and the traction was supplied by electric motors.

The first major refurbishment of the railway came in 1930 and saw the car replaced. Whilst being in keeping with the original design, the new car had room for 30 people. A general refurbishment of the whole railway was also undertaken. A further major refurbishment programme in 1959 saw proper stations with covered waiting facilities including seating and lift call buttons constructed.

With a major fault occurring on the Cliff Lift in 2004 the council decided to carry out a major restoration on the now 92 year old railway. It was re-opened by the Mayor of Southend on Tuesday 25th May 2010 after a restoration costing a total of £3 million.

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to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

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Working for the Community

Can you help Re-Home a Dog from Acres Way Kennels?

Adopting a Dog

3 days of your visit and take about half an hour. Once the home check is complete, you’ll be able to collect your dog. You will need to bring with you some identification showing your current address, and the £130 adoption fee.

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f you think you can offer a dog a good home, the first thing you need to do is to go down to the kennels, select a suitable dog you like, take it for a walk and see how you get on. Some people and dogs just don’t get along, so before reserving a dog, the Acres Way staff would need to see if you suit each other. If you have children, or another dog, they recommend that you bring them with you, to make sure that everyone will get on.

Their staff will be on hand if you have any questions, and will be able to guide you through the adoption process. All the staff and dogs at Acres Way look forward to seeing you Re-Homing Update We are pleased to tell you that Reggie the Staff we featured last time has been successfully re-homed. Unfortunately Ruby the Husky and Luna the Lurcher Staff cross are still waiting for a new home, but I’m sure they’ll get placed very soon. This month we feature 3 new dogs that are looking for loving homes.

Once you have visited the dogs, and hopefully found one that matches your lifestyle and expectations, a member of staff will arrange a convenient time for a home check. These are usually carried out within 2 or

Reggie- Successfully re-homed



How to contact them Acres Way Kennels, Great Burches Road Thundersley, Essex SS7 3NE They are open 10am-3pm 7 days a week.

Visitors are welcome at any time during these hours - no appointment is necessary.

By email: contact@acresway.co.uk By phone: 01268 770402 10

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

This month’s featured dogs Molly - Terrier  Aged 7 Poor Molly was left tied up with a note from her previous owner. It was clear she had been loved but has now found herself looking for a new home. She loves her walks and is a real little character.

She can be a little picky with other dogs but she would be a great little addition to any lucky family.

Ronnie - Chihuahua



Aged 5 Ronnie is a typical Chi. He can be a bit grumpy before he gets to know you but once you have gained his trust he is all kisses and cuddles. Because of his timid nature we would ask for a home with no small children or visiting children. He gets on well with other dogs but can be dominant so would be best suited to a one pet family.

 Lenny - Staff cross.

Aged 1

Lenny is big burly lad. He loves to play and walk and is lots of fun. He can be quite boisterous at times so is best suited to and experienced home without children or other pets.

www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

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Quick Sudoku Every Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically.

Enter numbers into the blank spaces so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

Medium 5 3 2 4

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2015. All rights reserved.

4 8 1 7 6 9 1 2 3 7 5 7 2 3 9 5 3 4 6 5 8 1 3 1 2 4 9 7 1 8 9 7 3 Daily Sudoku: Thu 23-Apr-2015

4

12

9

8 2 5

Daily Sudoku: Wed 29-Apr-2015

9 7 2 5 6 4

2

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1

8 1 4 5

2 8

3

1 3 5

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2 4 7

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(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2015. All rights reserved.

5 1 2 6

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8 (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2015. All rights reserved.

8

9 4

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9 2 5 4 6 4 8 2 3 3

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Daily Sudoku: Mon 27-Apr-2015

Hard 3

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Easy

Daily Sudoku: Tue 28-Apr-2015

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Call: 01702 526 797 www.brooks-care.co.uk

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Money Guidance

Final Salary Pensions

T

here has been much written in the media lately about Final Salary or Defined Benefit pensions. Whilst they have been a bedrock of pension planning for many larger employers over the years, the majority of them are now struggling to meet their long term liabilities, and as the sponsoring employer is responsible for paying all the costs of the scheme many employers are now in serious trouble whilst the huge costs of the pension drain their profitability.

Tata Steel and BHS are two of the better known companies who have massive pension liabilities, and whatever the rights and wrongs in the way these companies have handled matters, the fact that the sheer scale of the pension funding deficits can put such large employers, and so many jobs at risk, is a major concern. An October 2016 report by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association even goes so far as to say that out of the 6000 live DB schemes nearly 50% of them have a 50% or worse chance of not meeting their full pension obligations over the coming 15 years. Whilst the Government sponsored Pension Protection Fund (PPF) may be available in the background, this is of massive concern as the Government’s expectations of them needing to provide support are massively lower than the likelihood of it being needed, and the current situation cannot be sustainable.

Final Salary schemes can be complex, but in simple terms they were designed to provide a pension to employees based on a percentage of their final salary at retirement and the number of years worked. The pension in payment is ‘guaranteed’ by

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the scheme and the sponsoring employer for life, together with whatever level of inflation proofing and death benefits the scheme rules permitted.

So what has gone wrong?

This bit isn’t complex. There are three main issues: • First of all when these schemes were designed life expectancy was much shorter than today. So the guaranteed pensions are being paid for longer.

• Secondly, the schemes are required to invest in ‘safe long term assets’. In the main Government Gilts and, due to near zero interest, returns from these have drastically reduced to something like a quarter or less of their historic average.

• Thirdly, in the well intentioned desire to make schemes safer, successive governments have increased scheme funding costs by tighter measurement of their long term liabilities and the extent to which these must be fully funded today.

These factors have driven up the cost of schemes massively, to the extent that there are very few companies left where new employees can join a Final Salary scheme. Many are closing to future accrual, limiting future inflation proofing or being wound up completely. Many employers will even be put out of business by the sheer scale of their pension scheme deficits.

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

What can you do?

If you are still in employment accruing benefits, not much. In the vast majority of situations it would be wise to continue in the Scheme. If however, you have left service or are approaching retirement, and work in the private sector, you could consider transferring your pension benefits to your own private pension.

Whilst this undoubtedly carries some risk as you lose the guaranteed pension, and this is the important bit, transfer values are at an all time high. If the transfer value is high enough, you may be able to secure similar (but not guaranteed) benefits with more flexibility, including full access to the fund if needed from 55, owning the pension fund yourself, better tax efficiencies and being able to pass on the fund to your family on death.

With these funding concerns likely to increase and interest rates at all-time lows now may well be the time to investigate a pension transfer. You must take

specialist advice to make sure the risks are reasonable, transferring Final Salary benefits is not right for many and no one should consider transferring without first taking advice. This can only be provided by specialist advisers, who hold the specific regulatory permissions and who will investigate all aspects before being able to recommend transferring.

If you haven’t asked already, ask us to obtain the transfer value and information we need from your employer. You might be very surprised!

Martin Lamb, Dip.PFS Certs CII (MP & ER)

This article does not constitute advice and readers should seek an assessment of their needs and requirements before making any decisions based on the content of this article. The value of investments can go down as well as up and past performance is not a guide to future returns.

Where can you turn for financial advice?

At Joseph Lamb we have more than 40 years’ experience providing honest, effective investment and pension advice.

View the performance of our portfolios and our client testimonials at josephlamb.co.uk For a FREE consultation or a simple, informal discussion about your investment or pension concerns, call 01268 749880.

Investment Management Inheritance Tax Planning

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Investing For Growth + Income Drawing + Building Pensions Equity Release Financial Protection Redundancy Counselling Business Protection

Joseph lamb is the trading style of Joseph R. Lamb Independent Financial Advisers Ltd – Chillingstone House, 26 Eastwood Road, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7JQ. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. The value of investments can fall as well as rise.

Joseph R Lamb IFA Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

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Southend History The Palace Hotel

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he Palace Hotel was opened in 1904 and was originally called “The Metropole”. It was once the only 5 star hotel on the southeast coast and had 200 bedrooms, a billiard room and a magnificent ballroom.

During during World War One, several buildings in Southend-on-Sea were converted into hospitals including The Palace Hotel. It became the Queen Mary Royal Naval Hospital and treated over 4,000 soldiers during the war.

As they recovered from their injuries, the soldiers would gather on the balconies of the hotel to look out over the pier and seafront. They became something of an attraction, with dozens of people gathering underneath to pass tobacco, sweets, flowers and even buttons up to the soldiers. Funds were raised through a series of “Gift Days” when a VIP guest would attend to receive gifts which were then auctioned off. The VIPs were often royalty – and in June 1915, Queen Mary herself was the guest of honour.

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In 1952, Laurel and Hardy stayed at The Palace with their wives whilst performing at the Odeon Cinema in the High Street.

During the 1950s & 1960s the Palace fell behind with the times and eventually came into financial difficulties. It was then bought by Polish refugee Motel Burstin who turned the building into an old people’s home. In the early 1970s the Palace provided cut price bed and breakfast but by now the building was beginning to fall into disrepair. During the 90s and the early 2000s eastern European asylum seekers and local homeless people took up residence in the rooms, until the building was finally closed and gutted in 2005.

The Palace has now been transformed into a plush modern hotel with wonderful refurbishment to the interior and retaining the distinct character externally.

It has been renamed the Park Inn Palace. In memory of it’s famous guests in 1952, the hotel have named 2 adjoining function rooms, the Stan Laurel and The Oliver Hardy Rooms.

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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Wordsearch Can you find the 12 Essex place names hidden below:

S Y A R G O K W M Z G L • • • •

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B A S I L D O N A V Q Y

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BASILDON CASTLEPOINT CHELMSFORD COLCHESTER

P O A N G H C A G A Y U

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M C I C W D E T J C U K • • • •

G U U U H L L R R J B S

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X A R O V G F T F O D J

DANBURY GRAYS HADLEIGH MALDON

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

C U I M A H O J E R N I

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to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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07/09/2016 08:45:22

Top Money Saving Tips Stop buying big brands!

Most shops own brand items are made by the same people, just packaged differently and priced better.

So why pay for the privilege of eating well known branded foods when an own brand tastes the same!

Watch the pennies!

If you keep a record of every single penny you spend for at least one month; you’ll learn a lot and then later save the money you realized you wasted!

Haggling!

You’d be surprised at the number of places you can haggle prices. From furniture stores to car dealerships to your local electrical store, by being friendly and just by asking you can get the price down on almost anything. If you don’t ask – you don’t get!

Switch off the plugs!

A standard CRT television set still uses 2 watts of power on standby, with LCD and plasma screens using even more. According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching stuff off instead of leaving it on standby saves the average household at least £37 a year; it’s also helping out the environment!

Shop at cheaper places!

Instead of buying higher priced products in premium supermarkets, make a visit to the less fashionable supermarkets. Your shopping experience might be a little lacklustre but it’ll be worth it when you see how much less you’re paying at the checkout.

Stay organized!

Computers are used by companies to save money.

If you have a computer or laptop at home, use it in the same way. Use a spreadsheet to help with your budgeting. Keep your bank balance on it this will help you to stay organized and you can also use it so that you do not forget important dates.

Interest!

There is no such thing as 0% interest. When you see that advertised, it simply means that the cost of the interest is in the purchase price. If you are in a position to pay cash, then ask for this money back. The salesman may give you some trouble, but ask to speak to the manager, who may well cut the price to you for cash.

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Walk!

One of the biggest money saving tips: walk don’t drive. If you need to get a paper at the shops, go on foot. It might not be practical if you’re off to do the weekly shop but by not driving your helping the environment by cutting carbon emissions, saving money and losing weight by walking everywhere!

Layers in the winter!

When it gets cold put on an extra layer instead of turning up the thermostat. There’s no point having the house heated and wasting money on electricity bills when putting on a cosy knitted sweater will do the job just as well!

Online comparison sites!

It might be annoying and feel like a waste of time, but checking the price of your household services, credit cards and loans with comparison sites like moneysupermarket.com could save you a lot of money; just take some time out to get organised!

to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

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What’s On In Southend & Westcliff Art History Mornings

Date: 25th March 2017 Time: 10:30 - 12:30 Venue: Beecroft Art Gallery

These monthly Saturday morning art history talks are educational yet informal and open to anyone with an interest in art. Each session combines an illustrated talk and discussion, drawing as appropriate on collections and current exhibitions around the UK. “Sunny Days in Cornwall (1900s)” We enter the 20th-century bathed in sunlight as the influence of French Impressionism takes us back down to Cornwall. We are in holiday mood. Artists such as Lamorna Birch, Alfred Munnings and Laura Knight find themselves enraptured by clear air, warm sunshine and blue seas: children paddle, artists sketch and colours become golden bright. Meetings will be held on Saturday mornings, 10.30am to 12.30pm in the Lecture Theatre on the ground floor of the Beecroft Gallery.

Each talk costs £10 and includes tea/coffee (biscuits!) and resource materials for independent research. For further information and to enrol, please contact Mark Banting: chasingtales@rocketmail.com. @TheCommonViewer.

And Football Created..

Date: 21st February - 6th May 2017 Time: 10:00 - 17:00 Venue: Beecroft Art Gallery Russell Cooper’s take on football is both art and archive; an art based documentary which combines nostalgia with social comment in an exhibition that includes painting, large scale prints, assemblage, cut-outs, kinetic sculpture, toys and memorabilia. Free Admission. Tues - Sat, 10:00 - 17:00.

Local Wildlife Day Date: 12th March 2017 Time: 10:00 - 15:00 Venue: Belfairs Woodland Centre Meet local conservationists and find out more about what they do and how you can get involved. A drop in event for children and adults!

Games, crafts and wildlife related fun. (small charge for craft events)

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to advertise in the next issue of The Local Business Guide call: 01375 402 546

Essex Book Festival: Salad - Southend Area Local Author’s Day Date: 18th - 19th March 2017 Time: 10:00 - 16:00 Venue: The Forum Southend-on-Sea A weekend of talks, storytelling, readings and workshops by very talented and colourful local authors, whose work spans a wide variety of genres, from local history, fiction and non- fiction, to fantasy, science fiction and children’s books.

Drop-in Event - No booking required.

Saturday: 10:00 - 16:00. Sunday: 11:00 - 16:00.

Southend Pier Wedding Fayre Date: 19 March 2017 Time: 11:00 - 15:00 Venue: The Royal Pavilion, Southend Pier The Southend Pier Wedding Fayre will showcase The Royal Pavilion as a wedding venue along with local wedding suppliers to give wedding inspiration and advice.

The day will include the whole Pier to give people the experience as if it was their wedding day. Couples can take a ride on the wedding train or walk to the end of the Pier to the Royal Pavilion where they can meet local suppliers, try some free samples, ask questions. Staff will be on hand to answer questions regarding weddings in The Royal Pavilion, along with booking forms to take any bookings on the day.

Essex Book Festival: Alan Johnson Date: 25th March 2017 Time: 19:30 - 21:00 Venue: The Forum Southend-on-Sea As part of the Essex Book Festival, The Forum welcomes Alan Johnson...

From the condemned slums of Southam Street in West London to the corridors of power in Westminster, Alan Johnson’s multi-award-winning autobiography charts an extraordinary journey. Volume Three tells of Alan’s early political skirmishes as a trade union leader, where his negotiating skills and charismatic style soon came to the notice of Tony Blair. This is no self-aggrandising memoir of Westminster politicking and skulduggery. In The Long and Winding Road, Alan’s characteristic honesty and authenticity shine through every word.

Tickets: £7 (£5 for 27 years and under). Book now for this exciting event: www.essexbookfestival.org.uk.

Mercury Theatre: 01206 573948 www.thelocalbusinessguide.co.uk

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Calendar Dates 2017 January 2017 Mon Tue Wed Thu

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hend

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Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

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Mon Tue Wed Thu

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Sat Sun

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Fri

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