Southend, a landscape of pink and yellow painted metal forms, the world's longest pier, sunburnt suburbanites out for the weekend, views of Sheppey, and a smell of battered doughnuts. However Southend officially includes the suffix '-on-sea', as added in 1893.
Although Southend is in Essex, and to some extent conforms to the county stereotypes, it has particular architectural nuances caused by a set of socio-political variations to other areas of the county. It is a unitary political authority, lying outside of the County Council borders, with different schooling systems and other public services. Culturally, the town is famous for its Victoriana seaside aesthetic, including the worlds largest pleasure pier, a pleasure park, and cliff gardens. Moreover, the town like many other Essex seaside towns in the 1960s, Southend is infamous for being taken over by mods and rockers on bank holidays. Since Chelmsford became a city in 2012, Southend is now the largest [population] town in Essex - a pull for the tourist as there is simply lots to do compared to smaller seaside towns such as Shoeburyness or Frinton.
https://www.radicalessex.uk/
