SOUTHEND’S iconic Cliffs Pavilion looks set to get a major extension with an eye-catching 200-seat restaurant and a new entrance and lobby. The works, which have not yet been approved, would see a heptagonal-shaped building used for the restaurant to pay homage to the pre-war designs of the theatre on Station Road, Westcliff. A new staircase will also be built leading from the ground floor foyer straight up to the first floor. Bosses hope that by significantly opening up the space, a large entrance and lobby area will be created. It comes as last month, the Echo reported how the Cliffs could be set for a share of £20million for a facelift with new restaurants and bars as part of a new bid for a Government cash.
SOUTHEND theatres are set to secure bigger and better shows than ever before after joining forces with a major entertainment company to bounce back from Covid-19. HQ Theatres – which operates both Westcliff’s Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre – have announced their new venture with Trafalgar Entertainment, to fast-track recovery once venues are finally able to re-open. It will bring the theatres together with impresario Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire’s international live entertainment business, after an extremely tough year for the industry. The husband and wife team are both highly regarded across the globe. They stand as the founders, co-owners and joint chief executives of the Ambassador Theatre Group - the world’s number one live theatre company with about 50 venues in Britain, the US and Europe.
PATIENTS from across Southend turned out in their numbers today to have their Covid jab the newly opened Cliffs Pavilion. Pensioners remained upbeat while they waited patiently for the turn to enter the theatre s auditorium to have their vaccine. The auditorium looked very different , according to those who were inside the theatre. The lower circle of the auditorium seating has been removed for vaccine stations, while the 662 upper circle seats all remain in place. And Margaret Frost said how she felt like she d won the bingo. Denise Oanes, 70, who had her first dose of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca this morning, revealed how she felt like the star of the show. She said: It was really special to be one of the first.