Philip Miller MBE
Here at Adventure Island and Sea-Life Adventure, it’s all about fun and family entertainment and going by our recent Annual Pass Sale, you seem to love us in your thousands! We never stop investing and this year, among other things, we are introducing our brand new 38 metre tower ride, Vertigo! And we’re pretty sure you’re going to love it!
So it saddens us that Southend City Councillors, in particular the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrat Party, the Greens and the Independent Party ( I know they’re not a Party, but I also know they certainly aren’t independent either!) just don’t share the love of ‘us’ or Seaside tourism….or indeed cars, it seems!
In fact, they voted against the Tory Administration to increase parking charges along the seafront, including the Cliffs Pavilion, and introduce evening charges where they were free before.
This affects us …but more importantly it affects you!
This will make Southend the most expensive seaside resort for parking in the U.K! – And that’s a shame for the City’s economy. Their plan, if they get back in power, is to introduce Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, ULEZ zones and congestion charges to go with eye-watering parking charges!
So, dear seaside customer, we don’t want you paying ridiculous car parking charges to have a fun day out with the family, so can we suggest when you visit us next, you park in the cheaper town centre car parks and take a stroll to the seaside. It’s free after 6pm in Council car parks.
It’s not ideal but a 5 minute walk will save you money! And when you get to vote in the local elections in May, please go for the Councillor who will charge you less!
Philip Miller MBE
Crimes against Southend
When the Labour Liberal Democrats and the Non- Non-Independent Group were ruling the roost up until last May the financial damage they managed was incredible.
They wasted fourteen million pounds buying the Victoria shopping centre thinking they were entrepreneurs. It was such a wonderful deal as it’s now valued at less than half of that. That’s if they can find a mug to take it off their hands. To compound their mistake they then gave away six hundred thousand pounds of our money subsidising the Boom Boom Bar as a sweetener to become a tenant in the virtually empty centre. They increased parking charges three times on the seafront and in town since covid. They even voted to charge folks in our parks. Their legacy means we will be having fortnightly bin collections soon.
I could probably write a book on their poor management of the town’s finances, but what’s the point, its spilt milk now. I have been accused of interfering with local democracy by Cllr’s Terry and Cowan and others who tell me I am part of a seafront cartel who bullies the Tories into keeping parking charges under control. This is the very same man who asked me to bankroll his campaign to become police commissioner a few years ago! There certainly is no Seafront cartel and I don’t quite see how I could bully anyone in authority!
I have no favourites when it comes to threats against the city’s economy including the seaside trade. It has nothing to do with political favourites. If I believe the council are making bad mistakes running the city I will call them out regardless of what political colour they are – and my past record shows just that. It would be wrong of me to try to use my influence to encourage which way folks should vote. I can’t even achieve that in my own family! One of my kids has his own local party because he couldn’t agree with anyone else – including me! Another one votes Greens would you believe? I think I might be the black sheep in their eyes!
What I would ask you to consider is if you park anywhere along the seafront, do you want to pay even more than now? We are already ranked in the top three in the UK for high car parking charges.
Do you really want to pay in the evenings from six o’clock onwards? Imagine a trip to the Cliffs Pavilion or a seafront restaurant not exactly an incentive to go out.
When the other car parks in the city are all a low charge and free in the evenings, it does seem to be a case of victimisation towards the seafront. It’s almost a ‘2 class’ system!
It wouldn’t be so bad if they managed the money properly but all that happens is any extra money will be squandered on some other daft investment or pet project just like the Victoria’s!
Whilst on the subject of parking charges, strange but true that outside Cllr Terrys seafront house it’s free to park, which is only yards from paid for parking!
Vote for whomever you want in May just remember it’s not about the Westminister lot, it’s about local issues and who is best to deal with them. If you vote Liberal or Independent you will get Labour back in charge, in so doing most likely compounding our city’s financial woes.
