Living in Southend on Sea – A Guide to Life on the Essex Coast
Are you thinking of living in Southend on Sea?
Living by the coast can really enhance your life in many ways.
It is, therefore, no surprise that living in Southend on Sea is becoming an increasingly popular prospect with wantaway city workers!
Known locally as just Southend, this seaside town is popular across not only Essex but the whole of the UK.
Relocating to a new area is never easy.
Before you start your move, it is essential to collect as much information about an area as you can.
If you are considering living in Southend on Sea, this is the article for you!
We aim to provide you with all the top tips for those hoping to make the move to the Essex coast.
Encompassing everything from property prices to the best schools in the area, we hope to provide you with a comprehensive guide to the town.
If you are considering living in Southend on Sea, here is our guide to life on the Essex coast.
Overview
Southend on Sea, known locally as merely Southend, is one of Essex’s largest coastal towns.
The town sits to the north of the Thames estuary and is located around 20 miles from London.
Originally a part of the Prittlewell village, Southend was once home to fishermen and farmers.
Historically, the area was particularly poor.
However, Southend burst into popularity with the huge growth in UK based holidays.
This popularity was fuelled by the huge advances in rail networks throughout the 19th century.
Southend became very popular as more and more people were able to travel to seaside towns.
Princess Caroline of Brunswick’s visit to Southend further accelerated the seaside towns’ popularity.
Throughout the 19th century the Southend a pier was built to further attracted holidaymakers to the town!
Southend’s leisure pier is still the longest in the world!
Despite the many attractions and over 7 miles of beaches, Southend’s popularity had waned by the 1960s.
The emergence of cheap package holidays overseas meant that many of the UK’s seaside towns suffered.
Like many areas, Southend reinvented itself.
Various new industries, including Access Credit card, set up base in Southend.
The area has also become very popular with city workers who are looking for a more peaceful area to call home.
Whilst the town has certainly changed dramatically, Southend still attracts around 6 million tourists every year!
Living in Southend on Sea offers locals a wide variety of entertainment, leisure activities and excellent connections.
House Prices
Living in Southend on Sea is a great option for a range of different buyers.
Southend’s world-renowned pier and beaches have made the town a household name across the UK, boosting its popularity with buyers.
According to Zoopla, the current average house price in October 2020 is £299,251
Property prices in Southend represent fantastic value when compared to the average price in Essex.
As of October 2020, house prices in Essex are averaging at £367,381.
The current value also indicates great value when compared to various major areas of the UK including London.
As of October 2020, the average price for a home in London sits at a shocking £653,965!
Providing residents with excellent transport links to both the capital and the wider Essex area, living in Southend on Sea is a great prospect!
So, if you are considering living in Southend on Sea what price should anticipate paying for different property types?
The typical price of a detached home in Southend is currently £501,228, with the average price of a semi-detached home currently £310,297.
If you are thinking of buying a terraced home, the average price in Southend is £254,660, with flats currently averaging at £177,600.
As you may expect, house prices in Southend on Sea have been impacted dramatically throughout the pandemic.
Properties have seen a 1.29% decrease in price from this time last year.
With more uncertainly to come, it is safe to assume prices will vary in the coming months!
Be sure to check Zoopla’s website to keep up to date with the latest property prices if you are thinking of living in Southend on Sea.
Cost of Living
Southend on Sea is home to a range of different eating options.
Most major towns and cities in the UK offer a truly diverse range of restaurants and supermarkets.
We are sure you will enjoy some fish and chips on the beach!
It seems only right seeing as Southend is one of the UK’s most popular seaside destination.
When moving to a new area, it is recommended that you get a good understanding of the prices you can expect to pay for food, especially when eating out.
Remember, with so many options prices tend to vary at different locations.
As a general summary, these are the prices you can expect to pay for food when living in Southend on Sea (statistics from Numbeo.)
- Meal at an inexpensive restaurant-£ 10.00
- Meal for 2 mid-range restaurant-£55.00
- Fast food meal-£5.00
- Cappuccino or latte-£2.38
- 1 litre of milk-£1.15
- Loaf of bread-£1.01
- 1kg chicken-£8.67
There are also a number of popular websites and apps to help choose between the massive variety of takeaway and restaurant establishments.
The most popular choices include Just Eat, Deliveroo and TripAdvisor.
These sites may not be fully operational during the pandemic so be sure to check beforehand.
Southend on Sea also offers residents all of the popular big-name UK supermarket brands.
If you are not a huge lover of eating at restaurants, Southend ensures that cooking at home is very affordable!
In fact, the cost of living is currently a staggering 12.99% lower than in London!
Generally, living costs in Southend on Sea are exceptional, particularly when contrasted with the capital.
Be sure to visit Numbeo for even more in-depth prices.
Here you can check the cost of various everyday items and compare them to other towns and cities in the UK and across the world!
Staying up to date with what you should expect to pay every month if you are thinking of living in Southend on Sea will go a long way to helping with your move.
Restaurants
Southend is a relatively small town with a population of just 174,800.
Whilst this may seem rather small, especially if you are moving from a larger city, the town is home to a variety of excellent restaurants.
Because the town caters to so many tourists, there is an almost endless choice of great eateries.
If you are considering living in Southend on Sea, you may need some help choosing where to eat!
TripAdvisor is an excellent website to help to find the best restaurants in the town!
They have compiled a list of excellent eateries, ranking all of the top places to eat out in Southend on Sea.
The top five restaurants in the town include:
- La Pizzeria
- Padrino
- Barru
- Monti Ristorante Italiano
- Pieno-Lleno
If you are a lover of seafood, then living in Southend on Sea is ideal for you!
Be sure to check out Osborne Bros Seafood Merchants.
Seafood lovers will know that there is nothing better than indulging in seafood by the beach!
Osborne Bros offer all the usual seafood options and have an excellent beachside location.
Located next to the Crooked Billet pub, it is a must-visit if you are in the area.
Working in Southend
Overall employment rates in Southend-on-Sea are about average for the UK.
Around 71% of people employed in the town, with 43% working full time.
Of those living in Southend on Sea, a fifth make the daily commute to London for work.
For those who do not commute, there are various employment opportunities, with major sectors including sales and retail.
Living in Southend on Sea also provides openings in public administration and manufacturing as well as a rapidly expanding medical technology field.
Part-time work is especially popular.
Due to the town’s influx of tourist in the summer months, there are always part-time roles.
This is an appealing alternative for parents and students who are not able to work full time.
Recent investment in the local London Southend Airport has also created an increased demand for roles in the air travel sector.
Schools
Recently there has been a huge influx of London families moving into the Southend area.
This has driven up demand for places at grammar schools, which has increased dramatically in recent years.
There are currently four grammar schools serving Southend with two being in particularly high demand.
Ofsted has awarded both Southend High School for Girls and Southend High School for Boys with the coveted ‘outstanding’ report.
With regards to primary school and schools in the area, there is a diverse range to choose from.
Both Bournes Green infants and junior schools have achieved the top review from their latest Ofsted inspections.
Both are in the Thorpe Bay area, a popular suburban region located three miles east of the centre of Southend.
Several non-grammar secondary schools offer further education in Southend on Sea.
The biggest higher education institution is South Essex College.
Located in a newly constructed building in the centre of town, the college provides education for students aged 16 to 18.
Southend’s chief higher education provider is the University of Essex.
Whilst the university has campuses across the county, there is also a campus in the town centre, which is extremely convenient for local students.
If you are thinking of living in Southend on Sea, it is a good idea to check out all of the local schools for yourself.
You can find an in-depth report on each school located in the town here.
Things to Do
There is truly an abundance of things to do when living in Southend on Sea.
The town is home to a profusion of green spaces for residents to discover!
Gunners Park, Priory Park and Chalkwell park are amongst the most popular green spaces to visit.
All offer incredible views of the countryside surround, providing stunning river walks and plenty of green space for children to enjoy.
Southend’s popularity as a tourist destination means there is plenty of fun to be had!
One of the most popular attractions is Adventure Island.
This free-admission amusement park in Southend was built in 1976 and continues to be extremely popular with young families.
Offering families a fun mini-golf course, adrenaline-fuelled rides and the exciting sea life aquarium, the attraction offers something for all.
If you are a lover of shopping living in Southend on Sea will suit you!
The town’s High Street runs all the way from the top of Pier Hill in the South, to Victoria Circus in the north.
Southend currently has two shopping centres, The Victoria and The Royal.
Residents also have easy access to several retail parks.
Located a short drive from the town centre, they offer a range of big-name stores.
Ready to Start Living in Southend on Sea?
Are you thinking of living in Southend on Sea?
Whether you are moving for the fantastic links to London, the 7 miles of stunning Essex beaches, or for a more peaceful style of life, Southend on Sea is sure to offer something for everyone.
Southend on Sea presents a host of wonderful areas and a variety of exceptional property types, there is undoubtedly a home for everyone.
GoodMove will make your move to Southend on Sea an easy and stress-free process.
We take great pride in ensuring your move runs smoothly and effortlessly, helping you to arrive at your new home immediately.
As well as our competitively priced removals package, we can also provide extra services such as short-term or long-term storage should you need it.
GoodMove cover all areas of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex and our friendly estimators can call round at a convenient time for you and strategically plan your move to perfection.
During these unique times, GoodMove are also offering a new video survey service.
Using our new technology, we can gather all the information required to assist with your move, from the comfort of your home!
Video surveys will help you save valuable time and preserve the best safety levels.
To find out more about how we could get your dream move to Southend on Sea or any other location underway do not hesitate to call us on the number listed above.
Alternatively, fill out a quick quote form or click on our live bot in the bottom right and a member of our customer services team will be in touch shortly.