Airport information
Nearest town: Southend-on-Sea (7 miles by car), Essex
Opening Times: 24 hours
Longest Runway: 1605m, Asphalt with friction course
Fuel: AVTUR JET A-1, AVGAS 100LL, Water/Meth 45/55/0
Phone: 01702 608100
Website: www.southendairport.com, Wikipedia entry
AIP: plates and airport diagram
Landing fees: £20 for every tonne of aircraft weight or part thereof
Airport Map
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Airport Services
- Handling: Southend Handling (01702 608150, handling@southendairport.com)
- Taxis: Available from the taxi rank outside the arrivals area
- Car Hire: Avis (01702 480481, www.avis.co.uk), Enterprise (01702 522822, www.enterprise.co.uk), Hertz (01245 269726, www.hertz.co.uk), National (01702 616574, www.nationalcar.co.uk), Thrifty (01702 391411, www.thrifty.co.uk)
- Facilities at airport: Coffee shop
- Charters: Kudos Aviation (08452 303141, www.kudosaviation.com), The Flight Centre (01702 546420, www.theflightcentre.net), 24/7 Jet (01702 531500, www.247jet.biz)
- Flying Schools: Southend Flying Club (01702 545198, www.southendflyingclub.co.uk), Seawing Flying Club (01702 545420, www.seawing.co.uk), Willowair Flying Club (01702 531555, www.willowair.co.uk), The Flight Centre (01702 546420, www.theflightcentre.net)
Pubs
- The Cornucopia, Marine Parade, Southend-on-Sea (01702 460770). Tiny little pub but makes up for it with plenty of character, a friendly welcome and very good ales.
- The Sutton Arms, Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea (01702 469400, www.suttonarms.com). Conveniently located near the town centre, this pub hosts some good live bands and other entertainment over the weekends.
- The Spread Eagle, Victoria Avenue, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea (01702 213674). Close to the Southend United Football Club, this can sometimes get packed with supporters, but interestingly, the landlord promotes different ales each week.
Restaurants
- The Glasshouse, 43, Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea (01702 348088). High end European restaurant that serves some delicious food with dessert being the highlight.
- The Bank, 1470, London Road, Leigh-on-Sea (01702 719000, www.thebankonline.co.uk). A comfortable and popular restaurant in what used to be a bank. Offers cafe-style food as well if all you want is a bite.
- Zabrano, 127, Leigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea (01702 476999, www.zabrano.co.uk). Excellent Italian cooking and a decent wine list make this a good option. Their Sunday roasts and steaks receive good reviews too.
Hotels
- Pier View, 5, Royal Terrace, Southend-on-Sea (01702 437900, www.pierviewguesthouse.co.uk). A Georgian period hotel that’s been renovated to offer modern amenities. Has lovely views of the Southend pier and estuary.
- Ilfracombe House Hotel, 9-13, Wilson Road, Southend-on-Sea (01702 351000, www.ilfracombe-hotel.co.uk). A family run hotel with about 20 comfortable rooms and friendly service. Plus, it’s close to the seafront.
Golf Courses
- Belfairs Park Golf Course, Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea (01702 525345). A parkland course that is open to visitors, with prior booking.
- Garon Park Golf Complex, Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea (01702 601701, www.garonparkgolf.co.uk). Large course with 27 holes including a 9 hole par 3 course ideal for beginners.
- Thorpe Hall Golf Club, Thorpe Hall Avenue, Thorpe Bay (01702 582205, www.thorpehallgc.co.uk). A 100-year old golf course with a fine bar for the thirsty golfer.
- Rochford Hundred Golf Club, (01702 544302, www.rochfordhundredgolfclub.co.uk). A flat parkland 18-hole course in beautiful surroundings.
Activities
- A visit to Southend Pier and Museum. While Southend Pier is well known as the longest pier in the world, the Southend Pier Museum (www.southendpiermuseum.co.uk) is a little more hidden away. Worth a visit for its displays of old trains, trams and machines.
- Take the funicular ‘Cliff Railway’ from the seafront up to Clifftown. This is a relic of Southend’s heydays in the 1950s when day-trippers from London would besiege the town on weekends.
- Art lovers will find the Beecroft Gallery (01702 347418, www.beecroft-art-gallery.co.uk) of interest with some valuable permanent exhibits (including 17th C. Dutch paintings) as well as many exhibitions through the year.
- If you have the time, there are many beaches in the vicinity of Southend, including the Bell Wharf, Westcliff Beach, Three Shells Beach and Jubilee Beach.
Useful Information
- www.visitsouthend.co.uk, Southend Tourism Information
- www.sarfend.co.uk/southend.html, More information on Southend-on-Sea
- www.hidden-treasures.co.uk, Essex Tourism Association website
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