Local area guide to Shoeburyness and the surrounding area
As a Lettings Agency in Southend, our clients often ask us about local amenities in the popular areas, such as Shoeburyness. We’ve put together the following information which we hope will give you a feel for life in this attractive Essex town.
General Information
Shoeburyness, locally known as Shoebury, is a small town, situated at the mouth of the River Thames, 3 miles east of Southend and a comfortable commute of approximately 50 miles in to London. It was an urban district of Essex from 1894 to 1933, when it became part of the county borough of Southend-on-Sea. Today, the area still has a rural feel and certain spots are located within a conservation area. The town has good transport links and often appeals to commuters with families looking to live outside London. The area has many large coastal properties as well as smaller Victorian terraces and a new build development at the former Shoebury Garrison site.
Shoebury also has two beautiful, long sandy beaches, linked by a coastal path, complete with grassy dunes: The East Beach and Shoebury Common Beach (which is sometimes call the West Beach.) Both are popular with families for picnics and fun days out. Sandwiched between Pig’s Bay MOD site and the former Shoeburyness Artillery Barracks, East beach is also home to the Essex kitesurfing Club. Many visitors also participate in other water sports including windsurfing, wake boarding and parasailing.
The Gunners Park and Shoebury Old Ranges nature reserve is a 25 hectare site situated on the Shoebury shore and operated by the Essex Wildlife trust. This popular nature reserve is home to a selection of rare insects and is also a great site from which to spot migrating birds. Shoebury Park also serves the local community offering playing fields, trials track, BMX/Skate facilities, a fishing lake and ornamental gardens. There is also a bowling green that is home to the Shoebury Park Bowling club and a busy leisure centre with an indoor swimming pool.
Transport
Arriva runs a network of bus services that link Shoeburyness to other towns in the area. For buses travelling between Shoeburyness and Southend town centre in particular, take a Number 1 bus which is on the Shoeburyness to Rayleigh route. For additional information about routes and fares visit http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/south-east/services/1—shoeburyness-to-rayleigh/?direction=outbound
In Essex, First also operates a network of over 70 bus services linking towns and villages across the county. There is also a limited stop coach service to and from Stansted Airport and regular services to Southend University Hospital. Additional information can be found at; http://firstgroup.com/ukbus/essex/
If you prefer train travel, Shoeburyness is the final stop on the London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness line. Journey times are just over one hour with trains running every 15 minutes and more frequently during the rush hour. Train services are provided by the National Express Group train operating company c2c and current timetables can be downloaded here; http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/travel-information/timetables/
We’re also lucky to have Southend Airport offering numerous routes within the UK and further afield into Europe. Airlines currently operating from Southend include Aer Lingus, EasyJet, FlyBe and Skyworks. Tour operators include First Choice and Thomson.
Education
Families choosing to live in Shoeburyness can select from five state primary schools within the area, while Shoeburyness High school provides secondary education right on the doorstep.
Essex retains a selective education policy and the Southend Boys and Girls Grammar schools are a short bus journey from Shoeburyness. Essex grammar school admissions are managed by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), Telephone: 01245 348257. The office is open 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, term time only.
Healthcare
The Southend University Hospital is the main hospital for the area and has an Accident & Emergency Department. The following link will take you to the ‘Find Us’ page. http://www.southend.nhs.uk/other-information/find-us/
For non-emergency care, The NHS website http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4 offers a search facility which will return a comprehensive listing of all local GP surgeries and health centres. There are 6 surgeries listed with a local Shoeburyness postal address, with patient reviews also available.
If you are looking for other types of local healthcare professionals, try a visit to the Neighbourhood Professional website. This is a detailed site, sorting results by postcode, listing many professionals from dentists to opticians, reflexologists to physiotherapists. http://www.neighbourhoodprofessionals.co.uk/regions/ss/proff/healthcare.asp The results show Shoeburyness and the wider area is well-served and offers an excellent choice of treatments and therapies.
Refuse and recycling
To find out which day your refuse and recycling will be collected, please visit the Southend Borough Council website. There is a specific area where by entering your street name, you can determine your collection day. http://apps.southend.gov.uk/whereilive/.
Shopping
As well as enjoying easy access to the larger shopping centres in nearby Southend, Shoeburyness benefits from a supermarket, as well as a selection of small and independent shops located throughout the community.
The area has a number of pubs and restaurants, with an even wider choice available to those who venture into the neighbouring areas. Clubbing, live music, cinema and theatre are all available in nearby Southend with a selection of reliable taxi services connecting the two after hours.
