A TRIO of new businesses on Shoebury’s East Beach will “mimic the Westcliff Arches”, council bosses hope as they push to find a cafe, a takeaway and a chippy to takeover the new units. 

As part of the £2 million regeneration of East Beach, three new cafe-style units are being built. 

A contract for the “design and construction of new build café units at East Beach, Shoebury” has been published by Southend Council as they look for potential operators.

The value of the contracts is between £930,000 to £1.4 million.

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Steven Wakefield, one of the councillors who represent Shoebury, believes that having three small businesses rather than any big name chains will be a success. 

He said: “The whole idea is to rejuvenate Shoebury East Beach with a choice of cafes down there and bring the units back into use.

“We have had the pathways done, we have had the cycleway link being implements, the toilets being refurbished, and the car park done.

“The cafes are the next ready to be built.”

He added: “The reason why we wanted three outlet units is because we wanted competition to make sure there is a quality of service and also that the cost of things is kept down.

“We are trying to do is copy something like the Arches at Westcliff and try and bring that to Shoebury.

“But obviously it all depends on, the people who want to rent or let these units and if there aren’t three cafes as such, one could be a fish and chip shop, or a takeaway unit, and one could be a café.

“They are there for anybody prepared to pay council rent as they will be council-owned.”

The units will be built on the site of a former café which burnt down more than 20 years ago.

Mr Wakefield added: “They are only small units, so I don’t think any large chains would be interested.

“There is nothing wrong with big names - if they did bid then we are open to anybody wanting to come here.

“The good thing about East Beach is that when the tables and chairs are outside you are right on the Seaview; there is no road in between, you are right there - just you and the sea air.”