The following letter was published in the Echo last week:

I have refrained so far from any mention of the city status that Southend has attained.

Mainly because, as a friend of dear Sir David Amess, I did not want to show any disdain about the town being endowed with such high status.

But, I felt that I had to respond to a letter in the paper echo remarks so very near to how I have been feeling of late.

Having travelled around many cities, both here and other parts of the world, I despair to find much to experience here in this place, that would fit in with this city status.

Most of what was here originally has been erased with very little to be replaced with anything remarkable.

I dread to think of what would happen if one morning we woke up to find that the Kursaal had been reduced to a pile of dust, or that the pier had gone out with the ebbing tide.

Fred Schofield

Lifstan Way, Southend