Epic World Leisure Group would like to thank Echo readers for their interest in the Southend Pier regeneration project.

We would like to make the following points clear.

This is a wholly private-funded project which requires no financial input from the council, and doesnot rely on Government or Thames Gateway funding.

The development would put Southend back on the map as a tourist attraction and return the pier to its former iconic status.

The additional visitors generated would be a financial boost to the town, stimulating additional income for local businesses and relieving the council of the financial burden of the pier - replacing it with rental income.

The total estimated cost of the development is £50m and this includes a figure of around £11m to improve the infrastructure of the pier and railways.

No developer would spend several million pounds making the pier safe without income generating activities.

While some people do not like rollercoasters, they are a magnet which draw visitors to the development to enjoy the many and varied activities and entertainments.

The entire development consists of a building at the shore end of the Pier on the site of the former bowling alley.

This building will house a new station, restaurants, cafe, retails units, Pier museum and ticketing facilities.

New trains are planned, together with additional track to allow two trains to run simultaneously.

A building at the pierhead will house high quality restaurants and bars; a 4D cinema/theatre; extreme sports rides; climbing wall; creche facilities; interactive/educational museum and retail units; children's paddling area and sun decks; and the entrance to the rollercoaster.

The whole development would be free to enter and there would be no charge to ride the trains.

Civil engineers have been consulted at length regarding the structural integrity of the pier and measures which will have to be taken to maintain the new development.

Angling facilities will be retained and enhanced.

Tony Garner
Epic World Leisure
Weston Road, Southend

...I support the conclusions of the pier consultation exercise and believe it could provide the framework for future progress.

All that is needed is for Southend's chief executive, Rob Tinlin, to allow the pier head site to be put out to public tender for development purposes.

The aim would be to attract a private developer interested in providing an entertainments pavilion with a maritime theme.

Planning and construction of the pavilion would be down to the developer, so there would be no resource problems for the council. In fact, I can only see resource benefits.

The provision of more attractions on the pier would increase usage and admission revenues for the council and they would also benefit from a site rent paid by the developer.

These funds would allow the pier to be maintained in good condition in the future.

I am very surprised that Mr Tinlin has not done a bit more to support the consultation exercise, which the council itself initiated.

If he has the courage to act swiftly he could yet be the white knight we now need to save us from the awful giant rollercoaster project.

This scheme sentences the pier to a miserable fate and would completely destroy an important heritage site for future generations.

Susan James
Henry Drive
Leigh