How Southend High Street has changed over the years - photos

Here we take another delve into the archives to look back at the now city centre in decades gone by, including the 1970s and 1980s when footfall was high.

The High Street scene may be familiar, but these pictures from the Echo archive show a selection of shop names which have long disappeared.

Displays - impressive Christmas decorations (Image: Newsquest)

Images show the festive decorations that filled the centre during Christmastime in the past.

There were large displays with arches, flags and bunting.

There are some familiar brands, such as Boots, which remain in Southend to the present day.

Bustling - shoppers flocked to Southend High Street in decades gone by (Boots can be seen on the right) (Image: Newsquest)

Looking back also reminds us how the High Street was open to lanes of traffic long before it become pedestrianised.

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The archives reveal how the High Street was dug up with a long trench created, as a salt water main being laid in the now city centre in 1937.

Works - the water pipe being laid in 1937 (Image: Newsquest)

Workmen put in the hours digging and laying the water services in the street.

Scroll through our images to evoke memories of how busy the High Street was long before the days of online and internet shopping.

Seaside - the end of the high street leading to the seafront (Image: Archive)

History - the road running through the high street (Image: Newsquest)

Retailer - the old huge Tesco store (Image: Newsquest)

Southend city (then town) centre in the 70s (Image: Newsquest)

Southend High Street in 1979 (Image: Newsquest)

Southend High Street- 1975 (Image: Newsquest)

Memories - the city centre in the distant past (Image: Newsquest)