Westcliff Cricketers Pub re-opening The Venue after boom

Annie Bush took over the Cricketers, in London Road, in February with the ambition of re-introducing live music and making the pub a success for years to come.

Now, Annie - who previously owned Annie’s Attic - has re-opened “The Venue”, a live music venue next door to the pub that closed in 2023.

A refurbishment project has been carried out, including new sound equipment, interior decorations and a refitted bar, and the bookings are now flooding in.

Re-opened - The Venue bar (Image: Google Street View)

Alongside re-opening the venue, Annie has hired new chef, Tom Gatier, at the pub who is now offering a revised menu including hearty pub classics as well as roast dinners on Sundays.

Annie said: “The venue shut down at the end of June last year and is now open. We have had two private parties in there, but we have a DJ coming and a rock night coming as well, we will take whoever wants to use it.

“We aren’t people who will say ‘I won’t do that’, I will give anyone a chance, it brings business and we have had bands approach us, we have even had christenings approach us.

“It think it will help live music in Southend, I will book for both the venue and the pub if we need to, we just want to get it open now.

“The inside has all been done, we have totally painted it, all the floors have been re-done and re-varnished to make it look nice and the carpets are done as well as the pumps and bar.

“We are still doing bits now and it is 90 per cent there, we did well.”

Now, the Venue is available to to book for a range of events including birthdays, wakes, weddings, gigs, christenings, functions and parties.

Annie also praised new chef Tom, who started on Monday and immediately “got all the food organised” and launched a new menu which is proving a hit with residents.

She said: “The new menu is great and he is open to changing things that previously were not working.”