Southend’s Priory Park is blooming lovely!

The walled garden is looking at its usual fabulous best in an array of seasonal flowers and the rest of the park is looking superb, too. With concerts coming up in the Bandstand, the park has so much to offer.

It’s not just a pretty garden, but finds use by the cyclists, young and older children, sports enthusiasts, garden lovers, dog walkers and just about everyone who comes to visit from time to time.

The only disappointing aspect is the non-development of the Priory Museum building, which I gather is being developed into a sort of natural environment centre. Seems all to have gone strangely quiet on that issue. I wonder why?

I do miss the wonderful quirkiness of the museum with it’s fabulous Cater collection of old radios and recording equipment.

Seems many things are disappearing into Southend Council’s “black hole”

where artifacts go and are never seen again for decades, if ever!

I live in hope the Cliffs Museum will happen one day, but is it just another on-going saga, like the pier, of “jam tomorrow”? I hope not.

In the meantime, the natural beauty of Priory Park can and should, be enjoyed by all.

Long may it thrive and it’s all thanks to that certain other Mr Jones, who donated it to the borough many years ago.

Without him, we all would be the poorer, museum or no museum.

Chris Jones
Hollytree Gardens
Rayleigh