THE last council-run youth centre in Southend is to close to save £150,000.

The Focus Youth Centre, in Short Street, Southend, will close at the beginning of next year, leaving only Shoebury Youth Centre, four miles away in Delaware Road.

No youth workers or manhours will be lost as Southend Council will save on the running costs of the dilapidated building, which would need £525,000 of work over the next decade.

The council hopes to beef up independent youth groups in the town centre, such as those at the Balmoral Centre, Trinity Family Centre and Coleman Street Chapel, so the same level of service remains in central Southend.

James Courtenay, councillor responsible for children and learning, said: “The old ‘Byker Grove-approach’ of having a youth centre to go to is not the one that young people generally want these days."

However, Mohamed Sidibe, 22, of HonitonRoad, Southend, who plays football at Focus about once a week, said: “It’s not a good idea, because there are a lot of young kids who want to go there.

“If they don’t have anything to do, they can go there and chill.

“It’s not good for them to be outside fighting or smoking in the streets.”