Latest news with #Kursaal
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Southend: Future of iconic Kursaal building to be discussed
The leaseholder of an iconic seaside venue has confirmed it is working on plans "for a viable future" for it. The Kursaal in Southend-on-Sea opened in 1901 and has hosted acts such as Queen and AC/DC but last year it was added to Victorian Society's top 10 list of endangered buildings after being left to City Council owns the freehold of the land but London-based property group AEW has a 200-year lease on the of the Grade II-listed building. A spokesperson for AEW said it was "looking forward" to discussing the results of a public meeting on Thursday with organiser and MP Bayo Alaba. 'Exhilarating building' The Kursaal was thought to have been the world's first purpose-built amusement park with a circus, ballroom, arcade, dining hall, billiard room, an ice rink and even its own zoo. Comedian Griff Rhys-Jones, Essex-raised and president of the Victorian Society, told BBC Essex the Kursaal was "an exhilarating building" as it was placed on its endangered list in 2024. Bayo Alaba, the Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, described the Kursaal as "one of the most iconic buildings in the south of England".The MP - who will chair the public meeting on Thursday 19 June at Belle Vue Baptist Church - told the BBC he had spoken with both the council and the leaseholder to "spark a conversation" about the Kursaal's future."They're keen," Mr Alaba said about AEW, adding : "They know they've got a symbolic building... they want to do something with it".Mr Alaba said he felt that the leaseholder was "serious about getting the building back into community use"."[The Kursaal] is central to the community, it's important to civic pride," he told the BBC."The fact that it's closed - it sends almost a subliminal message that Southend isn't open for business, and we need to fix that." How the Kursaal changed over time The venue has had many different leases of life, and was even the home of Southend United before the club moved to Roots it housed a casino, bowling alley, and hosted a number of major bands including Dr Feelgood, Black Sabbath and the Kursaal Victorian Society said the Kursaal's Wall of Death motorcycle rides were the first such spectacle in whole complex finally closed its doors in 1986 with its ballroom demolished that years of dereliction, and millions of pounds spent on restoration, it re-opened presently, only a Tesco Express occupies a small part of the building. Southend-on-Sea City Council leader Daniel Cowan will also be at Thursday's meeting, which starts at 19:00 Cowan said the council was "keen to bring the Kursaal back into public use and we will pull every lever at our disposal to see that happen"."This icon of Southend deserves a present and future that befits its glorious past, so we're delighted to have the backing of Bayo Alaba MP in making that happen."A spokesperson for AEW said the group was "looking forward to discussing the feedback at a meeting we have arranged with Mr Alaba later this month"."We continue to work on plans for a viable future for the Kursaal, but are not in a position to comment further at this stage," they added. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
How to plan a short beach break to Ostend
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The seaside city of Ostend is something of a curiosity. It was heavily bombed in the Second World War, and now its architecture juxtaposes Belle Époque-era townhouses and mid-century apartment blocks. There's the occasional oddity, like the neo-classical Royal Galleries, a seafront arcade, or modernist Kursaal, Europe's largest casino. And happily, some older dwellings have survived, too. Take the Spanish Inn, a live music bar with a gabled roof. This is one of the city's earliest buildings, last rebuilt in 1729. Within the red glow of its rear saloon, Flemish crooners perform to a crowd of locals, from young couples huddled in corners to older regulars slow-dancing. The bar's the perfect introduction to the many faces of the city. One of its defining features is the Albert I Promenade, which runs parallel to the sandy beach, alive with bars in the summer and lined with artworks. Most attention-grabbing is Rock Strangers, a series of red, rumpled statues at the promenade's western end. From here, walk the length of the harbour arm to a human-size whelk statue. It's the best vantage point for city views, too. Around the corner is Visserskaai, the fishermen's quarter. Seafood stalls line its quayside, selling rollmops, small shrimps and fat pink prawns. You'll also find one of the best restaurants in town, Mange Tout. The set menu changes every six weeks, but you might enjoy smooth crayfish bisque poured over asparagus and watercress, or beef tenderloin served rare alongside artichoke puree. Another must is the 'petite bouillabaisse' with croutons and rouille (a sauce with garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper) at the long-standing Bistro Mathilda. Its location is glorious — directly opposite central Leopold Park, with a lake for a post-meal circuit. For a more contemporary take on Belgian cuisine, try Paroles Paroles. It's the first restaurant to open in the new Sky District, right next to the train station, just past the rattling masts of the marina. To leave the crowds behind, take the free ferry from Visserskaai to Oosteroever, a district across the harbour. Walk over the rickety lock gate bridges to the polygonal Fort Napoleon, built in the sand dunes during the Napoleonic era to fight off British attacks. It never saw action, but the audioguide still relates interesting human stories, including how soldiers here dealt with loneliness. Back in town, tour the Mercator, a Belgian ship from 1932. Much is made of the city's association with 19th-century painter James Ensor, a key figure in Belgian modernism. He's celebrated at the only museum documenting Belgian art from 1880 to the present day. At James Ensor House, you can tour the building where he lived. Outdoors, The Crystal Ship, a city-wide collection of giant murals, has turned Ostend into an open-air gallery. Download the app for three trails; the City Centre one is an easy ramble across the shopping hub of Kapellestraat and past outdoor markets and artisanal shops. Stop off at Bakerie Decock for pastries like the Ostendaise, with a chocolate mousse and fresh fruit cremeux. You'll also see the neo-gothic church of Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk. Round the day off with a drink. If it's still light, the Parisian-style brasserie at Hotel Du Parc, opposite Leopold Park, is a popular daytime haunt; otherwise, sip local gin at the nearby CultuurCafé. For a bigger night out, Langestraat is the key street, perhaps after a preliminary beer in the charming, art deco-style Den Artiest. An unmissable stop, Lafayette is a bar with a soundtrack of jazz and soul. There's a black-and-white photo of Marvin Gaye, a nod to the legend's 18-month residence in Ostend, where he wrote the hit Sexual Healing. For a two-hour walk of his haunts, download the self-guided Midnight Love Tour. It's named after the album on which the song featured, and it's all the more romantic after dark. Published in the April 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
03-05-2025
- National Geographic
Beach break in Belgium? Try Ostend
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The seaside city of Ostend is something of a curiosity. It was heavily bombed in the Second World War, and now its architecture juxtaposes Belle Époque-era townhouses and mid-century apartment blocks. There's the occasional oddity, like the neo-classical Royal Galleries, a seafront arcade, or modernist Kursaal, Europe's largest casino. And happily, some older dwellings have survived, too. Take the Spanish Inn, a live music bar with a gabled roof. This is one of the city's earliest buildings, last rebuilt in 1729. Within the red glow of its rear saloon, Flemish crooners perform to a crowd of locals, from young couples huddled in corners to older regulars slow-dancing. The bar's the perfect introduction to the many faces of the city. One of its defining features is the Albert I Promenade, which runs parallel to the sandy beach, alive with bars in the summer and lined with artworks. Most attention-grabbing is Rock Strangers, a series of red, rumpled statues at the promenade's western end. From here, walk the length of the harbour arm to a human-size whelk statue. It's the best vantage point for city views, too. Around the corner is Visserskaai, the fishermen's quarter. Seafood stalls line its quayside, selling rollmops, small shrimps and fat pink prawns. You'll also find one of the best restaurants in town, Mange Tout. The set menu changes every six weeks, but you might enjoy smooth crayfish bisque poured over asparagus and watercress, or beef tenderloin served rare alongside artichoke puree. Another must is the 'petite bouillabaisse' with croutons and rouille (a sauce with garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper) at the long-standing Bistro Mathilda. Its location is glorious — directly opposite central Leopold Park, with a lake for a post-meal circuit. For a more contemporary take on Belgian cuisine, try Paroles Paroles. It's the first restaurant to open in the new Sky District, right next to the train station, just past the rattling masts of the marina. To leave the crowds behind, take the free ferry from Visserskaai to Oosteroever, a district across the harbour. Walk over the rickety lock gate bridges to the polygonal Fort Napoleon, built in the sand dunes during the Napoleonic era to fight off British attacks. It never saw action, but the audioguide still relates interesting human stories, including how soldiers here dealt with loneliness. Back in town, tour the Mercator, a Belgian ship from 1932. Much is made of the city's association with 19th-century painter James Ensor, a key figure in Belgian modernism. He's celebrated at the only museum documenting Belgian art from 1880 to the present day. At James Ensor House, you can tour the building where he lived. Outdoors, The Crystal Ship, a city-wide collection of giant murals, has turned Ostend into an open-air gallery. Download the app for three trails; the City Centre one is an easy ramble across the shopping hub of Kapellestraat and past outdoor markets and artisanal shops. Stop off at Bakerie Decock for pastries like the Ostendaise, with a chocolate mousse and fresh fruit cremeux. You'll also see the neo-gothic church of Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk. Round the day off with a drink. If it's still light, the Parisian-style brasserie at Hotel Du Parc, opposite Leopold Park, is a popular daytime haunt; otherwise, sip local gin at the nearby CultuurCafé. For a bigger night out, Langestraat is the key street, perhaps after a preliminary beer in the charming, art deco-style Den Artiest. An unmissable stop, Lafayette is a bar with a soundtrack of jazz and soul. There's a black-and-white photo of Marvin Gaye, a nod to the legend's 18-month residence in Ostend, where he wrote the hit Sexual Healing. For a two-hour walk of his haunts, download the self-guided Midnight Love Tour. It's named after the album on which the song featured, and it's all the more romantic after dark. Take the Eurostar to Brussels, then a 1h30m connecting train to Ostend. Stay at 19th-century Villa Ostinato, with six rooms and an a la carte restaurant. From £135, room only. Published in the April 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
