One UK destination is the home to the country’s longest street, and it’s a shopper’s paradise, with an array of shops, cafes, and even an outdoor market.
An almost two-mile-long street is the UK’s longest and is a vibrant hub of activity, hosting a variety of shops, inviting cafes and restaurants, along with a popular shopping centre, home to over 30 more stores. You’ll definitely need comfortable shoes to navigate this street.
London Road in Southend-on-Sea, stretching an impressive 2,983 metres – about 1.8-miles – holds the title for Britain’s longest high street, as confirmed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). And every Thursday and Saturday, Southend High Street transforms into a bustling outdoor market, offering everything from hot food and fresh produce to clothing, jewellery and household items.
Despite ranking only 41st out of 50 in Which? magazine’s 2024 seaside rankings, the Essex town appears to be growing in popularity, even attracting celebrity visitors.
Southend-on-Sea isn’t just known for having the world’s longest high street though.
It also boasts the world’s longest pleasure pier, recently crowned the best in Britain by the Telegraph.
Extending over a mile, Southend Pier is the world’s longest. Its array of attractions, including a fairground, Ferris wheel, theatre, café and even a pier railway, make it a favourite among visitors, reports the Mirror.
Measuring a whopping 1.34-miles-long, the pier was originally constructed from iron in 1830.
It was then rebuilt from wood in 1889, and has undergone significant restoration work in recent years.
From the 1930s through to the 1980s, Southend High Street was a vibrant centre of activity, colour, and transformation.
From old-fashioned water pipes to modern eateries, this high street has seen it all.
Southend-on-Sea’s retail landscape began to thrive during the Edwardian period, with the establishment of its first significant store, Garons, in 1885.
The town’s expansion was further boosted in 1902 with the advent of electric trams, which continued to operate until their withdrawal in 1942 due to alterations broiught about by World War 2.
By 1974, the High Street had been completely pedestrianised and one of its most notable features was the Millennium Clock, which stood tall from 2000 until it was taken down in 2011 due to a malfunction and subsequently stored by the council.
A number of high-profile brands, including BandM, Kokoro, and Dunelm, have recently revealed plans to launch new outlets in the area, with Dunelm scheduled to open its doors at the end of June.
Despite being labelled the ‘worst seaside town’ by a TripAdvisor user, Southend-on-Sea has drawn a host of celebrities, including Fool Me Once actress Michelle Keegan, footballer Rio Ferdinand, singer Gary Barlow, boxer Tyson Fury, presenter Denise Van Outen, and Towie star Frankie Essex.
They’ve all been seen at the beautiful Roslin Beach Hotel in Thorpe Bay.