Takeover deal finalised for iconic seaside venue

An iconic seaside venue has moved one step closer to reopening after a lease deal was finalised.

Star Amusements will operate the Kursaal, in Southend-on-Sea, as a leisure attraction once it has completed repairs on the Grade II listed building.

Safety concerns at the site, thought to be the world's oldest entertainment park, meant it was shut in 2020 and fell into disrepair.

"We now have the right partner in place to bring the Kursaal back into use and unlock its potential," said Daniel Cowan, the leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council.

The move was enabled after property group AEW agreed to transfer its lease of the building to Remblance Leisure Ltd, which is led by Star Amusements, in March.

That deal has now been finalised, the BBC can reveal.

Nick Singer, operations director at Star Amusements, said: "Our immediate priority is essential repairs to protect the building, followed by a phased restoration to bring it back into use.

"Our ambition is to create a high-quality, family-focused leisure and entertainment destination that can once again make the Kursaal a central attraction on the seafront."

The deal does not involve any financial subsidy from the Labour-led council.

Queen and AC/DC have performed at the Kursaal since it opened, as well as local rock band The Kursaal Flyers.

In a survey, more than 200 people have made suggestions about how the building should be used.

The Southend East and Rochford MP, Labour's Bayo Alaba, said: "The legacy of the Kursaal runs deep through our local history and continues to hold a special place in the memories of so many residents."

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