Originally the "south end" of the village of Prittlewell, Southend
became a seaside resort during the Georgian era, attracting many tourists in
the summer months to its seven miles of beaches and bathing in the sea. Good
rail connections and proximity to London mean that much of the economy has been
based on tourism, and that Southend has been a dormitory town for city workers
ever since. Southend Pier is the world's longest pleasure pier at 1.34 mi
(2.16 km). It has suffered fires and ship collisions, most recently in
October 2005, but the basic pier structure has been repaired each time. There
has been
