Council considers legal action over disused Kursaal

Legal action could be taken against the leaseholder of a 19th Century building after images revealed its deteriorating condition, a councillor has said.

The Kursaal in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, was designed by George Sherrin in 1896 and completed in 1901.

Southend-on-Sea City Council owns the freehold of the land but London-based property group AEW has a 200-year lease on the Grade II listed building.

Matt Dent, a Labour councillor for the Kursaal ward, shared a photo that highlighted significant damage to the building and revealed the authority has begun preparing legal action to compel AEW to carry out maintenance.

The council said it had commissioned a dilapidations expert to assess the full scope of required works.

A spokesman for AEW said the firm understood the importance of the Kursaal to the community and said its leaders continued to work hard alongside the council to establish a "definitive long-term solution".

Dent, the cabinet member for business on the authority, told residents that work has started to safeguard the future of the Kursaal, which was one of the world's first purpose-built amusement parks with a circus, ballroom, arcade, dining hall, billiard room, ice rink and even its own zoo.

Dent claimed AEW had "no interest" in the site or in reopening the building.

Southend -on-Sea City Council has held multiple discussions with AEW, alongside Bayo Alaba, the Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford.

Daniel Cowan, a Labour councillor and leader of the authority, added: "We continue to work with AEW to find a solution and get the Kursaal back into use.

"I cannot say more due to commercial sensitivities, but this has been a top priority for my administration and I am confident that we will see the Kursaal back in action soon."

The majority of the building has been empty for more than five years since the Rendezvous Casino shut in 2020, with only a Tesco Express remaining on the ground floor.

Last year, AEW announced that it was open to selling the lease, which Dent described as "a big win".

Additional reporting by Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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