Listed status could save ‘brutal’ Southend library building (From Southend Standard)

What awful people.

Hang on a minute, I was under the impression that the library building was in such a state of disrepair as to be beyond economic use. Additionally we were told the building is (& presumably always has been) unfit for storing books etc.
With this in mind, why would SBC decide to house their art collection there - unless, of course, someone has misled the residents & forced us into "accepting" an unnecessary new library which will (in all probability) have restrictions on it's use by residents in favour of students.
Also, what has a 1970s "Brutalist" building got to do with the displaying of Saxon artefacts in Priory Park?

they've got a point. it's a great building

It's only artyfarty architect types that would want to preserve the building. It may well be a "good brutalist structure", but that's like saying it's pretty ugly (which it is, and always has been). I wouldn't even bother flattening it, on the grounds that would cost the taxpayer. Take the books out, put a barrier round it and let it rot. In another 40 years it might start to look attractive.

Also, what has a 1970s "Brutalist" building got to do with the displaying of Saxon artefacts in Priory Park?

That Is no longer the point of the group, their aim is to be an UNELECTED thorn in the councils side, sticking their collective noses in to anything that the council consider a good idea and they don't, as they are still smarting from being evicted from Cuckoo Corner and having to pay £55000 costs.

They have a point. If the building is used as an arts centre it will save Southend council tax payers untold millions in consultation fees, surveyors fees, building contractors fees etc.
All of which will be SBC's spendthrift choice if they get the chance. There's nothing they like better than throwing our money away as if it falls from the sky like rain.

Not ANOTHER skip story, fed up with them, they seem to have a season ticket on the echo letters page!

The Beecroft Gallery should be going onto the Cliffs Museum.

Have they actually thought about the cost of converting the building?

It is not anywhere near as easy to convert as they think, the building is in essence an open atrium, not very good for what they want, also the roof is knackerd and needs replacing.

Why do they not concentrate on what they were founded for instead of becoming a serial protest group against any progress in Southend.

More chance of my garden shed getting listed than that carbuncle. Knock it down and build something useful there, like a multi storey car park for commuters.

Max Impact wrote:
Not ANOTHER skip story, fed up with them, they seem to have a season ticket on the echo letters page!

The Beecroft Gallery should be going onto the Cliffs Museum.

Have they actually thought about the cost of converting the building?

It is not anywhere near as easy to convert as they think, the building is in essence an open atrium, not very good for what they want, also the roof is knackerd and needs replacing.

Why do they not concentrate on what they were founded for instead of becoming a serial protest group against any progress in Southend.

Open atriums seem to work very well for the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the National Gallery...

And converting an existing building will be a LOT cheaper for Southend's hard-pressed council tax payers than demolishing the library and constructing a new building.

Oops. Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. Southend council could say they were going to build a new gallery out of gold bricks with diamonds for windows and their spin doctor Max Impact would be on here cheering them on.

Darn right it would prove a massive tourism draw, also those stocks I brought in a gold mine wouls rocket in value.... PLEASE BUILD IT PLEASE BUILD IT.

Once its gone, fits in with the plan to build an access road/bridge over the railway tracks to ease the congestion once the Tesco is built.

Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Once its gone, fits in with the plan to build an access road/bridge over the railway tracks to ease the congestion once the Tesco is built.

TESCO? What Tesco? Where can I find out about that?

This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward.
Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

JAS1983 wrote:
This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward.
Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that.

Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects.

At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects.

It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services.


The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events.


Are you skipp's Echo poster?

So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services.


The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events.


Are you skipp's Echo poster?

So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

It isn't about whether I would use it, it's about the monumental waste of money on vanity project when people are suffering due to cuts.

When you're broke you don't build a swimming pool in the garden, you pay the bills and feed the family.

Southend already has a library, Southend already has a museum. There is no need for this massive waste of taxpayers money.

oh dear the ghost of shoebury cyclist in the vicinity

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services. The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events. Are you skipp's Echo poster? So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

It isn't about whether I would use it, it's about the monumental waste of money on vanity project when people are suffering due to cuts. When you're broke you don't build a swimming pool in the garden, you pay the bills and feed the family. Southend already has a library, Southend already has a museum. There is no need for this massive waste of taxpayers money.

How many times do you need telling.

Capital Project funds can not be used for the proping up services how hard is that to understand.

Its the rules set by Central Government and the council can not change anything with that rule.

As you ARE V in the Vicinity you should know that as you have been told before.

Yeah, they have a point..but I'm more concerned about that red brick building behind, the original library.

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services. The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events. Are you skipp's Echo poster? So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

It isn't about whether I would use it, it's about the monumental waste of money on vanity project when people are suffering due to cuts. When you're broke you don't build a swimming pool in the garden, you pay the bills and feed the family. Southend already has a library, Southend already has a museum. There is no need for this massive waste of taxpayers money.

How many times do you need telling.

Capital Project funds can not be used for the proping up services how hard is that to understand.

Its the rules set by Central Government and the council can not change anything with that rule.

As you ARE V in the Vicinity you should know that as you have been told before.

It doesn't matter how you try to spin it for Holdcroft and the tories, whether the money comes from central gov or not, it is STILL a monstrous waste of taxpayers money in a time of extreme austerity.

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services. The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events. Are you skipp's Echo poster? So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

It isn't about whether I would use it, it's about the monumental waste of money on vanity project when people are suffering due to cuts. When you're broke you don't build a swimming pool in the garden, you pay the bills and feed the family. Southend already has a library, Southend already has a museum. There is no need for this massive waste of taxpayers money.

How many times do you need telling.

Capital Project funds can not be used for the proping up services how hard is that to understand.

Its the rules set by Central Government and the council can not change anything with that rule.

As you ARE V in the Vicinity you should know that as you have been told before.

It doesn't matter how you try to spin it for Holdcroft and the tories, whether the money comes from central gov or not, it is STILL a monstrous waste of taxpayers money in a time of extreme austerity.

Luckily English Heritage have a bottomless pit of money, which they can use to consider pointless applications.

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

Max Impact wrote:

V_is_back wrote:

JAS1983 wrote: This sound to me that SKIPP are being very devious, and once again will be 'standing up for the majority'... I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye, maybe if listed, they know the council will have a useless building on their hands, so then when the cliff development goes ahead, or starts to, they will say that the council already have a building and throw yet another spanner in the works of moving Southend forward. Mark, if you want to have a say for us as a town, please get elected as a councillor.

But the council DO already have a building: the library. It doesn't take SKIPP or anyone else for Southend's council tax payers to see that. Southend council just want to waste more millions of OUR taxes on their vanity projects. At a time when they are stealing the food from the mouths of pensioners and the disabled in the name of 'cuts', they should be cancelling ALL these multi-million pound projects. It's disgusting that they think a new museum/library etc. is more important than the wlefare of the town's people.

The new Library and Museum proposals are both capital projects the money used for them can NOT be re-directed to prop up other services. The current library is no longer fit for purpose, its an out dated building in need of major investment, the rook is knackerd, the is not the space to expand and noise carrys when they have the kids events. Are you skipp's Echo poster? So I take it with you being so against the new library you will never use it, the square outside it or the large TV that is planned I also take it that should the museum be built you will never use it nor will you make used of the restored Cliff gardens over the top of it?

It isn't about whether I would use it, it's about the monumental waste of money on vanity project when people are suffering due to cuts. When you're broke you don't build a swimming pool in the garden, you pay the bills and feed the family. Southend already has a library, Southend already has a museum. There is no need for this massive waste of taxpayers money.

How many times do you need telling.

Capital Project funds can not be used for the proping up services how hard is that to understand.

Its the rules set by Central Government and the council can not change anything with that rule.

As you ARE V in the Vicinity you should know that as you have been told before.

It doesn't matter how you try to spin it for Holdcroft and the tories, whether the money comes from central gov or not, it is STILL a monstrous waste of taxpayers money in a time of extreme austerity.

So you admit I'm right about the council not being able to redirect the funds.

V in the Vicinity rebranded (again) and still getting it wrong.

Interestingly(and in my opinion more importantly) no-one has commented on the review of libraries taking place.
What about that????

clairella wrote:
Interestingly(and in my opinion more importantly) no-one has commented on the review of libraries taking place.
What about that????

Once the libraries are gone ignorance will reign. Much like the commenters on this website who illiterately splutter far-right knee-jerk 'opinion' they got from the Sun or the Daily Mail.

V_is_back wrote:

clairella wrote:
Interestingly(and in my opinion more importantly) no-one has commented on the review of libraries taking place.
What about that????

Once the libraries are gone ignorance will reign. Much like the commenters on this website who illiterately splutter far-right knee-jerk 'opinion' they got from the Sun or the Daily Mail.

as opposed to the socialist worker?

Visiting a library is an outdated method of expelling ignorance. Those that seek knowledge will find a way of obtaining it, and the literate classes will turn to the internet. The illiterate classes will always struggle with the concept.
Maybe the answer is to archive all the books and sell the old library to Tesco or Costas.

The library wont be gone though? There will a brand new, top class one just of the high street, so library users can pop in when shopping rather than having to trudge out of town.

Saxonpride wrote:
What awful people.

State your reasons, otherwise you just sound vulgar and pointless.

What a waste of money when there are many genuine nedy people in the town, young and old.

Dont list it but use it, dont lose it.

Make sure the current museum/planetarium is saved and not knocked down like the old college was.

We have old buildings to attract tourists to see. Only modern eyesores.
I am still trying to work out the nearest bus to the new library and wondering how prams and the disabled will get there. Not to mention the noise there will be from the students - like we now have at the old library. Mobiles being used etc. No wonder the students dont do well with their research.

The closest bus stop is outside Warrior Square green coming into Southend from the Rochford Direction and outside Tolhurst House coming from Shoebury it is then about 2minute walk down past, Dick De Vignes across the High Street and into the building.

The train stops virtually at the doors of the new library.

So bus stops are close as is the train, so the disabled and mother with prams will not have many issues getting to it.

And just to please you they will not need to go near the shared space you love so much.

These busybodies who feel that it is their god given right to dictate local policy should do the one thing that will give them a right to preach their sermons to the people of Southend get elected on to the council themselves.


Central Library has already been rejected for listing unless skip have discovered it is made from some rare material or is hand built by Neolithic man than little has changed and the chances of it being listed are very very small.


Perhaps English Heritage should have a change of policy and charge people for failed listing applications to stop such frivolous applications.


Perhaps skip could buy the building when it becomes redundant and run it how they want, obviously they would not be granted access to the Beecroft collection as apart from there being no climate control in the building placing such a valuable collection in the hands of a privately operated building that the council have no control over could prove very difficult to get insurance cover on the paintings and sculptures in the collection, and public access would rest on the opening times whims of the building owners.


under new ownership:
http://antisouthendn
imbys.weebly.com/

Sitting on the beach(32 degrees!) today I thought...
It's a BUILDJNG..........wh
at about the people inside it who don't know whether they have a job or not in the new building. FAR MORE IMPORTANT!

People will always be much more important than a building!

clairella wrote:
Sitting on the beach(32 degrees!) today I thought... It's a BUILDJNG..........wh at about the people inside it who don't know whether they have a job or not in the new building. FAR MORE IMPORTANT! People will always be much more important than a building!

They will move to the new building, its proposed to operate 24hours a day so will need staff to run it.

I would have a lobby service where you need to swipe your card and input a password to gain access to the building, during the night.