Jamie Oliver set to sign for Southend Pier cafe

7:00am Thursday 17th January 2013 in Echo News By David Trayner

Jonathan Ross filming in the former Pier Head Cafe Jonathan Ross filming in the former Pier Head Cafe

JAMIE Oliver is set to take over a Southend Pier cafe for a second series of his hit Channel Four show, the Echo can reveal.

The celebrity chef has exchanged contracts with Southend Council over using the former Pier Head Cafe for a second series of Jamie and Jimmy’s Food Fight Club.

The Naked Chef, who claims to have been conceived under the pier and featured the structure heavily in the show, is reportedly keen to return cafe after the four-part series pulled in 1.43million viewers last month.

Derek Jarvis, cabinet member for culture and tourism on Southend Council, said: “Contracts have been agreed and are being exchanged.

“Before Jamie arrived and painted it and did his carpentry and gave it a big headline the cafe was really on its last legs.

“He has made it into a wonderful film set.”

Mr Jarvis said the council had written provisions for the cafe to be used by the public when Jamie is not filming there into the contract.

But he warned certain food sellers, such as the fish and chip shop councillor Paul Van Looy was keen to open there, would struggle fit around the filming as their cooking equipment would be difficult to move. Instead the council may have to operate the cafe.

Mr Jarvis, who is keen to ensure the public can access the cafe, said: “If the production company calls us the night before and says it wants to use the cafe at 11am we could accommodate that, but most businesses couldn’t just drop what they are doing.”

The show, which focused heavily on Jamie and his farmer friend Jimmy Doherty’s Essex roots, helped to raise the profile of Southend and the pier after several mishaps, including fires and boats crashing into it, bringing celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow, Gary Barlow, Jonathan Ross and Alan Carr to the town.

No-one from Channel Four or the production company were available for comment.

Comments(12)

supershrimper says...
7:24am Thu 17 Jan 13

The last series was rubbish.

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Nebs says...
7:58am Thu 17 Jan 13

Just sign a contract limiting filming to Mondays and Tuesdays in the winter.

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mikepaterson says...
8:17am Thu 17 Jan 13

This is good news. I enjoyed the last series and it helped highlight the nice parts of Southend.

Evening Echo - you need to proof read your articles - too many errors in this one...

"keen to return cafe after "

"would struggle fit around the filming"

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maxell says...
8:25am Thu 17 Jan 13

Jamie dont do it !!! this council can no longer fund the WORLDS longest peir. Unless you want it as a tax loss then this is the place as you cant trade as it wont be open unless you can charge 15 prices for a tea and scone, with a drizzel of olive oil. or how about singn the deal and then sue the council for not allowing you to trade, I recon you could get if for free.

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Eric Whim says...
9:30am Thu 17 Jan 13

bit only for three days a week eh?

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sosad 1 says...
1:22pm Thu 17 Jan 13

maxell wrote:
Jamie dont do it !!! this council can no longer fund the WORLDS longest peir. Unless you want it as a tax loss then this is the place as you cant trade as it wont be open unless you can charge 15 prices for a tea and scone, with a drizzel of olive oil. or how about singn the deal and then sue the council for not allowing you to trade, I recon you could get if for free.
jamie only wants the cafe for filming not as a bisness he aint that fick he is from essex you know?

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lucy10 says...
5:49pm Thu 17 Jan 13

give it to vanlooy the pier need a good fish restaurant let jamie work with him

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Max Impact says...
6:15pm Thu 17 Jan 13

maxell wrote:
Jamie dont do it !!! this council can no longer fund the WORLDS longest peir. Unless you want it as a tax loss then this is the place as you cant trade as it wont be open unless you can charge 15 prices for a tea and scone, with a drizzel of olive oil. or how about singn the deal and then sue the council for not allowing you to trade, I recon you could get if for free.
Where in the article does it state he wants it full time?

It is for filming only acording to the article.

Why not fully read the article, and take a moment for the text to settle down in your brain and then just read it again just to make sure you understand it.

WAP

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interested resident says...
6:38pm Thu 17 Jan 13

The pier is only going to be shut for two days a week during the winter months. No one comments that other attractions such as Adventure Island are closed far longer during his period. Shutting the pier when visitor numbers do not justify it being open seems a sensible idea doesn't it?

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DogsMessInLeigh says...
8:56pm Thu 17 Jan 13

supershrimper wrote:
The last series was rubbish.
you mean the first series.

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Max Impact says...
11:16pm Thu 17 Jan 13

DogsMessInLeigh wrote:
supershrimper wrote:
The last series was rubbish.
you mean the first series.
The first series was the last series as it was the first it also becomes the first as another one has not yet been made so the first must also be the last.

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Max Impact says...
11:17pm Thu 17 Jan 13

That should read:

The first series was the last series as it was the first it also becomes the LAST as another one has not yet been made so the first must also be the last.”

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