Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea

Known locally as the Cliffs, the Cliffs Pavilion is the largest purpose-built arts venue in Essex and has the biggest capacity of any theatre in the East of England. It stands on Station Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, a suburb within the city of Southend-on-Sea, and seats 1,630 across stalls and balcony. Owned by Southend-on-Sea City Council and operated by Trafalgar Theatres, it has welcomed touring shows, concerts, comedy and family entertainment since 1964. Downstairs, the Maritime Room provides a smaller space with a long history of jazz and stand-up comedy nights.

The story starts in 1935, when the borough council bought the Station Road site for a 500-seat theatre and concert venue to be called the Shorefield Pavilion. Building work began four years later but was suspended by the outbreak of the Second World War, and the empty plot became known locally as Southend's white elephant while budgets stayed tight. Work finally began again in 1963 on a building designed to host shows, concerts and private functions.

The new theatre was designed by borough architect Patrick Burridge, who was also responsible for Southend Civic Centre and Westcliff Library. Sir Bernard Miles opened the 1,100-seat venue in July 1964, and the first show followed the next day with Norman Vaughan and his dance troupe, the Swinging Lovelies. The hexagonal sunken forecourt at the front of the building followed the line of the pre-war foundations and survived until the 2024 to 2025 works. That same year the theatre earned a commendation at the Come to Britain awards, and it went on to host the annual Southend-on-Sea Festival of Music and the Arts.

From July 1991 to December 1992 the Cliffs closed for a £3.4 million redevelopment funded by Southend Borough Council and designed by Tim Foster Architects, which rebuilt the stairs, added a Foyer Bar and inserted a balcony to lift capacity to 1,630, all in an Art Deco style that won a Civic Design Award in 1993. It reopened with the pantomime The Pied Piper of Hamelin. A much larger second phase was explored from 1998, including a new stage house and raked stalls, but the funding bid was unsuccessful in 1999 and the scheme was withdrawn. A seven-week refurbishment in 2010 replaced the seating installed in the early 1990s.

The Cliffs has a long list of memorable nights, from Jimi Hendrix on the bill of the Grand Pop Festival in February 1967 to one of Paul McCartney's secret shows in July 1991, the Oasis concert film Live By The Sea in April 1995 and the final Bottom Live performance by Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson in 2003. In February 2022 the venue hosted He Built This City, a tribute concert to Sir David Amess. Work began on 22 August 2024 on an £8 million refurbishment, supported by £5.5 million of government funding, bringing a new entrance and lobby, an expanded restaurant, an outdoor piazza, extra bars and toilets, improved ventilation and new lifts.

The Cliffs Pavilion has flat-floor access through automatic sliding doors, a lift, and a lowered counter at the box office. Access tickets, including essential companion and wheelchair spaces, are booked directly with the box office or the customer contact centre on 0343 310 0030, 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

• Wheelchair spaces: dedicated spaces are on the left-hand side of the main stalls, the side nearest the accessible toilets. The Maritime Room can take up to four wheelchair users depending on the event.
• Toilets: accessible toilets on the ground floor (through the double doors at the side of the auditorium, at the end of the bar) and on the lower ground floor next to the ladies'. A Changing Places facility with a height-adjustable sink and toilet, changing bed and shower is on the lower ground floor, opened with a RADAR key.
• Hearing support: an infra-red hearing loop system covers the auditorium.
• Assistance dogs: welcome in all spaces; let the box office know when booking.
• Parking: designated accessible bays in the on-site car park, which is run by Southend-on-Sea City Council.

BSL-interpreted, captioned, audio-described and relaxed performances are scheduled on selected shows, and a visual story is available to download. Additional security checks are in place, so allow extra time on arrival.