Reading the propaganda spouted by Southend Council’s architect for the seafront museum scheme (Aug 26), left us feeling thoroughly disgusted, disgust engendered by the fact that the Saxon King and his treasures have been sidelined by blatant commercialism.

The architect speaks with discernible glee about the 3D cinema, 200 seat restaurant, the three-storey car park and of the commercial potential. However, he fails to mention the King’s treasures.

What a right royal insult.

The most important component of the museum is not even worthy of a mention.

It would appear the King is an afterthought.

Clearly the architect has been briefed by Southend Council to design an entertainment complex, not a museum, for the most significant archaeological discovery in over 100 years.

The council cannot be trusted with these internationally important archaeological treasures. It has no interest in heritage, or historical education.

The only consideration given by the council to the artefacts is as a convenient way to attempt to misappropriate funding for its seafront white elephant.

Why are we continuing to pay an expensive architect to design a building which, by the council’s own admission, it has no funding for?

Patsy Link, Sheena Walker and Mark Sharp
Saxon King in Priory Park Committee

...I have difficulty in reconciling two Echo articles (Sep 3). One declared that Southend Council cannot afford to fund the Christmas event in the High Street, while the other reported how the council was able to fund the architectural fees for the unfunded and highly speculative cliff museum.

At a meeting with a council official and the architects, I was advised the fee for the conceptual work on this 100,000 sq ft floor area building was £100,000.

Bearing in mind that the funding for this project has yet to be identified, it would be interesting to know what part of the £35million budget is apportioned to the so-called commercial element of the scheme, which is the restaurant and conference centre.

As we all know, despite numerous attempts to establish a first-class restaurant in the town, no such establishment has yet to succeed long term, and it is difficult to see why this venture should be any different and contribute to the project’s viability.

While there are few conference facilities in Southend, there are plans to resolve this with the proposed hotel in Victoria Avenue and within the Robert Leonard development on Eastern Esplanade, not to mention facilities in the new airport hotel, the proposed hotel adjacent to the museum site and the recently-refurbished Palace Hotel.

George Webb
Prittlewell Square
Southend