Oracle June 2020

February June 2020 2018

Your all-seeing local

ORACLE OR CLE Thorpe Bay, Southchurch, Garrison, Thorpe Bay, Southchurch, Shoeburyness, Leigh, Chalkwell, Westcliff the Garrison & Shoeburyness & Southend Conservation Area

COMPETITION! WIN! A Luxury case of wine from Worsley Wines - worth £125!

ENVIRONMENT! How Coronavirus is affecting our wildlife LOCAL ISSUES! Southend's future prosperity COUNCIL! Covid Consequences

2

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June 2020

ORACLE

WELCOME

It’s good to be back after a very challenging few months for us all. Now that lockdown restrictions are easing, companies have had to adapt to a ‘new normal’ in order to continue trading and survive. Bear this in mind when looking for services, are you able to keep that spend within our town? This gesture will make a huge difference to local business, so please remember when spending . . . try to keep it local.

10 % CREAM

Experts in the Thorpe Bay Housing Market

To kick off this edition, Oracle has a fabulous competition, kindly donated by a local family run wine supplier, Worsley Wines. They are offering one lucky winner a Luxury Special case of mixed wine from France comprising of: 2 x Guy Saget - Pouilly Fume, 2 x Guy Saget – Murano and 2 x Albert Bichot – Secret de Famille, this case would normally retail for £125.

To enter Oracle/Worsley Wines competition, please visit Oracle’s competition page on the website www. oraclepublications.co.uk or send your postal entry with your name and contact details to the address below by 30th June. All entries must be over 18.

You don’t have to wait to win the Luxury Special as Worsley Wines are offering this luxury case at the moment with a 40% discount, costing you just £75 plus free delivery to all SS postcodes. For further information visit: www.worsleywines.com

Good luck and stay safe!

170 The Broadway Thorpe Bay SS1 3ES

Emma Wynne-Morgan Publisher

01702 393838 Oracle House, 11 Clarence Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1AN

01702 588 599

www.oraclepublications.co.uk info@oraclepublications.co.uk Oracle is now 100% recyclable

Oracle Publications and Creative Media @oracle_essex June 2020

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22/03/2019 11:37

3

JONES & SONS

PLASTERING RENDERING, BATHROOMS, RENOVATIONS, LANDSCAPING & MORE

CONTENTS Southend's future prosperity

9/10

Local Issues by Philip Miller

Covid Consequences

16/24

Council by Cllr. Martin Terry

Cheats Vegetable Pissaladiere

30

Recipe by Judy Barden

Locks in lockdown

40

Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

How Coronavirus is affecting our wildlife 46

FULLY INSURED WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

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Environment by Alex Rowe

Useful Numbers

52

Advertiser Index

54

Advertorials Crown Vocational

5

The Bay Botanical

7

Barbara Shead

13

Hunt Roche

21

High-Tech Membrane Brights Locksmiths

32/33 35

Applecheck 39 Happystride 45

All All rights rights reserved. reserved. No No part part of of Oracle Oracle Publications Publications UK UK Ltd Ltd may may be be reproduced reproduced or or used used in in any any form form or or by by any any means means either either wholly wholly or or in in part without prior permission of the publisher.

Oracle Publications part without prior permission of the publisher. Oracle Publications UK UK Ltd Ltd is is editorially editorially autonomous autonomous and and the the opinions opinions expressed expressed are are not not those those of of the the publisher publisher unless unless expressly expressly stated. stated.

4

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June 2020

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June 2020

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New takeaway for Thorpe Bay We are a new restaurant serving

We still have a large selection of starters,

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mains and desserts along with vegan and

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Our special offer

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June 2020

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June 2020

Southend's future prosperity

LOCAL ISSUES

No doubt we are all pretty bored with

forever. Make no mistake this is serious

the virus saga; I’ve got analysis paralysis

and the stakes are high.

with all those stats! I’m sure we all have

We need every single penny to enable

our own personal views on the rights

us to get back to employing people and

and wrongs, but when it’s all said and

reinvesting in our businesses, helping

done the buck will stop with Boris.

provide the wealth that keeps the country

All I worry about, and have a vested

running. Governments and councils

interest in, is Southends future prosperity.

can’t do that, it is not in their remit - they

We need a plan going forward, nothing

just spend it. They are, however, the key

too complicated - one that folks can get

enablers.

behind. We need it now and it needs

Back to the plan, what to do?

to be all about creating customers for

As always I’m full of great ideas, ones I

business, as without business creating the

know will attract visitors to Southend for

wealth there will be no money for public

the benefit of all - not just me! Trouble is

services including the NHS.

I’m not in charge, and though I wish I was

Businesses are on their knees

- even for a few months - that will never

desperately clawing for survival, and

be.

directly connected are the livelihoods of

So the way forward is for myself and

thousands of Southends workers, whose

a few others like me who are business

jobs are in real danger of being lost

savvy in the art of attracting visitors, to

June 2020

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9

sit down with the bosses of all political parties, top civil servants and MPs, and thrash out a way forward.

Personalities in the way of progress We have all been as bad as each other with personalities getting in the way of

In simple terms I will chair it; the

progress, but now is the time to bury the

entrepreneurs come up with the ideas;

hatchet and put the past behind us. We

the councillors agree them; the MPs grab

must make friends, not enemies! The

any government help they can and the

future health of the town is under a

officers get it done - what could possibly

bigger threat following the aftermath of

go wrong!

the bug, than the bug ever gave us.

Joking aside, there are real skills and

I believe it is in Southend's best interest

talents at the much maligned council,

for all the people that are in a position to

it’s just a matter of getting everybody’s

save the town, to come together with a

noses pointing in the same direction. It

shared vision to make it happen.

is time to cut the red tape and just get on with it.

Even before the bug Southend seafront and high street were in decline. In a

Philip Miller M.B.E Local Business Owner

way some good might come out of this

Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides

nightmare if just for once we can put

as balance is very important. Write your

personal grievances and politics aside,

letter in the comment section located

and all work together for the greater

under the relevant article on our website.

good.

oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

10

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June 2020

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June 2020

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Healthy minds Mental health has been hitting the headlines recently – it seems as though everybody has a story to tell about anxiety and depression.

The good news is that nutrition, exercise, and therapeutic approaches can support positive mental well-being.

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For even better results, include leafy green and root vegetables, wholegrains, oats, brown rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, and fruit in your diet. To optimise brain health, add some healthy fats, olive oil, oily fish, nuts and seeds.

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June 2020

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June 2020

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Southend High Street at the beginning of lockdown

COUNCIL

Covid Consequences

Nobody can afford to underestimate the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is cutting across every aspect of all our lives be that health, family and virtually all socioeconomic matters. Local Government has very much been in the eye of the storm and Southend Council staff have worked very hard to deliver, and to continue to deliver, what was and is required. Southend Council offers a myriad of services which are integral to daily life and require human intervention.

One of the obvious and widely articulated consequences of the of the pandemic is the

ever threatens our jewel, in our crown, the NHS. Our system, whilst not perfect, is the envy of the world.

The coming economic consequences of Coronavirus is going to be a massive challenge for us all. We are caught in a challenging time, needing to move forward, needing think about the safe and gradual opening of the economy and needing to consider the effects on the group identified to be most economically affected, the 18 to 25-year-old cohort.

re-emergence of the status of public servants.

Being Safe and Well is the primary objective

I have seen and heard of numerous acts of

cutting through everything that the Joint

kindness and going beyond the call of duty from

Administration is trying to achieve. I currently

Council staff. It is heart-warming to see this shift

hold the Portfolio for Community Safety and

and I hope it is acknowledged by wider society

Customer Contact. As I have been furloughed

and our national government.

myself from my normal work, I have offered to

Our NHS

lead on the Administration’s behalf the safe

I cannot mention public service without of course expressing my personal heartfelt thanks to all NHS staff who showed what a truly brave and magnificent group they are with a such a vocational spirit. As mentioned previously I hope this is reflected in the Governments thoughts. Woe betide any political party that 16

unlocking, or to use the PM’s language, the first baby steps. This challenge sits very well with my Community Safety Portfolio. Southend has a segmented economy, including many small enterprises along with a significant Leisure/ tourism offer and it is this that presents the first major challenge.

www.oraclepublications.co.uk

Continued on p24 . . .

June 2020

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June 2020

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June 2020

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Continued from p16 . . .

As we move into the new normal the Council

We have been forward planning, looking at

must try to read the situation and facilitate

what unlocking may look like for Southend

businesses to succeed in what are unchartered

but the whole nation had to wait for the PM’S

waters. It is absolutely essential that Southend,

announcement on Sunday 10th as to what the

with its well-established history of small

plan would be. Within that announcement we

business start-ups, takes every opportunity to

were told that we may exercise as much as we

help create employment for all but especially

want visit destinations, sunbath in a park or on a

the 18-25 year old’s identified as the highest risk

beach.

group.

Changing our message The messaging around Covid 19 has been a

Working together We are working together to plan to open as

major challenge for us. We have spent years

safely as possible whilst recognising that many

promoting a “Visit Southend” campaign then we

businesses are on their knees. It is an extremely

suddenly had to switch to “Don’t Visit Southend”

tricky situation trying to balance off the risks

during lockdown. In recent years visitor numbers

of Covid 19, against visitor numbers, trying

have reached 7 million PA. Following the PM’s

to save our local businesses, provide jobs for

announcement, we had to change to a different

local people and restart our economy safely.

track recognising that people will come but that

At the forefront of every decision is keeping

we need to be clear about the risks and not

the “R” number down well below 1 and being

over encourage. As a result, we have changed to

mindful that Social Distancing is here to stay

messaging to Stay Safe, Stay Apart. We have also

for some time. Southend residents have by and

made significant physical interventions such as

large complied with Social Distancing very well.

the contraflow system that provides more space

NHS staff have literally sacrificed themselves.

for Social Distancing on the promenade. We have

We cannot afford to have all this undone. I will

also suspended all parking on City Beach for the

summarise by saying Stay Safe and Stay Apart.

same reason.

Cllr. Martin Terry

In order to facilitate, as safe as possible, a

Thorpe Ward

reopening of Southend and Southend’s economy

Independent

we have set up a stakeholder group involving key business players, town centre, other Borough

Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Customer Contact

centres such as Leigh, Shoeburyness, Thorpe,

CllrTerry@southend.gov.uk

relevant Council Officers, Police and Essex Chamber of Commerce.

24

Oracle welcomes thoughts from all sides as balance is very important. Write your letter in the comment section located under the relevant article on our website. oraclepublications.co.uk #SaveSouthend

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June 2020

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FOOD

Cheats Vegetable Pissaladiere This is the South of France version of a pizza. It is usually made with a rich bread dough but I have replaced it here with some ready-rolled puff pastry and it works a treat covered with pesto and lots of root vegetables. Its good hot or you can take it to work to eat cold. Serves 6, Enjoy!

Ingredients 1 pack of ready-rolled all butter puff pastry 2 small red onions cut into wedges 2 large leeks, sliced 600g beetroot, cut into wedges 2 carrots, thickly sliced 4 tbsp olive oil 4 sprigs thyme 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp green pesto

Method

Preheat the oven 190c/fan 170/gas 5.

balsamic vinegar and roast for a further 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Turn the oven up to 220c/fan 200/ gas 7 and put a baking sheet in to heat up.

Unroll your pastry onto a sheet of baking parchment or non-stick foil. Then using a knife score a 1cm border around the edge, making sure you don’t cut the pastry all the way through (imagine a picture frame) and lightly prick the pastry inside the border with a fork.

Spread the pesto over the pastry.

Top with the vegetables making sure they stay within the border and then carefully place the paper on the hot baking sheet and bake for 25-3- mins. The border should rise up round the vegetables and the pastry should be crisp and golden.

Serve with dressed salad and crusty bread.

Place the vegetables in a large roasting tin, drizzle with the oil and add the thyme. Season well with salt and pepper.

by Judy Barden

Roast for 20 minutes, moving them round a little so all covered in the oil. Add the

Next month: Crispy prawns with zingy chilli

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June 2020

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Advertorial

Advertisement Feature

Do you own a conservatory not fit for purpose?

There are literally many 1000’s of home owners throughout the UK who own a conservatory, it is without doubt that a high majority are totally inefficient during the summer and winter months.

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Advertorial

All locksmiths are the same, aren't they?

Firstly, Brights would like to say a big thank you to all of its customers for their ongoing support during the last few months. We would also like to extend that thanks and gratitude to the NHS, key workers and support staff in doing a magnificent job during this difficult time.

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June 2020

Advertorial

Is your device a bad Apple?

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HAIR & BEAUTY

Locks in Lockdown

How to avoid your quarantine hair quandaries As you read this, we are still in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown. As the days, weeks and - heaven forbid - months drag on, so does the unstoppable march of roots, grey hairs and split ends.

You may have seen that early in the lockdown, male actors and footballers were all over social media, showing off their new lockdown buzz cuts. However, opting for a DIY do can be fraught with danger.

Literally, if you don’t know what you’re doing with scissors or clippers.

Ironically, before we were all ordered to stay at home one of the gents at our salon walked in and baffled his regular stylist by telling her that he was thinking of growing his hair long again. What did he know that we didn’t?!

Coluring your hair

Anyway, if you’re thinking that DIY stands for Dye It Yourself, a word of Craig warning. Be careful. If you’re not 100% confident about colouring your hair at home, don’t. Always do a patch test first, to make sure you don’t suffer an allergic reaction. The chemical found in many home dyeing kits, PPD, is quite harsh and can produce a reaction. The last thing anyone wants is to trouble the NHS in the middle of the Coronavirus crisis with a dodgy dye job.

Grey hair can be tricky, as there’s no pigment in the base to lift. So, it can be difficult to achieve a truly satisfying result from home colourants, especially when you could end up with a tone that looks a bit like cat wee or butterscotch-flavour Angel Delight.

Neither shade does your skin tone a favour. Trust me!

But if they’re the don’ts, what are the dos? Here are my tips for quality quarantine hair: If you have dyed hair, touch-up root sprays are fantastic. A quick spritz and you can mask the different shade instantly and the colour will safely wash out.

Don’t forget to keep conditioning your hair. You could also try a hair mask, as there is a huge variety for different needs and hair types.

Consider parting your hair in a different way. Doing this can either hide or indeed show off your natural ‘highlights’. The chap I mentioned who wants to grow his hair has done this and has a fine ‘Mallon Streak’ that he’s very chuffed with. Alternatively, a diagonal parting is a great way to make your roots a little less prominent.

Of course, if all else fails a hat covers a multitude of sins. Literally.

by Craig Smith Director of Grateful Heads Hair Salon

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Really positive signs Hopson Property Services

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Advertorial

Inspiring happy fitness around the town Standing on the start line of the Hockley Park Run last winter, Pete realised that everyone around him was wearing black sportswear.

Fast forward 12 months, and alongside our full-time jobs in marketing and advertising, we’ve launched a cool online side-hustle brand with a range of fun fitness shorts and leggings which are sure to make you stand out from a “socially-distanced” crowd!

Happy Minds We both love keeping fit, especially running, because it helps us to keep a happy mind. Exercise is proven to release endorphins and so doesn’t only just help our bodies physically, but mentally too. When we were creating our brand, supporting mental health and happy minds was really important, so happystride felt like the perfect name.

Our bright coloured clothing reflects happiness too – we have bright banana, parrot, leopard print, avocado and snakes & ladders designs and are always thinking about our next design! With every sale, we also donate money to mental health charities and in 2019 we supported Mind Charity.

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Test, Learn, Grow As a small business, we’ve learnt a lot and so our new range of shorts include some cool features based on ideas from our customers. These include unisex sizing, tight inner shorts (great to prevent chafing, says Sam!) phone pocket and small key pouch. We’ve branched outside of just running too- with happystride shorts being worn for cycling, virtual exercise classes, hockey, netball, yoga, tennis.. and even golf! We’ve been really overwhelmed by the positive comments from customers and support, and have had sales from Germany, USA, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Get Out There!

Having both grown up locally, it’s been so amazing seeing more and more local customers feel empowered to get out running during lockdown and wear their happystride shorts. During the strange time that we’re all going through, it’s important to look after our bodies, so why not try a virtual exercise class, grab a skipping rope or do a short run along our beautiful seafront- we’re so lucky to have it!

Whatever you decide, we wish you happy striding!

by Sam & Pete Goldring Co-founders of Happystride from Leigh on Sea

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Barn owl in flight

ENVIRONMENT

How Coronavirus is affecting our wildlife

As you are aware, coronavirus has had a substantial impact on almost everything we do in our daily lives, but how has it impacted our environment?

Our habitats Essex is home to an abundance of natural habitats such as saltmarshes, wetlands, mudflats and ancient woodlands, all of which house key species that are important for conservation.

Essex County Council are responsible for the protection of these habitats by upholding legislations and meeting targets set out by the government. However, it is Essex Wildlife Trust that deals with the majority of the hands-on environmental management work.

Temporarily furloughed Essex Wildlife Trust has temporarily furloughed 60% of their staff until further notice, meaning a significant reduction in the speed at which their projects can be completed. Although, in their latest coronavirus announcement, nothing has been said on how the volunteering opportunities have been affected. One can only assume, rather optimistically, that people are still allowed to volunteer their time to help. A lot of conservation organisations, such as the Essex Wildlife Trust, organise events in-order to establish a relationship between the public and nature. None of these events are able to take place during this pandemic and therefore you 46

can argue that the divide between the public and nature has only increased. To further support this claim, since March 17th the Trust has closed all of their Nature Discovery Centres, playgrounds and car parks along with five of their nature reserves.

Not all hope is lost!

However, there are still plenty of ways in which the environment has benefited from the pandemic. One of which is the reduction of vehicle usage. This causes an increase in invertebrate populations that use roadside verges as a habitat. This also allows populations of species that often go unnoticed such as lichen, who provide us with oxygen, to increase because they are hypersensitive to CO2 levels. Another way the environment has benefited is through us.

Being isolated at home has led to more people paying attention to their gardens. This betterquality habitat from garden to garden causes the formation of wildlife corridors. Species use these corridors to travel amongst the urban world.

This increases gene flow between populations, reducing the risk of inbreeding.

We can all do our bit to help aid wildlife during this time, for more information visit the Essex Wildlife Trust website: www.essexwt.org.uk Alex Rowe local resident, studying Ecology in Bristol.

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A1 Glazing 12 DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIR Cloudy2Clear 22 Discount Window Clinic 42 DRIVEWAYS DP Resin Driveways 34 ELECTRICAL Emergency Electrician 48 Need an Electrician 41 RDM Electrical 6 DMB Electrcial 44 ESTATE AGENTS Hunt Roche 3/21 Hopsons 42 Dedman Gray 56 ESTATE PLANNING Oracle Estate Planning 31 EQUITY RELEASE Essex Equity Release 1 FUNERAL SERVICES AR Adams Funeral Services 44 FURNITURE RESTORERS Richard Attfield 43 TS Baskett 51 FURNITURE SHOWROOM John James 14 GARAGES RS Automotive 28 Service Garage 23 GARDEN FURNITURE Highgate Furniture 8 GARDEN SERVICES Paul’s Gardening 18 GIFT SHOP & HEALING The Crystal Tree 49 GUTTER CLEANING Super Gutter Vac 34 HANDYMAN Piper Construction 29 HOUSE CLEARANCE ATS House Clearance 26 HYPNOBIRTHING The Nurture Nest 29

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INTERIOR DESIGN Janet Williamson Interior Design 17 IT SUPPORT Applecheck 39 LANDSCAPE GARDENING RJM Landscaping 43 Bespoke Resin Surfaces 15 Pollen Landscapes 29 LOCKSMITHS Keytek Locksmiths 19 Brights Locksmiths 35 MARBLE WORKTOPS Abbey Marble 18 MOBILITY SOLUTIONS John Howard Mobility 4 OPTICAL CC Optical 50 PLASTERER Jones & Sons 4 PLUMBING & HEATING Sonray Heating 26 Hammond & Sons 47 Robert Bailey Plumbing & Heating 42 ATS Heating & Plumbing 34 REFUSE COLLECTION Veolia 12 RENDERING MSR Rendering 53 RESTAURANTS The Bay Botanical 7 ROOFING SERVICES CSJ Freeman & Sons 26 High-Tech Membrane Roofing 32/33 P Howarth Roofing 51 SPORTSWEAR Happystride 45 STAINED GLASS Beautiful Glass By Design 49 TREE SERVICES Tree-King 47 Mike’s Tree Services 50 TUITION Kumon 11 Zoe Reynolds 41 UPHOLSTERY Castell's custom trim & upholstery 19

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