Southend’s Jazz Centre faces eviction from gallery venue

A cultural hub that celebrates all aspects of Jazz is facing eviction from its premises in Southend after the city's council announced plans to repurpose the space to store and display artefacts.

The Jazz Centre has been housed at the lower ground floor of Beecroft Art Gallery in Southend free of charge since 2016. It has used the space to host a walk-through history of jazz, a museum, performance spaces, a cinema and a retail outlet for jazz records and books. 

Carole Mulroney, Councillor responsible for Culture at Southend Council told Echo News that the council was working with the Jazz Centre to find alternative accommodation. 

“We are running a professional museum and arts gallery and we have to take that seriously. We have items to store and display,” she said.

“I am supportive of the Jazz Centre and nothing is off the table when it comes to talks and considerations.”

But Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal, said that requiring the jazz centre to move out “is a false economy”.

“It’s my view that the presence of the centre in Southend benefits and enriches the cultural life of Southend as a city,” he said, adding that he would speak to officers and cabinet members to try to find a solution.

Conservative councillor for Prettlewell, Kevin Buck, said “any move would be disruptive and cost money too”.

“I would much rather they stay where they are. I just want what they want,” he said.