The people of Southend should stop knocking the area and put across the message that it is a great place to live, work and play, says town clerk George Kraweic.

He made his plea at the opening of Essex University's new Southend Centre at Princess Caroline House in the High Street, next to the Royal Hotel. "This may be just a small step for higher education as a whole but it is a giant one for the future of Southend as a university town," he said.

The people of the borough had to put forward the truth about the town's continuing success story, he added.

The new centre is in addition to the university's continuing undergraduate courses commitment with South East Essex College.

It will provide mostly postgraduate and continuing professional development courses and research as well as services to business.

Richard Lister, the university's director of regional development, said he believed both Southend and the college would benefit.

Published Wednesday, April 9, 2003

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