Southend's police chief has said the town needs to shed its violent reputation before a £52million college opens in 2004.
Chief Supt Mick Thwaites said work needs to be done to quash people's perception that Southend is violent and has called on club owners, the borough council, transport leaders and the public to work with him to achieve it.
In September, South East Essex College announced it had signed formal contracts for the building of a massive new campus in the town centre.
The development, on a site behind the former Odeon Cinema in the High Street, will effectively turn Southend into a university town and will draw thousands of teenagers to the area.
Mr Thwaites said: "It is critical that we change people's perception of Southend as a violent town."
Published Friday November 1, 2002
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