Southend club Tots 2000 is to shut down for eight weeks next year for a major facelift - and a possible name-change.

The club, in Lucy Road, will close on New Year's Day for the major revamp - including the creation of a new bar with a sea view.

Although many details about the club's makeover are yet to be made public, major changes - including the name of the club - could be on the cards as bosses have adopted the slogan "Prepare for total change".

Carol Reeve, a director of the club, said: "We are closing for a massive refurbishment and we will be closed from January 1 for about eight weeks.

"There will be a discotheque, along with a new lounge area that will be opening around the end of February.

"We will be having a roof-top bar overlooking the sea and that will be opening in April."

The club opened in 1972 as Talk of the South, which became abbreviated to Tots in the 1970s and was changed to Tots 2000 in 1993.

However, the club looks set for a change of name once again, and there could be a change of its target clientele as well.

Miss Reeve said: "We will be changing the name of the club but I can't tell you what it will be and we do envision a change of clientele.

"The rooftop bar will be separate to the main discotheque."

She would not discuss the exact amount of cash set to be poured into the refurbishment of the club.

She said: "It is a lot of money but I am not in a position to say how much yet."

Last month Southend Council gave planning permission for a new entrance to be built at the club, including new entrance steps, an awning and a canopy at the Lucy Road entrance.

Published Tuesday November 20, 2001