Less genteel amusement is on offer at the Cliffs Pavilion where, for a fraction of London prices, concert-goers can catch the likes of actor and comedian Jackie Mason and indie band the Zutons (appearing in November).

In warmer weather, Southend's population of 170,000 booms at weekends. If you've already stocked up on the standard British seaside confectionery (the likes of 'rock', a sugary wand with the name of the relevant seaside town in candy lettering) and had your fish and chips at the Arches (a series of restaurants tucked into road archways), head to Leigh on Southend's western fringe.

This is the place for art galleries and boutiques. Along the seafront are cockle sheds housing vendors of fresh, home-smoked and pickled seafood. The dunes of East Beach in Shoeburyness, just beyond neighbouring Thorpe Bay, are home to a collective of serious kite flyers and kite-boarders.

Back in Southend proper, apart from the amusement arcades there are the Sea-Life Adventure aquarium, two casinos, a handful of museums (southendmuseums.co.uk), the planetarium and yet more art galleries.

Essex folk are often the targets of unfair ribbing across Britain, with the Southend area considered the home of the 'chav', someone whose look combines expensive sportswear with bling jewellery.

The region's archaeological excavations receive less attention, even though the few pre-historic remains of Essex Man - a species called homo heidelbergensis - were found not far from Southend in 2004. When it was a Saxon settlement, from AD500 to 850, Southend was known as Prittlewell, and the first remains of the period were unearthed by workmen in 1923. Some of the gold coins, bronze bowls and other items found can be viewed at Southend Central Museum.

Southend has two railway stations, which connect it to London's Liverpool Street and Victoria stations. Its small airport offers flights to Jersey only, but is expected to host international services by the time the 2012 Olympics are held in London.