Warrior Square Gardens reopen after £1.8million makeover

A regeneration project to revitalise a green space in Southend town centre has been completed.

Redevelopment company Renaissance Southend made the successful bid to undertake the complete revamp of the run-down Warrior Square gardens. Funding for the scheme came from the Government’s Health & Communities Agency. Once the design was drawn up, the gates to the gardens were closed, allowing contractors to move in on 15 March 2010 and begin work.

After more than a year of work, the revamped Warrior Square Gardens were reopened to the public on the 28th May 2011. Hedges and fences around the boundaries of the gardens have been removed to open up the space. Walkways have been constructed on both sides of the gardens including limestone paving and wooden decking.

The entire North side of the green space is now a row of seating with stylish lamps above. The gardens were previously unlit so the lamps now ensure the space is a welcoming area into the evening.

Further additions to the gardens include a number of raised flower beds and a new cafe. The cafe’s roof is designed to look like a flower with petals. When the cafe is open, the ‘petals’ are open and when the cafe is closed at night, the ‘petals’ are folded down.

The transformation of the gardens is hoped to revive what had become a run-down area, used by drunks and drug addicts.