KFC on Stephenson Road wants to serve until 5am and objections close on 29 September. Five licence bids are open in Southend, with deadlines to 15 October.

The KFC at 9 Stephenson Road in Eastwood has applied to serve late night refreshment from 11pm to 5am. Anyone who wants to object has until 29 September, which is Tuesday week.

It is one of five live applications on the city council’s own register of licence applications, read this morning (Southend-on-Sea City Council). Three of the five are new since we last checked the register at the end of August.

The council’s wording for the KFC bid is short: “Full Variation Late night refreshment 11pm to 5am”, reference 26/01419/LAPREM, Eastwood Park ward. A full variation means the premises already holds a licence and wants its terms changed. We could not confirm today what the existing hours are, because the council’s PublicAccess licensing search returned a server error.

The five applications, and the date you have to object by

Premises Ward What is applied for Objections by
South Street Coffee House, 785 Southchurch Road Southchurch New premises licence. Alcohol on and off the premises 10:00 to 22:00 daily, recorded music indoors 07:00 to 22:00, opening 07:00 to 22:00 24 September
KFC, 9 Stephenson Road, Eastwood Eastwood Park Full variation. Late night refreshment 11pm to 5am 29 September
Fishnchickn Ltd, trading as Churchill’s Fish and Chips, 183 The Broadway, Thorpe Bay Thorpe New premises licence. Alcohol on the premises 11:30 to 22:00 daily, opening 11:30 to 22:00 6 October
Jms Convenience, 121 Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea Leigh Full variation. Alcohol off the premises 08:00 to 02:00 daily 7 October
Garon Park Driving Range Cafe Bar, Garon Park Southchurch New premises licence. Alcohol on and off the premises 10:00 to 22:00 daily, recorded music 10:00 to 22:00 15 October

References, in the same order: 26/01334/LAPREM, 26/01419/LAPREM, 26/01383/LAPREM, 26/01465/LAPREM and 26/01578/LAPREM.

Southend licence application objection deadlines, September and October 2026 Five deadlines. South Street Coffee House 24 September. KFC Eastwood 29 September. Churchill’s Fish and Chips Thorpe Bay 6 October. Jms Convenience Leigh 7 October. Garon Park Driving Range Cafe Bar 15 October. Today is 23 September. When the objection window closes on each Southend licence bid Source: Southend-on-Sea City Council register of latest licence applications, read 23 September 2026 23 Sep1 Oct16 Oct South Street Coffee House 24 Sep, tomorrow

KFC, Eastwood 29 Sep

Churchill’s, Thorpe Bay 6 Oct

Jms Convenience, Leigh 7 Oct

Garon Park Cafe Bar 15 Oct Bars run from today to the last day the licensing authority will accept a written representation. Graphic by Southend Today

Two things about this process most people do not know

If nobody objects, the council has no choice. The register puts it plainly: “If we do not get any objections to the applications then we must grant the application.” A hearing only happens if a representation is made and cannot be resolved.

Your name and address go to the applicant. The council says the 2005 hearings regulations require it to give applicants “copies of any relevant representations made in full (including personal data such as name and address)”, and adds: “The Licensing Authority will not edit your letter of representation before it sends it out.” If the matter reaches a sub-committee, the letter goes in the public agenda and personal data may appear in the published minutes.

A representation also has to be in writing and has to address at least one of the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety, or the protection of children from harm. A general objection that does not touch one of those four is not a relevant representation. Letters go to licact2003@southend.gov.uk or to the Licensing Authority on floor 5 of the Civic Centre on Victoria Avenue, and must carry a full postal address to be valid. A false statement in connection with an application carries a fine of up to £5,000.

What changed since August

We listed five applications on 31 August in Southend pub bids for 6am alcohol delivery. Three of those have now come off the register: The Blue Boar’s 6am delivery variation, the Entice sexual entertainment licence renewal, and Belgrave Service Station’s bid for 24-hour off-sales. The council does not publish the outcomes on this page, only the open applications, so coming off the list is not evidence either way.

One correction to our own timetable. On 31 August the register gave 22 September as the deadline for objections to Churchill’s in Thorpe Bay. It now gives 6 October. The council has not explained the change, and the reference, 26/01383/LAPREM, is the same.

What it means for you

  • Tomorrow, 24 September, is the last day to object to the South Street Coffee House application on Southchurch Road.
  • Tuesday 29 September is the last day to object to KFC serving until 5am in Eastwood.
  • 6, 7 and 15 October are the deadlines for Churchill’s in Thorpe Bay, Jms Convenience on Leigh Broadway and the Garon Park cafe bar.
  • Write to licact2003@southend.gov.uk, include your full postal address, and say which of the four licensing objectives your objection relates to.
  • Expect your letter, including your name and address, to be sent to the applicant unedited.
  • Saying nothing is a decision. With no representations, the council must grant.

Sources