Historic England is putting £540,000 into the Kursaal to make it weather-tight and restore the dome entrance and ticket hall. There is still no reopening date.

The Kursaal has won £540,000 from Historic England to repair the building and restore its dome entrance and ticket hall. Southend-on-Sea City Council announced the grant on Thursday 15 October (Southend-on-Sea City Council).

It is the first sum of money attached to the restoration in public. When scaffolding went up around the dome last month, the council gave no cost and no programme. We covered that in Kursaal dome repairs start.

What the money pays for

The council says the grant will fund conservation and repair work on the Grade II listed building. It lists three problems: structural issues, water damage and “other deterioration”.

The work is meant to:

  • make the building weather-tight
  • make it structurally secure
  • make it suitable for more public access
  • restore the dome entrance and the ticket hall

The dome matters most because of what survives under it. When Historic England listed the building in 1994, most of the interior was derelict, but the central hall still held its glass inner dome, an iron gallery balustrade and elaborate plasterwork (Historic England, list entry 1236532). That is the space pictured above.

Who applied, and who holds the lease

The application came from the operator, not the council. Nick Singer, operations director at Star Amusements, put it together and submitted it, the council says.

“This funding is a significant boost for the project and will help us continue essential restoration work while respecting the Kursaal’s heritage,” he said. “We’re excited about its future and the role it can once again play in Southend’s leisure and entertainment offer.”

The council’s statement names the leaseholder for the first time as Remblance Leisure Ltd, “led by local operator Star Amusements”. Last month it named only Star Amusements. Companies House lists Remblance Leisure Limited as company 16878706, incorporated on 27 November 2025, with its registered office at 29 to 33 Marine Parade, Southend (Companies House). The council has still not published the lease terms or how long the lease runs.

The council leader, Cllr Daniel Cowan, said: “The Kursaal is one of Southend’s most iconic landmarks, and my administration has been determined to secure a future for the Kursaal. We’ve secured a new leaseholder who has already got restoration work underway. Now, together, we’ve secured another £540,000 to help bring this incredible building back to life.”

When will it reopen?

Nobody has said. The council calls the grant “the latest milestone” in a phased restoration and says further work is planned before the building can fully reopen to the public. The plan is to bring it back as what the council calls “a family-focused leisure and entertainment destination”.

The statement does not say:

  • what the whole restoration will cost, or how much of it the grant covers
  • whether the council is putting in money of its own
  • when the dome scaffolding will come down

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes on Southchurch Avenue yet. Expect the scaffolding to stay while the repairs continue.
  • This is repair money, not an opening. The grant is for making the building safe and dry and restoring two historic spaces.
  • If you want to follow the detail, any listed building consent for the works will appear on the council’s planning register. Our guide to Southend planning applications explains how to search it and how long you get to comment.

Sources