Southend Bans Fast Food Near Schools

Southend-on-Sea City Council has implemented a new policy to combat childhood obesity by refusing planning applications for hot food takeaways and fast-food outlets situated within a 400m exclusion zone around schools. This measure was approved on July 13, 2026, following a public health report that highlighted concerning statistics: 33.8% of children were identified as obese or overweight upon leaving primary school.

The council's local plan, guiding development until 2040, already recommended this 400m exclusion zone. This initiative is part of a broader 'battle against the bulge,' acknowledging that existing environments do not adequately support good health for students. With 219 fast food establishments in Southend, exceeding the national average relative to its population, the density of such outlets is particularly high in more disadvantaged communities, according to the director of public health.