THE remains of Southend’s old seafront pub are finally set to be swept away within the next three months.

The Esplanade Pub, in Western Esplanade, has had a controversial and rocky history.

Over the course of the last ten years, numerous developers have tried and failed to demolish the site to make way for new developments, which have ranged from restaurants, hotels and houses.

Now, the pub has finally fallen victim TO arsonists, having been targeted six times within the last two years. It closed its doors for the final time in October 2016.

Plans to remove the pub were first mooted in 2008 when Southend Council planned to sell the land to redevelop it as a luxury hotel by developers Renewal Southend, which owned the business at the time.

Despite concerns, the authority approved the plans in April 2010, which would see the four storey, 58-bed hotel be built “in time for the summer Olympics” according to Renewal at the time.

However, by 2012, the land on the pub’s site was up for sale again for £1.1 million.

It was bought in 2015 by Swedish firm Redab Properties, which submitted an application to convert it into apartments, which was rejected.

The following year, the firm reported it had lost £404,497 – half of the pub’s value – in trying to push through development.

In 2016, a planning application for 23 flats on the site was approved by Southend Council but was later abandoned again in 2017 when the previous developer was unable to finalise the details.

The pub closed its doors for the final time on October 22, 2016, after the crumbling cliffs damaged the building beyond repair, with cracks appearing in the kitchen walls and fractures in the piping, and was declared a health and safety risk.

Then, the string of arson attacks of the now-derelict building began.

Four fires were started throughout June and July 2017, with another taking place on November 26, 2018.

During this time, it was described as a “death trap” by firefighters.

Finally, on December 22, 2018, after a tumultuous few years for the building, it fell victim to arsonists and was reduced to a smouldering wreck.

Despite this, the future of the site is looking brighter – with developers Beyond the Box Developments Ltd, still intending to press ahead with its plans to create 49 flats and two restaurants.

The ambitious proposals to knock down the pub and neighbouring Marriott’s Fish and Chip Shop, was given planning approval in August.

The work is set to begin at the end of February, with director James Struth not deterred by the building burning down, and is pleased the start date is close.

He said: “It’s been a lengthy road; we’ve suffered delays, but the fire isn’t going to affect us.

“We’re just in the process of firming up the final reserved matters of the application to go through.

“There have been a few to get through, it’s a complicated process, but it’s going to happen.”

It is estimated the construction of the building would create around 100 jobs and the restaurants are also expected to create additional jobs.