Several reports have been received about these signs. The appear to be black-and-gold finger post signs which stretch for several miles along Southend Promenade to Westcliff-on-Sea and beyond, all giving distances in metres to places like the nearest toilets, the pier etc.

An investigation wil be carried out shortly

The signs are circular metal signs in brown and green lettering, about 1' 6" in diameter, not cast iron.

They record the distance along Southend promenade every 500 metres from start and finish (a total distance of 7,500 metres). Each is a double sign, e.g. '2,500 metres' and '5,000 metres', weach accompanied by the slogan 'Healthy Southend'. They're intended for walkers and joggers.

These signs therefore parallel the similar signs on Eastbourne promenade, where a shadowy Irish Health Group put up money to Eastbourne Council _on condition that the signs were in metric_. Eastbourne Council originally said they wanted the signs in miles and yards, but were then told by the Irish goup that it was 'metric - or _no funds_ at all'.

Consideration is being given to replacing the metre signs with information showing distances at 2 1/2 furlong intervals.

NOTE: Also spotted, a sign on Marine Parade: 'Toilet
- 120m'. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have been notified.

Tony Bennett, UKIP

I've seen a few references to furlongs in this forum. One of the strengths of our campaign is that people feel more comfortable with customary measures than metric. We risk shooting ourselves in the foot by using furlongs (especially if in units of 2.5 furlongs!) - people who like horseracing may well be knowledgeable, but I'd bet the rest of the public won't. 2.5 furlongs = 550yds, which seems a much better thing to put up. Or use thirds of a mile (approximate, but better than metres).

The counter-argument to this is that to use furlongs may promote discussion. It'll attract much more interest than '1/3 mile'. If indeed we succeed in replacing the signs, using 1/3 mile won't work out over the entire distance (nearly 5 miles of promenade), wheras 2 1/2 furlongs equals 500 metres, give or take a few inches. My judgment is that people resent metres far more than they will furlongs. We will consider what you say

If we support yards, we are holding a defensive position. If we support furlongs, we are going onto the offensive. It would certainly provoke discussion and interest.
However, it has not been BWMA's strategic position to promote less well known units at the expense of those still in the public mind. We are still fighting to hold the lb/oz front.
John, BWMA

If you want to get people talking, stick with furlongs, that sure got me thinking. I agree with Tony, simply replacing it with a mile equivalent is unlikely to attract much notice other than the sign no longer displays meters. That's just my thought though...

Bill Roland

The traffic sign (on an island along the dual carriageway) saying: ' Toilets 120m ' on Marine Parade, (Southend promenade) has now been covered over with a white sticky label _by the Council_ (following a letter from UKIP's 'Guard the Yard' Campaign). Regrettably, Southend-on-Sea haven't (yet) gone further and put up the correct distance in yards.

Tony Bennett
01279 635789

During the week, all 32 metric distance signs along Southend promenade have been de-metrified, the metric distances being scraped off and very attractive 7-inch circular Department of Tranpsort-quality reflective labels in Imperial distances substituted. An added advantage of the new labels is that they are completely legible in the dark, whereas the previous metric distances could not be read after dusk.

Every 500 metres along the prom is a sign giving the distances from Chalkwell and Shoeburyness respectively in 2 1/2-furlong intervals e.g. the one near the pier says '2 1/2 miles' on one side and '2 miles 1 1/2 furlongs' on the other side.

Hundreds of people witnessed the de-metrification operation, including a crowd of 5 police officers arresting a motorist nearby but the job was completed without incident.

Regrettably I have no camera at present so I have no 'before' nor 'after' photographs of the signs

Tony Bennett

Tonight's Southend 'Yellow Advertiser' has a front page lead on the Southend demetrification exercise, including, I'm told, a picture of U.K. Independence Party General Election candidate for Castle Point (close to Southend), Ron Hurrell, by one of the amended signs.

Southend Council have responded to the newspaper by saying they will tear off the new labels and re-substitute metric distances.

When asked for a quote by the reporter, I said: "If they take our signs down, we will over-label them again with British distances within days. We will go on doing this again and again until the Council gets the point"

Tony Bennett