Southend vs Basildon (1973)

Here's a great short film made by Essex County Council, from 1973. From the era where planners ran in fear of the car, this film shows how Southend took the example of the new town of Basildon and pedestrianised its town centre.





There's plenty of great shots of both towns, and lots of luridly dressed early 70s shoppers. And there's the tail end of that postwar optimistic moment which still pervades this film, shot as it was on the cusp of the death of those dreams, as the oil shocks hit, the three day week came in, and industrial action was round the corner.