Leigh-on-Sea is a civil parish in Essex. It is a district of Southend-on-Sea, with its own town council, and is at present the only civil parish within the borough. The town is positioned on the northern side of the Thames estuary, being just several miles from the open waters of the North Sea and from the Kent coast. Featuring on the town's coastal area is a nature reserve at Two Tree Island and a centrally located beach next to Bell Wharf. Leigh's foreshore is mainly seen as being an area with considerable mud flats and creeks when the water is at low tide. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, Broadway, formerly a residential street, was changed into a commercial parade of shopfronts. In the 1930s, London Road and Leigh Road additionally ended up being acknowledged as commercial roads, holding shops, workshops, industrial facilities, and amusement venues. As a result of the prominence of 24 hour supermarkets and online shopping from the 1990s, many of the town's independent small business underwent redevelopment, with bars, cafés, restaurants, galleries and gift shops replacing the majority of the traditional stores. Continuing urban regeneration continues to lure brand-new residents to the town, in addition to planning to accommodate for the boost in Southend's increased population. With a population of over 20000, Leigh was ranked by Rightmove's 2016 Happy at Home Index as the happiest area to live in Great Britain, with attention being drawn to the strong community spirit, a sense of belonging, and great access to sports and arts activities. A range of local events are well established, such as the Leigh Regatta, happening over one September weekend, the Leigh Folk Festival and the Leigh Art Trail. For all your home upgrades, make certain to make use of credible specialists in Leigh-on-Sea to make certain of quality.