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 district. The town is located on the northern edge of the Thames estuary, being only a few 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 set beach alongside Bell Wharf. Leigh's foreshore is mostly viewed as being an area with notable mud flats and creeks when the water is at low tide. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, Broadway, previously a residential street, was converted into a commercial parade of shopfronts. In the 1930s, London Road and Leigh Road equally became acknowledged as commercial roads, holding shops, workshops, commercial facilities, and leisure areas. Because of the dominance of 24 Hr grocery stores and online shopping from the 1990s, most of the town's independent firms went through redevelopment, with bars, cafés, eateries, galleries and gift stores substituting most of the traditional shops. Continuous urban regeneration continues to lure new locals to the town, along with planning to accommodate for the growth in Southend's increased population. With a population of over 20000, Leigh was graded 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 excellent access to sports and arts ventures. A number of community events are well established, such as the Leigh Regatta, taking place over one September weekend, the Leigh Folk Festival and the Leigh Art Trail. For all your home upgrades, make sure to make use of respected experts in Leigh-on-Sea to make certain of quality.