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 positioned on the northern edge 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 situated beach beside Bell Wharf. Leigh's foreshore is mostly viewed as being an area with substantial mud flats and creeks when the water is at low tide. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, Broadway, formerly a residential street, was converted into a commercial parade of shopfronts. In the 1930s, London Road and Leigh Road also became acknowledged as commercial roads, holding shops, workshops, commercial facilities, and leisure sites. Because of the prominence of 24 Hr supermarkets and online shopping from the 1990s, a number of the town's independent small business underwent redevelopment, with bars, cafés, restaurants, galleries and gift shops replacing many of the traditional shops. Continuous city regeneration continues to draw in new residents to the town, in addition to intending to accommodate for the rise in Southend's increased population. With a population of over 20000, Leigh was rated 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 fantastic access to sports and arts activities. A range of local 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 certain to make use of respected professionals in Leigh-on-Sea to make certain of quality.