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 merely a few miles from the open waters of the North Sea and from the Kent coast. Featuring on the town's seaside area is a nature reserve at Two Tree Island and a centrally situated beach close to Bell Wharf. Leigh's foreshore is primarily seen as being an area with notable mud flats and creeks when the water is at low tide. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, Broadway, formerly a residential street, was transformed into a commercial parade of shopfronts. In the 1930s, London Road and Leigh Road similarly became acknowledged as commercial streets, holding shops, workshops, industrial facilities, and amusement venues. Because of the prominence of 24 Hr grocery stores and online shopping from the 1990s, most of the town's independent small business undertook redevelopment, with bars, cafés, eateries, galleries and gift shops replacing the majority of the traditional shops. Ongoing urban regeneration continues to catch the attention of new residents to the town, alongside planning to accommodate for the increase 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 place 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 number of local celebrations 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 house upgrades, make sure to make use of reliable contractors in Leigh-on-Sea to make certain of quality.