The Laindon Hotel, built in 1896, stood in High Road, Laindon
between Durham Road and Aston Road. In the late 1880s proposals for a racecourse at Laindon
were first announced and a company, Laindon Park Limited, formed with the intention of purchasing
around 350 acres of land, much of it belonging to Great Gubbins, and to provide all the necessary
amenities associated with such a scheme. Unfortunately the venture failed, although a course and
fencing was laid out, and the hotel, which formed part of the package, was completed in 1896. It was built by
Frederick Dupont, builder and contractor, of 35 North Hill, Colchester, whose
tender of £3,310, to include stabling, was accepted around March of 1896. Its design was the work
of Mr. T.T. Matthews, architect and surveyor, of Camden Town, London. Mr. Alfred William Paul
was holder of the first licence which transferred to Charles Newton on 16th August, 1906. During the pubs early
years, Seabrooke and Sons Ltd, Brewers, of Bridge Road, Grays provided the
ale. In 1929 brewery giant Charrington & Co. Ltd. of Mile End, London acquired the pub after a
take over of Seabrooke's and from 1967 following a merger with Bass became part of the Bass
Charrington chain. Through the years the pub had also provided entertainment. A small
stage in the lounge bar played host to many a musical act including in 1969 the Hotel's own
'Bunny Girls' made up of Rosemary Carr, Linda Gibbs, Sylvia Hammond and Anna Phipp. The landlord
at this time was Bob Richards and his wife Wynne. An upstairs room could also be hired for
private functions. It was still known as the Laindon Hotel in 1974 when Charrington's had it
refurbished. Part of the work included a new larger lounge bar created at the expense of the
saloon bar as well as a new larger stage. Ron and Ann Ewens were in charge at the time of these
changes. Its change of name to The Laindon occurred sometime around the late 1970s or early
1980s. Regular entertainment was provided on the Lounge bar's new stage which included
appearances from local chart act 'The Pinkees' in the early 1980s. Steps down to an enclosed garden;
used as a bowls green, led from the Lounge bar. The pub closed closed in the late 1980s and
lay empty for several years before a series of arson attacks rendered its condition a danger. It
was finally demolished during April 1991 by contractors A.1 Demolition Limited. The Hotel's grounds were extensive
and included a football pitch on land to the rear of the building
which was used by various teams including the Berry Boys, and the pubs own Laindon Hotel United,
whose running costs included high fencing to the rear of Bedford Road properties. Local school sporting events were
also held on the meadow. The site, more than 20 years later, had become overgrown and appeared neglected when a
planning application was submitted in 2012 for K.F.C. (Kentucky Fried Chicken) to run a drive-thru take away
and restaurant. The plan, submitted by Laindon Holdings, made local headlines but was turned
down by Basildon Council as unsuitable for the area following objections from local residents. Late
in 2012 a revised application, still involving K.F.C., on the now cleared site was submitted and
also turned down. This application also went to appeal but was unsuccessful. A third application turned down
by the council was successfully overturned on appeal. | 
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