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 set 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 located beach beside Bell Wharf. Leigh's foreshore is mainly viewed 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 transformed into a commercial parade of shopfronts. In the 1930s, London Road and Leigh Road additionally became recognised as commercial streets, holding shops, workshops, commercial properties, and amusement areas. Because of the prominence of 24 Hr grocery stores and online shopping from the 1990s, a lot of the town's independent firms went through redevelopment, with bars, cafés, eateries, galleries and gift shops substituting the majority of the traditional stores. Ongoing urban regeneration continues to entice brand-new homeowners to the town, in addition to wanting to accommodate for the boost in Southend's increased population. With a population of over 20000, Leigh was listed 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 very good 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 house upgrades, make sure to make use of trusted contractors in Leigh-on-Sea to make certain of quality.