Basildon.info – Basildon History

Southwalk / Bus station

South Walk, located in Basildon’s town centre, was originally built as part of Blenheim House and consisted of twenty individual shop units, each serving the growing needs of the town.

Among the first tenants were Smith’s Furniture, James H. Bews Florist, H.T. Dwyer’s newsagents and toy shop, and Welcome Sewing Centre.

Smith’s Furniture later became Marc Jasons Shoeworld and eventually a charity bookshop.

The florist transitioned to F.E.J. Green & Sons, combining floral services with funeral furnishing.

H.T. Dwyer’s newsagent transformed into Newswell, continuing its focus on toys and daily essentials.

Welcome Sewing was replaced by a succession of fashion and craft stores, including E & M Fashions, Toys Plus, and Weddingday Belles.

Unit 5 began as a Wimpy Bar, briefly became Starburger, and returned to its original identity.

Unit 6 saw a succession of fashion retailers including Gertrude Fashion House, Millie’s, and Sarah Paul.

Unit 7, initially Lush & Cook, later became Smith’s Dry Cleaners.

Units 8 and 9 housed electronics and home goods, beginning as Radio Maintenance, then Rumbelows, Home Charm, and finally Wise Butchers.

Unit 10 transitioned from Basildon Surplus Supplies to Shop Here & Save and later Peachey’s Fresh Fare, at times accommodating greengrocers and a newsagent.

Unit 11 hosted travel services such as Exchange Travel Agency and Hogg Robinson Travel.

Units 12 and 13 were initially a toy and nursery centre under H.T. Dwyer before becoming Zodiac and Beau Baggage, offering toys, baby items, and specialty goods.

Unit 14 began as Phillips Hair Fashions and later became Waxham/Partners Hairdressing before a pet and aquatic store took its place.

Unit 15 saw bakeries like Nu-Bake and Betabake as well as Shoe Crazy.

Units 16 to 18 transitioned from the Seafarer restaurant to Chariots Chip Shop & Restaurant.

Unit 19 started as Cornish & Watson, then M.J. Revell Carpets & Bedding, and later housed an optician.

Unit 20 originally was John Creed Decorations and later became SupaSnaps for photo processing.

Above the western end of South Walk, the Locarno Ballroom opened in 1961, becoming a prominent social and entertainment venue.

Over the decades, as the town centre developed and commercial needs shifted, South Walk evolved from a traditional shopping parade into the modern Basildon Bus Station, integrating transport facilities while preserving the history of the original units.

Today, Basildon’s bus station along South Walk remains an important hub for the town. It still uses a saw-tooth layout for its bus bays, a design that dates back to the 1960s. Over the years, the station has been upgraded to improve passenger comfort and accessibility. A fully enclosed canopy was added in the 1990s to shelter people waiting for buses, and in recent years the approaches to the bus bays were raised to make boarding and alighting easier.

Modern plans for the area focus on making the bus station a sustainable transport hub, with better connections, safer pedestrian areas, and improved waiting facilities. Despite these improvements, some parts of the station, such as the canopy supports and pedestrian concourse, can feel a little crowded and may make moving through the station less smooth. Ongoing road works and changes in the surrounding streets can occasionally disrupt services, but the station continues to serve as a central point for public transport in Basildon.