Southend's Royal Hotel re-opens Thursday

One of Southend's most iconic buildings is getting ready to re-open to the public, six months after it abruptly closed.
The Royal Hotel on the corner of the High Street and Royal Terrace has been taken over by a mother and daughter team. 28 year old Jolene Fowler and 53 year old Janet Hills already run The Castle Hotel and pub on Eastern Esplanade, but leapt at the opportunity to acquire the lease on the Royal.