A POPULAR nightclub chain could arrive in Southend later this year.

Bar Fever Ltd, which operates more than 30 nightclubs across the UK, has applied for a licence at the former Mayhem nightclub.

Estate agent Dedman Gray has listed the unit on property site Rightmove, describing it as a restaurant to let, for £150,000 per year.

Mike Gray, from Dedman Gray, said: “It is such good news to see that the ever popular Mayhem club will once again provide an entertainment venue for Southend town centre after being one of Southend’s most popular and busiest clubs for many years.

“It is always disappointing when established venues decide to stop trading and we certainly welcome a new opportunity into the town willing to make such an investment in these premises.”

He added that Bar Fever was already carrying out an extensive refurbishment.

Milton Ward Labour councillor Julian Ware-Lane said: “As councillors we are committed to seeing a resurgence in the town centre, and so the news that an empty unit may have a new operator is extremely welcome. However, there are considerations we have to make with safety in the town centre.

“On one hand, a new nightclub might mean more issues for residents who live nearby, but on the other a thriving nighttime economy in the town centre could discourage the levels of antisocial and violent crime we have seen in recent times.

“People think they can get away with certain behaviour in our town centre because it is so quiet, but encouraging a presence in the area could reduce that.

“It will prove to be a case of keeping checks and balances, encouraging new business, addressing the worries of residents, and making sure Southend is a safe.”

Conservative ward Councillor Jonathan Garston said: “As an administration we have been working hard to regenerate the town centre, and so the news that a new nightclub could soon be coming is fantastic.

“We will of course work with nearby residents and our partners in the town during the planning process to ensure that any disruption to them is kept to a minimum.

The unit in Maitland House, Warrior Square, has stood empty since January 2 last year, when the former nightclub closed after 11 years of trading.