WE MAY soon be able to stroll along south Essex beaches and watch the summer sun set at 11pm if MPs approve suggestions to move the clocks forward.

The cafe culture enjoyed by our European neighbours could become a reality for Brits thanks to the Lighter Later campaign, which has been launched to introduce Double Summer Time in the UK on a three-year trial.

This would mean adding an extra hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter, and an extra two hours in the summer months – bringing us into line with most European countries.

Currently, Brits put their watches forward by an hour on the last Sunday in March, and start what is known as British Summer Time, first introduced in 1916.

On the last Sunday in October, we put our watches back one hour to come back in line with GMT.

The campaign is being led by Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay in Devon, who argues lighter evenings would boost tourism and give people an extra hour to pursue sport and leisure activities. Southend will be well placed to make the most of such a scheme.

The seafront is undergoing a multimillion-pound transformation and plush hotels, like the newly refurbished Palace Hotel, as well as those planned at the airport and on the Esplanade pub site on the seafront, are sure to entice more visitors to the town.

The £7million City Beach scheme will make the promenade along the Golden Mile a welcoming place for those extra visitors to enjoy the town’s attractions.

Along with the ever-popular Adventure Island and Sealife centre, there will be a new cliff museum. Lighting columns 100ft high will illuminate the seafront area when the sun does finally set and palm trees have already been planted to give a tropical feel. By the time the project is complete, the area is likely to be buzzing with cafes and bars in which people can enjoy the longer days.

The change is predicted to be worth up to £150million a year to tourism in Devon and Cornwall alone, and £3billion across the UK, creating 80,000 jobs.

But the lighter evenings could have other benefits. A study by scientists at Cambridge University has concluded the scheme could cut carbon emissions because it will be light when people are at home in the evenings, so they won’t need to switch lights on.

Campaigners also argue the extra hour of daylight will help reduce rush-hour traffic, which is heavier in the evenings.

However, campaigners in Scotland are against the plan and argue later evenings would mean later mornings, which could be dangerous for schoolchildren and other people travelling in the early hours.

South Essex traders disagree and are all in favour of the move.

Lea Swann, who owns the Concord Cafe, on Canvey seafront, said: “I think it would be lovely. Obviously at the moment it’s light until 10pm and that’s great, but when you get towards the end of the summer, the nights start to draw in quickly.

“It starts to feel a bit wintry and that’s no good for us because the children are still on their summer holidays, so we should have lots of business. We’d really feel the benefit of an extra hour then. It would be just the lift we need.”

Simon Patterson, owner of Chinnery’s on Southend seafront, and chairman of Southend Seafront Illuminations and Business Association, agreed the move would be a boost for traders.

He said: “The longer the day is for us the better, especially in the current climate, where we need as much business as we can get.”

Nigel Holdcroft, leader of Southend Council, is also behind the proposal.

He said: “I think it’s a good idea. It’s always a nasty shock when we revert from summer to winter.

“If it’s being proposed we get more daylight when people are out and about, then that’s a good thing. All we would be doing is ensuring it’s lighter at a time when people are able to take advantage of it.”

A similar scheme was trialled between 1968 and 1971, when Britain stuck to GMT + 1 all year round. It was also introduced during the Second World War.