c2c hooks up with Chamber of Commerce for Whitebait Festival

As patrons of the Essex Chamber of Commerce, c2c, the country's most punctual railway, is delighted to announce its sponsorship of the annual Whitebait Festival in Southend on 27 September. This begins with the 'Blessing of the Catch' service at 1200 followed by the traditional lunch of whitebait, of course, in the Cliffs Pavillion at Westcliff-on-Sea.

c2c operates the UK's most punctual rail service and visitors can easily attend by taking a c2c train to Westcliff.

The origins of this 300 year old festival are in a meeting of Essex businessmen in 1707, later evolving into a political celebration in London and eventually dying out with the whitebait in the polluted river water in 1840. Southend Chamber of Commerce revived the tradition in 1934 and continue to organise the event today.

Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of c2c, said, We are proud to serve Southend and South Essex and we're delighted that our first event as a Patron of the Essex Chamber of Commerce not only celebrates the past but also embraces the future for local business. Like the Chamber, we are committed to providing the best service possible for our customers and to grow along with the region. The Whitebait Festival offers the perfect opportunity for us to support a proud tradition that brings enjoyment to so many.