{"id":1884,"date":"2012-03-12T07:41:35","date_gmt":"2012-03-12T13:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?p=1884"},"modified":"2012-03-12T07:41:35","modified_gmt":"2012-03-12T13:41:35","slug":"southend-gangster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bmovienation.com\/?p=1884","title":{"rendered":"Southend Gangster"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nA FILM director has caused a stir after labelling Southend \u201ca sort of low-rent English Las Vegas \u2013 a Vegas of the Third World\u201d.<\/p>\n

David Hughes, 37, the writer and director of a new British gangster film set in Southend, said he chose the town as the location for Hard Boiled Sweets before he cast any of the actors.<\/p>\n

He believed Southend was the perfect setting for his feature film, but his harsh opinions have raised a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cInstead of high-end hotels and swanky casinos, it has grotty bed and breakfasts and low-end slot machines and arcades. Into this setting, I\u2019ve placed a series of really hard-boiled characters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawn Jeakings, who manages the Royals Shopping Centre and is chairman of the Southend Town Centre Partnership, believes the comment is about Mr Hughes selling the film, not reality.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt is a gritty film and he is saying this for effect. Everyone knows what is in Southend and I am really passionate about the place.<\/p>\n

\u201cTown and cities all over the country will have their problems, but crime is down in Southend. We have great hotels, we have the airport and we have a lot of investment. We also have the pier and there is a great community feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

The comment came a week after former Southend Council leader Anna Waite said cash-strapped people living near the town centre were putting big brands off investing in the town.<\/p>\n

She posted a blog post about the future of the High Street and said: \u201cSingle mums on bedsits, drug and alcohol addicts, the homeless and those on multiple benefits do not have the cash to spend in shops.\u201d<\/p>\n

Londoner Mr Hughes, spoke to the Echo ahead of his film\u2019s London premiere tonight and said he first experienced Southend when he was 19, on a night out with friends.<\/p>\n

Council leader Nigel Holdcroft said: \u201cIt is not the right image and probably never was.<\/p>\n

\u201cSouthend is very different than it was many years ago. If he had been back during filming he would have seen that.