The Cliff is Southend’s gay institution. In recent years it became known as a dirty, dingy place, with cramped seating, bad music, worse décor and a seriously misplaced pool table, but following a refurbishment two years ago, the Cliff is back and competing strongly with straight pubs for business. Plush furniture, camp yet cool colours and a well-stocked bar, plus a change to much more efficient management, have done the place a world of good and doubled its custom. There is plenty to do, with karaoke on Wednesdays and pound-a-pint nights on Thursdays, and the place is jammed on Friday and Saturday nights. Thankfully, the ridiculous and vastly unpopular drag acts of the old days are over, and now the Cliff concentrates on what it does best – preparing local and visiting gays for a great night out in Southend’s clubs – rather than trying to be all things to all men (and women).