Southend's kosher shoppers can avoid the journey to London for their groceries with the opening of a new kosher shop at Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation.

'The Shop in the Shul' is the first dedicated kosher shop to operate in the town for almost two years.

Supplied by Silverman's, the shop will sell packaged meat, bread, cakes and deli items. Synagogue president Alan Gershlick said the project had been planned for six months and had been funded by an anonymous shul member. "We are thrilled that people will no longer have to shlep to London to buy kosher food."

The shop, to operate three days a week, will be opened by Southend's mayor Councillor Anne Holland on October 21.