Labworth Cafe

LABWORTH CAFE, WESTERN ESPLANADE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1268484
Date first listed:
16-Apr-1996
List Entry Name:
Labworth Cafe
Statutory Address:
LABWORTH CAFE, WESTERN ESPLANADE
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Location

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Date:
2004-08-24
Reference:
IOE01/12662/09
Rights:
© Mrs Angela Clark. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1268484
Date first listed:
16-Apr-1996
List Entry Name:
Labworth Cafe
Statutory Address 1:
LABWORTH CAFE, WESTERN ESPLANADE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
LABWORTH CAFE, WESTERN ESPLANADE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Essex
District:
Castle Point (District Authority)
Parish:
Canvey Island
National Grid Reference:
TQ 80142 82398

Details

TQ88SW CANVEY ISLAND WESTERN ESPLANADE
Labworth Cafe

1658-/4/10002 II

Cafe with integral shelters. Built by Ove Arup, Christiani and Nielsen 1932-33. Functional International Moderne style. Built of reinforced concrete with flat roof. Circular drum of cafe on first floor level supported on piles (now concealed by rise in land level) with two arms extending from this enclosing shelters with steel piers on the seaward side. Hardwood windows extend the full diameter of the circle with some top opening lights. Entrance by doorcase in splayed bay facing sea supported on 4 metal columns. Staircase to cafe which has circular columns supporting ring beam and original shallow cone-shaped light fittings. Doors lead on to roofs of shelters which originally had thin steel columns supporting canopies. A pioneering building of the Modern Movement which predates the Gorilla House at London Zoo by Lubetkin and Tecton's Penguin House, and one of the only architectural designs by Ove Arup.



Listing NGR: TQ8014282398

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
461758
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Labworth Cafe

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 12:13:57.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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