You certainly don’t want to visit Southend around the Olympics time, as there’s practically nothing (of any description) due. Summer is also the quietest time of year for the maintenance movements. Even I’ll be migrating to Stansted…
To have a chance of getting something decent at Southend you need to be able to visit at a seconds notice. Even when things are supposed to happen, they often don’t. However things are much better at Southend now, as it is unofficially the ATR 42 capital of the UK, and has a few easyJet flights for entertainment!!