A protracted battle over the future of Southend Airport today drew to a close after owner Esken bowed to pressure from its biggest lender Carlyle and agreed to wind itself up in a move likely to leave shareholders empty-handed.
London’s sixth airport had been in the hands of Esken, formerly known as Stobart Group, after it acquired the site for £21 million in 2008. But Southend was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with the airport being forced to close to passengers for months on end after a number of high-profile airlines withdrew operations.
