H.R.H. Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh visits the Basildon Enterprise Centre at Burnt Mills, Basildon. The enterprise centre at 33 Nobel Square on the Burnt Mills Industrial Estate (now Burnt Mills Enterprise Park) is run by Essex County Council as a specialist support service for start up or growing businesses. The visit marks the second occasion that the Duke had visited Basildon, the first being in 1960 when he visited Carreras Rothmans tobacco factory at Christopher Martin Road, Nevendon Industrial Estate.

The first properties on the Presidents and Commonwealth housing estates off Durham Road in Laindon West are completed. These new housing estates, known during the construction stage as Laindon 10, 11 and 12, were the second large scale development in Laindon for private ownership. The estates were completed in stages and the new roads were then named after former American Presidents and Australian Prime Ministers. They were built by Globe Construction Company of Felsted, Essex, who were also responsible for other earlier housing developments within Basildon including the nearby Counties Estate off Cumberland Drive. Compulsory Purchase Orders issued on behalf of Basildon Development Corporation were necessary to secure parts of the land, which mainly covered the formerly residential unmade portions of Worthing Road, Worthing Avenue and New Century Road.
(Source: The London Gazette, publication date: 05/11/1976, issue number: 47059, page: 14990-14991, and The London Gazette, publication date: 18/01/1980, issue number: 48072, page: 949.)

17th April

Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet achieve success as the pop duo 'Yazoo' with their first release "Only You", which made number 2 in the national charts. The song was written by Vince Clarke, who until his departure had been principal songwriter and member of Depeche Mode.

July

Festival Hall in Pipps Hill Close, Basildon opens. With seating for up to 1,500, the hall, which was one of the largest in South East Essex, opened on the site of the former Aquatels Zoo and Ecology Centre (Basildon Zoo). The building had been converted from the former reptile house at a cost of £15,000. A wide variety of events including presentations, general and local election counts, pop concerts and boxing contests were staged there. The hall was demolished in 1996 to make way for the Festival Leisure Park entertainment complex.

31st August

Bryn County Primary School in Church Road, Fryerns closes. The school first opened in the 1950s in the early days of Basildon new town but in recent years a fall in numbers had prompted the closure. Mrs Hewitt was the final headteacher. The school then became the Bryn Centre for the elderly until 1992 when it closed and the former school was then demolished and sold to make way for a housing development. A former poultry farm that stood in Church Road long before the school opened is remembered in the street name Bryn Farm Close, whose properties now cover the former school site.

Noak Bridge County Primary School in Coppice Lane, Noak Bridge opened. The school was built to serve the development corporation's Noak Bridge housing estate, parts of which were still under construction.

17th October

Basildon band The Pinkees reach No.8 in the national charts with their single release "Danger Games". The song, which was their second release, spent a week at No.8 in a six week chart run. The group, comprising Paul Egholm (lead vocals, guitar), Andy Price (occ. lead vocals, guitar), Max Reinsch (lead guitar), Nevile Kiddier (bass guitar) and Paul Reynolds (drums), were formed around the late 1970s and regulary performed around the town. In a short career they released 4 singles, all written by Andy Price, and one self titled album on the Creole record label. They also made various tv appearances including Top of the Pops and Pebble Mill at One. The group broke up around 1984 after various line-up changes, including the departure of main vocalist Paul Egholm. Their last major local performance was headlining the 1983 CND Gloucester Park Peace Festival in Basildon, which also included a guest appearance from Paul Egholm singing the Beatle cover "I saw her standing there". Prior to their success, one of the members, Andy Price, had already appeared on television in the band Glyder, who had a single released in 1975 called "Pick up and Go" on the Warner Bros label, but it failed to chart. Later in the 1980s Paul Egholm formed The Perkees for occasional live work, including a headline at the Roundacre Town House in Basildon, where his Pinkees originals were among the set list. He died on 28/04/2017 aged 68.

3rd December

H.R.H. Katharine, Duchess of Kent visits the Marconi Avionics factory at Christopher Martin Road. This was her second engagement of the day having earlier opened the new regional Burns Unit at St. Andrews Hospital in Billericay. The Duchess had previously visited Basildon in October 1968 to dedicate the porch and 'Christ sculpture' at St. Martin's Church in the town centre.