Great Berry Primary School in Forest Glade, Langdon Hills opened. The new school was built over the former fields of Great Berry Farm and close to the original Forest Glade footpath and unmade road that once linked Berry Lane to the plotland estates at Berry Park and Highbank.

Springfields licensed restaurant and public house at Victoria Road, Laindon open. Facilities include a beer garden and function rooms. Sometime in the 1990s it was renamed Four Seasons and is now part of the Hungry Horse chain of public houses.

Wat Tyler miniature railway opened. The miniature railway, located at the Basildon Council run Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea, is 10.25 gauge, diesel operated and running to a length of 1200 yards. The locomotive, Western Courier, dates from 1969 and had previously been in service at Basildon Zoo. In 2012 an 845 yard extension was opened for the summer season.

23rd April

Gala opening of the new Towngate Theatre in Pagel Mead (now St. Martin's Square). The first production, William Shakespeare's As you like it, starred T.V. and stage actress Kate O'Mara who also unveiled a plaque commemorating the event. Built at a cost of around £8 million, the main auditorium design was based on a classic Georgian playhouse with seating for 550. The smaller Mirren Studio, named after actor Helen Mirren who has strong ties with Essex, has seating for 188. Other features include the Towngate licenced bar and an 8 track recording studio. Owned and operated by Basildon Council it replaced the previous temporary Towngate Theatre (formerly Arts Centre) which first opened in 1968 and stood in Towngate.

30th April

The new Laindon Community Centre in Aston Road opened. This second centre was built to replace the original centre which had stood at the end of Aston Road before being destroyed by fire in 1985. Alice Jackson, Bert Washington and George Saunders performed the opening duties. The new complex complete with large car park and outside nursery play area is substantially bigger than the original being built in part where bungalows in Brimsdown Avenue once stood. During the early 1990s a council community charge (poll tax) payment counter was established as well as a housing rent office though this would later transfer to Clock House at the Laindon Centre.

29th October

Sweeneys discotheque at 7 High Pavement, Basildon closes. The popular nightclub held a special farewell party after its leaseholders reached an agreement with owners TOPS Estates to end its lease early. The discotheque, which first opened in 1973, had 4 years of its lease remaining but was seen by TOPS as an obstacle to its plans to 'roof over' a portion of Town Square. It had been run by business partners John Braden and Brian Greenan, who had previously held a financial interest in the town centre's other nightclub Raquels. Tops Estates, founded by millionaire Everard Goodman, had bought into Town Square some years earlier but despite a lot of interest, the ambitious plans came to nothing and the former discotheque is now incorporated into the Basildon branch of Palmers solicitors.