A controversial caravan which had become a focal point of concerns over street prostitution in Southend has been destroyed in a late-night fire.
Firefighters were called to Ambleside Drive at around 11.50pm on Sunday 26 July after the caravan was reported to be well alight. Crews quickly tackled the blaze, which happened only a short time after another fire had been reported near the junction of Eastern Avenue and Sutton Road.
Police cordoned off the scene while investigations took place, although Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it was unable to determine whether the fire had been started deliberately.
By Tuesday, the burnt-out remains of the caravan had been removed after police completed their forensic examination and released the scene.
The caravan had attracted significant attention from local residents and councillors amid claims it was being used as part of street prostitution in the area.
Kursaal ward councillor Matt Dent said: “This caravan had been the source of some controversy, being used as part of street prostitution.
“Myself, Cllr Irene Ferguson and Cllr Chris Webster had been in conversation with the police and highways department at the Council to try and get it removed.
“Hence, I’m not surprised to see this happen, and I know residents will likely not mourn its loss. Fortunately it doesn’t seem that anyone was in the caravan at the time, though the police officers on the scene when I attended weren’t able to give any details, for obvious reasons.”
Councillor Dent said he visited the site during the early hours of Monday morning to establish whether anyone had been injured.
He added: “I attended the site in the early hours of Monday morning, when the wreckage was still hot, and spoke to the police officers present principally to ascertain that nobody has been injured in the fire.
“Later on Monday I and my ward colleagues followed up with council officers about what needed to happen next and the timeline for the removal of the wreckage.
“The Council had to wait until forensics had finished their work and the police had released the scene, which they did later on Monday whereupon the Council made arrangements for the wreckage to be removed.”
Southend City Council subsequently arranged for the remains of the caravan to be cleared once police had finished their investigation.
Local contractor TJ Cottis, working on behalf of Marlborough Highways, carried out the clean-up operation.
A spokesperson for the company said: “One of our grab lorries, along with a couple of our team members, was quickly dispatched to carry out the clean-up.
“As you can imagine, the area was left in quite a state. Our team got straight to work, loading all the debris, thoroughly sweeping the road, and leaving the site clean, safe, and tidy, exactly as it should be.
“All of the waste was then transported back to our transfer station in Rayleigh, where it was sorted for recycling and responsible disposal.”
Long-running concerns in Ambleside Drive
Ambleside Drive has been associated with street prostitution for many years and has regularly been highlighted by residents as one of Southend’s most persistent community issues.
Residents have frequently raised concerns about suspected drug dealing, anti-social behaviour, kerb-crawling and the safety of people living nearby.
Many locals say they regularly witness cars stopping throughout the evening and late into the night, while others have called for tougher enforcement and greater support for vulnerable women caught up in exploitation.
Essex Police has repeatedly identified Ambleside Drive, along with nearby York Road and Woodgrange Drive, as a neighbourhood policing priority. The force says it is focusing on reducing sexual exploitation, safeguarding vulnerable people and tackling the anti-social behaviour linked to activity in the area.
The force says it continues to carry out regular patrols and targeted operations designed to disrupt offending while working alongside partner agencies to support vulnerable people involved in prostitution.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed.