Police respond to mass disturbance in Southchurch Road as businesses forced to close

A large-scale disturbance in Southchurch Road prompted a significant police response yesterday evening, as reports emerged of a group of around 100 people causing chaos in the area.

Eyewitnesses say the group, who arrived in Southend in approximately 20 motorhomes, engaged in unruly and antisocial behaviour, leading to multiple emergency calls.

At around 7:30pm, police units were dispatched to The Exchange pub on Southchurch Road, where members of the group were reportedly throwing furniture, drinks, and food outside the premises. Witnesses also described seeing individuals fighting.

The disruption extended beyond the pub, impacting local businesses. Staff at the nearby Sainsbury’s Local store reported that they were advised by police to close early due to repeated instances of theft and abuse from individuals within the group.

Police successfully dispersed the crowd by 10pm, though it remains unclear if any arrests were made.

Earlier in the day, businesses along the Southend seafront were forced to bring in additional security staff, and some—including Tesco Express—opted to close entirely due to ongoing theft and disorder. The escalating incidents have left residents frustrated, with many questioning how such disturbances continue to happen.

Karen Quinn voiced her concerns: “Every year they come and cause trouble. They hold the town to ransom, and businesses have to close. Why can’t Essex Police stop them coming in?”

Shaun Bullard expressed frustration over the perceived lack of police action: “All those complaining that no arrests were made—what do you want the police to arrest them for? All they were doing was trashing businesses, threatening people, and causing thousands in lost revenue and damage!”

Tracey Summers described another incident earlier in the day: “They even started in the Shoebury swimming pool today—they just ran past the desk without paying, told everyone to get out of the pool as if it was theirs, and then later tried taking things off the shelves. If they were respectful, we wouldn’t have a problem, but they seem to enjoy causing trouble for themselves and others.”