Keith Gannon

Review of Southend-on-Sea Borough Counci...

DO NOT MOVE YOUR BUSINESS TO SOUTHEND! Shockingly ...

DO NOT MOVE YOUR BUSINESS TO SOUTHEND! Shockingly poor service from this council. This council is extremely hostile to the small business community. We made the grave mistake of moving our business here in February 2020, only to be faced with immediate hostility and adversarial posture of the council seeking to withhold our governemnt COVID-19 grant entitlement due to their poor record keeping and not having us "in the system" at the March 11th date of eligibility. Our landlord supplied a signed lease prior to this date, and we supplied video of us occupying the premises more than a month prior to this date along with evidence that we registered at the premises with Companies House more than two months prior to the date of eligibility. They have made countless excuses of "we are looking into it" and "it's discretionary, so we don't have to give you the grant" etc. It is at the point now where we are actually going to have to sue our own council to pay us the money the national government has guaranteed our business. It is the most unethical, dishonest and lazy group of public servants I have ever had the great displeasure of having to deal with. The high-street is plagued with drug addicts, the Queen Victoria monument here has had its arm missing for over a year....it is absolute amateur hour at Southend Council. If you enjoy the circus, you will feel right at home.