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Updated: Fire ravages Shoebury Garrison building
8:12am Thursday 19th June 2008
Comments (24)A BLAZE at a disused officers' mess in Shoebury Garrison is thought to have been started deliberately.
Six fire crews were called to the incident about 6.30am this (Thursday) morning and were still battling the blaze at 3pm.
The derelict two-storey building is Grade II-listed and was earmarked by developers to become a hotel.
A joint police and fire service investigation will be carried out into the cause of the fire, which is being treated as suspicious.
Speaking at the scene this morning, a fire and rescue service spokesman said: "This is a long building with a close boarded roof and an unstable structure, so we are having to fight the fire from outside the building to maintain the safety of crews.
"The mess is a listed building on a derelict estate that has been redeveloped.
"Water supplies have been established and we are beginning to see progress in putting out flames."
Special report and pictures in Friday's Echo
Your Say YourEcho
Resident, Shoebury Garisson says...
9:44am Thu 19 Jun 08
BD, southend says...
10:26am Thu 19 Jun 08
GLadedale seem to have got into a habit of starting stuff, but not actually finishing it (the hole in the wall at east beach, the gym - now outstanding for over 5 years, and numerous residents snag list complaints from over 5 years ago...), and yes as was stated they still find time to build more houses and are pressing ahead with the building in the park despite not being able to sell the current ind units...
jennifer, shoebury says...
10:34am Thu 19 Jun 08
Resident, Shoebury Garisson says...
10:34am Thu 19 Jun 08
I too was told that a school, shop and gym was imminent. That was 3 1/2 years ago.
Cockle, Southend says...
11:01am Thu 19 Jun 08
The path and cycle way are conveniently being routed the shore side of this site and now the derelict, or should I say allowed to decay, building on the site mysteriously catches fire in the early hours. No doubt this will result in the demolition of the building. So Gladedale will now have a nice clear site right by the beach with unencumbered views and clear of an expensive to restore listed building. A building which will be a sad loss.
Wonder how much higher the value of a cleared beachfront site is compared to one with a listed building on it and a footpath passing in front?
Not that any of this is related, of course.
But they do say if it has a pointed nose, whiskers, a long tail and looks like a rat then chances are; it's a rat.
Cockle, Southend says...
11:21am Thu 19 Jun 08
Resident wrote:Trust me, as someone born and raised in Shoebury, there is a village with shops, not a shop, a post office, a school, a doctors surgery, a pharmacy, a railway station and bus services; it's called Shoebury and it's all within a half mile radius of the Garrison/High Street gate.
If the squaters wanted somewhere nicer, there are always the large new commercial buildings near the church that have been sitting empty for years!!! I was sold on buying here, that it would be having the small village life back. To me that should mean post office, shop, school and maybe even a gym etc. But no, greedy developers have built hundreds of homes first and nothing else to support the community, leaving (fantastic) derelict buildings like this to rot (or burn!).
I'm sure you know the area, it's the bit on the other side of that big wall you live behind. You know, the bit you have to drive through to get in and out of the Garrison.
Personally I wish the Army had never left, at least the residents of the Garrison who wore uniforms were happy to use, and keep alive, the same facilities as the other residents of Shoebury.
But don't worry the village school is being relocated to the northern end of the Garrison development in the next few years, along with a shiny new health centre. Changes which will leave a nice large site virtually next to the station ripe for development.
But if it's alright with you we'd like to hang on to our shops, Post Office, railway station and buses, you're perfectly welcome to walk through the hole in the wall or the gate and use them, we just ask that you put them back where you found them when you've finished.
Oh, and you might find while you're here that we don't have webbed-feet, eat our children and generally pretty much house trained as well as being reasonably friendly, we haven't eaten any strangers in quite a few years now!
Reader1, Southend says...
11:22am Thu 19 Jun 08
Cockle, Southend says...
11:27am Thu 19 Jun 08
There's a whole world out there, you know!
Resident, Shoebury Garisson says...
11:41am Thu 19 Jun 08
al buildings in a new area housing thousands of people.
Resident Garrison, Shoebury says...
11:56am Thu 19 Jun 08
AR, Shoebury says...
12:22pm Thu 19 Jun 08
BD, southend says...
12:41pm Thu 19 Jun 08
The one thing that does puzzle me though is that whnever I walk around there Im lucky if I see another 3 or 4 people... where does everyone go??
Cockle, Southend says...
12:45pm Thu 19 Jun 08
Resident Garrison wrote:Well done and I hope that you feel at home in Shoebury.
As a resident of the Garrison I can say that both myself and my neighbours use the shops, post office and facilities outside the Garrison daily and would not want anything to change.
Unfortunately the area was neglected by the powers that be for some time and was seen largely as an area to provide the housing requirements of the town but with little other investment in infrastructure.
Sadly because of this it sometimes feels that everything is suddenly happening because of the Garrison development.
I appreciate that many of the Garrison residents wish to be part of Shoebury however there also appear to be a number who feel that the facilities should suddenly appear overnight at the end of their road. That perceived attitude will only rankle with the longtime residents who have been banging their heads against the brickwalls of officialdom for many years.
I hope that Shoebury can move forward for the benefit of ALL its residents.
Sorry if I've come across as a bit harsh this morning but the loss of the Officers' Mess is, I think, a tragedy. As someone who grew up as a small boy playing in the Garrison with my friends whose fathers were in the RA I am pleased to see the restoration that has gone on but am devastated by today's news.
If I tell you that at one point out of 35 children in my class at Hinguar 22 were children of either serving Army personnel or people directly associated with the Garrison it will give some idea of what the Garrison means to many Shoebury people.
devil's Advocate, boozledon says...
1:53pm Thu 19 Jun 08
jennifer wrote:Yeah that "Arson" does have a tendency to be a bit "spirity." Might I suggest you try "Harmony?" That holds your hair all day, looks natural enough to let passing men think your not wearing it and has no lingering smell!
it was well alight at 9 am thick smoke,can still smell it in my hair I presume arson.
Resident Garrison, Shoebury says...
1:57pm Thu 19 Jun 08
However, I do feel that if the army hadn't sold the site (lets face it, they had to for financial reasons, i.e it wasn't being used)then the entire site would have fallen into disrepair and would have created a real problem for Shoebury and even added to the feeling that the town was being forgotten. I know they have not finished anything and they really do have a lot to answer for but at least it has brought more people to the area, albeit we are out all day paying for it! I am not aware of anyone on the Garrison who does not appreciate the facilities that the high street offers.
John Palmer, Shoeburyness says...
2:09pm Thu 19 Jun 08
The industrial units are an eyesore, are you telling me in all this time not one business has shown an interest in setting up on the site. maybe its to expensive, maybe thats on purpose it would not take much to turn these buliding in to residential properties. I am sure that was not the original idea !!!.
BD, southend says...
3:05pm Thu 19 Jun 08
John Palmer wrote:I know numerous companies that have shown an interest in these units, but they are so overpriced you'd cry (£1million a floor!) theyve no aircon or other facilities installed and if you look not even plasterboard on the walls. They also arent being marketed to be sold anymore and Ive also heard theres communications with the council already to turn them into residential properties, which will be nice being so close the the houses to the rear ofthem. My main concern is why are they still planning to build on the park when we clearly dont need any more ind units in shoebury there are plenty of empty ones already...
Having lived in shoebury all my life, so far, and being a resident of the garisson and can see both sides. There are a number of residents who would love security gates to keep out the Shoebury hoards, however there are many more who would love to see the high street once again come to life. We were promised so much when we brought our over priced properties, however none have come about. The industrial units are an eyesore, are you telling me in all this time not one business has shown an interest in setting up on the site. maybe its to expensive, maybe thats on purpose it would not take much to turn these buliding in to residential properties. I am sure that was not the original idea !!!.
maureen, shoeburyness says...
3:25pm Thu 19 Jun 08
Andrew, Shoeburyness says...
3:43pm Thu 19 Jun 08
Also, Gladedale are guilty of false advertising. All their spiel shouts about 'village living' and shows pictures of houses surrounded by greenery and fields. None of it shows the factory estate and destruction of Gunners Park.
BD, southend says...
3:46pm Thu 19 Jun 08
maureen wrote:we will still use the area for walking and cycling.
to garrison resident. i was against the gladedale village, i thought the mod land should have been used as a residential convelescent hospital/home for our armed forces and their families to recover. this would have been the ideal place, fresh, sea air and open space to walk and appreciate. unfortunately mod thought otherwise. sorry? you do not think local residents should use the property which was available to all locals before you bought your vastly inflated property. we will still use the area for walking and cycling.
Please continue to do so it might stop the garrison (even at weekends) feeling like the mary celeste...
BD, southend says...
4:11pm Thu 19 Jun 08
Andrew wrote:I think if it had been gladedale or whoever it would have been the same, Ive actually spoken to some of the higher up bods in gladedale and was surprised at how much control southend council had with regards to what was to be built (hencethe digging up of the park)
Selling the site to Gladedale was a huge mistake. Gladedale promised the newbuilds would be sympathetic to the existing architecture. What we got were pig-ugly Soviet style housing blocs round half the cricket pitch and those appalling wood clad monstrosities on the sea-wall. How people can pay so much for, and live in, such ugly buildings I do not know. Also, Gladedale are guilty of false advertising. All their spiel shouts about \'village living\' and shows pictures of houses surrounded by greenery and fields. None of it shows the factory estate and destruction of Gunners Park.
I did notice though in the new section being built that normal ali lamp posts were being put in, not the old style victorian ones, and the arch over what was the main entrance has been lost forever...
We do have a 'steering comittee' that are supposed to be keeping an eye on things but they seem to be a bit selective about who they talk to and only seem to bother about things that directly effect them...
Does anyone know how much damage was caused???
Horrified, Shoebury says...
11:45pm Thu 26 Jun 08
JimmyShoe, says...
11:36am Sun 17 Aug 08
Smoke from the building today
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BD, southend says...
9:16am Thu 19 Jun 08