THE owners of a seafront coffee kiosk has launched a last-minute bid to save their business after being ordered to close by Southend Council.

Ray Clark and his wife Beverley were told by councillors to pull down the wooden shack they were serving hot drinks and snacks from at 193 Eastern Esplanade.

“We are trying to address the issues raised and engage the council in dialogue,” Mr Clark said following the ruling.

The 57-year-old Hullbridge resident says they have implemented a one-way queuing system, enforced a no smoking rules, installed a privacy screen and reduced opening hours to 9am to 3pm.

“We are not that big of a business.

"We’ve only once had a queue, and that was on New Year’s Day because of all the publicity in recent days.

“We are asking the council for a meeting to discuss these issues so we can work out the problems.”

But the couple’s bid to save their kiosk, may have come too late.

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On Wednesday, councillors voted 13 to one in favour of taking enforcement actions against the single-storey kiosk.

Council officers recommended enforcement action despite the latest application because of the “significant harm” the makeshift business had caused to neighbours in terms of noise and intrusion.

Fears were also raised the business would be unregulated, not liable for business rates and may not be adhering to hygiene rules.

Mr Clark disagreed with committee members’ assessments.

“We have had a positive impact on the area,” he said. “Because it’s the quieter end of the seafront, which tends to get busy between the pier and Chalkwell, most of our customers are local people who live in the nearby houses and streets and they like what we provide.

“It has been humbling for me, the impact that it has had there, and the response to our planning application being turned down.

"Our customers want to support us.

"We still need to trade and I hope that the council see that we are well meaning and are not having a massive impact on the area.

“We are just trying to earn a living.”