A FUNERAL directors has closed one of their south Essex offices months after the opening of its brand new headquarters. 

S. Stibbards and Sons’ Bereavement and Aftercare office in London Road, South Benfleet, shut on Monday.

It comes after the firm felt the requirement for a premises in South Benfleet had been superseded by the opening of Weir View House, at the end of August.

S. Stibbards and Sons said: “It is with great sadness that we have made the executive decision to close our Bereavement and Aftercare Office at Tarpots, in South Benfleet.

“The closure of the office will be effective from today Monday, November 6, 2023.

“We felt that the requirement for a premises in South Benfleet had been superseded by the opening of Weir View House, and that the services provided here can be better facilitated at our new funeral home.

“For those of you in the Castle Point area, we express our reassurance to you that our chapels of rest in Hadleigh and Canvey Island are still operational, along with our new premises at the Rayleigh Weir.”

The new purpose-built head office at Rayleigh Road, Benfleet, offers state-of-the-art technology.

After five years of planning and 18 months of building work and the new headquarters opened in August.