Crews filming the Essex Boys blockbuster took their production to heart when they allegedly shot scenes at a Southend nightclub without permission.

The film, starring Sean Bean and due for release on July 14, features a gang of criminals involved in the seedy underworld of Essex.

But production staff got up to some underhand activity of their own to film nightclub scenes at Bar Central in Lucy Road, it was claimed today.

In a tale that could have been part of the gangster film, it's alleged the production crew used a ladder to cross to the club from a neighbouring balcony; filmed covertly in the early hours without telling the owners; and completely bungled by leaving tell-tale signs of their activities.

Club owner Mark Blackhall claimed the crew trespassed on to his balcony to film extra scenes after the director wasn't happy with the original shoot.

He said: "They agreed £4,500 for using the club for four days, during which time we had to close, but then they came back and said they needed it for longer.

"We said we wanted another £4,500, they eventually agreed it, and then they came back and said they were going to use the original shots."

But when Mark returned to his nightclub he found some of the furniture on the balcony had been moved around.

He said: "They had gone in the snooker club next door, climbed through the window, put a ladder across from their balcony to ours, and brought the equipment up by crane.

"They did a whole night's shooting, cleared it all by morning and then thought they had made it look like it had never happened."

But Mr Blackhall did some detective work at the location canteens in the Lucy Road car park and uncovered the "cloak and dagger" goings on.

He said: "The producer came up and said 'so what?' I told him he used my premises without my permission, and he offered me half what we agreed for the extra use of the club."

Granada Films did pay the original agreed £4,500 fee for the use of the club, which it turned into a venue called Blondz for the film.

Mr Blackhall continued: "At the end of the day, people might say we have got our money, but that is not the point.

"We had to keep our place closed for another day, and we were doing lunches at the time, and they also took an extra day to clear the equipment, so it cost us quite a lot."

A spokesman for Granada Films said the company was happy all filming had been cleared with Bar Central.

He said: "It is something they will have to go through the Granada lawyers about.

"If the nightclub contacts the lawyers, we are confident we had an agreement to shoot everywhere we did - there are not any problems at all."

On location - Laurie Lee, wife of Bar Central owner Mark Blackhall, on the balcony

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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