Shopkeepers at the Laindon Shopping Centre may withhold part of their rent in protest at what they call the poor level of security.

A letter is being drawn up by Laindon Traders' Association chairman, Sonya Bishop, to tell the centre's landlords that the existing level of security is unsatisfactory.

The letter will warn the landlords that unless the situation is improved in the forthcoming weeks, traders will consider withholding part of their rent which is supposed to pay for night-time patrols.

At a meeting last night, Mrs Bishop, licensee of the Joker pub, said by law the traders cannot spend this money on other things and must hand it over to a special fund.

Langdon Hills councillor, Bob Sears, said: "You have got to get yourselves together on this. If you're going to do something then it's got to be positive."

Recent problems at the centre include:

The library's windows being smashed five times already this year

A wall pulled down by a group of youngsters

A child allegedly abused in the public toilets

Laindon police say the number of foot patrols in the centre far outweighs the number of bobbies-on-the-beat in the Langdon Hills and other areas of Laindon.

Sgt Colin Elder said: "We are not, however, a private security company. This is a private site and it is up to the private management to put it into order. The responsibility for making it safe rests with the owners of the centre."

Roy Hudson, of Pints and Litres off-licence, said the self-employed security guard who patrols the centre at night should wear a uniform.

Other traders complained that they had not yet even seen the night security guard. Previous guards were regularly seen, they said, and would often wait while shops locked up.

Mrs Bishop said: "I live in this centre and so I'm here all night and I can see the kids trying to break into Kwiksave.

"I'm the one who has to look after my customers and bring them back in when a kid on their bike knocks them over."

Brett Mercer, community liaison officer for Laindon, believed 80 per cent of people who use the centre in the day will not use it at night because of the lack of security.

Basildon District Council is to be contacted to see if a by-law, which extends to Basildon town centre banning people from riding their bikes on public footpaths, can include the Laindon Centre.

Henry Spitzer, of Henleys Management company, said landlords of the Laindon Centre may consider taking legal action if traders withheld part of their rent. He said: "Most traders leave at 6pm and the night security doesn't start until 7pm. When I have phoned him at night he has always been available.

"We are satisfied that he does walk around the centre. The problem is the youths. Whether he is able to control them or not is something which is difficult to assess."

He said CCTV had been looked at but it was an "expensive exercise" and the height of the shops meant people could reach the cameras.

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