A BUSINESSMAN was ejected from a meeting as councillors backed plans to shut down his car wash.

Brian Blackburn was asked to leave after branding Southend Council “abysmal”

in repeated outbursts as councillors agreed enforcement action against the London Road Car Wash, in Leigh, yesterday.

Officers now have the power to close the car wash, at the corner of London Road and Cricketfield Grove, which has no planning permission, after neighbours complained.

However, thebusiness is likely to stay open for now, if Mr Blackburn and his brother Ray, who co-owns the site, appeal against the decision or submit a planning application.

Ray said: “We are going to consider our situation and go from there.”

Councillors voted 12 to two for enforcement action.

The Echo reported on Tuesday, neighbours Sereh Keane and her husband, Tim, could no longer live at their flat due to the car wash’s noise.

Councillor Graham Longley said: “The neighbour suffers from generator noise, water spraying and the disturbance of increased traffic movements.”

The Blackburns, who were denied the opportunity to address the meeting, claim they have put all the generators indoors and movedacar workshop on the site to its rear to reduce the number of cars entering from London Road