Rayleigh Railway Station car wash could be forced to shut

Wonder Wash Ltd, which has operated in the car park at Rayleigh Railway Station since 2012, has been issued a directive to close and vacate the business after station bosses mooted the idea of a taxi rank on the site.

The plans, however, are currently on hold.

Wonder Wash holds a contract with National Car Parks who manage the car park on behalf of Greater Anglia.

The business employs five people who fear they’ll be left without a job if they’re forced to shut.

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Gezim Salihu, the director of Wonder Wash Ltd, said: “We have massive concerns. This is our livelihood. My staff are so worried they have families to look after.

“We have just survived this lockdown and we got local grants just to see us through. So to get rid of us just doesn’t make sense.

“We have offered to relocate and to fund our relocation, pay more rent and asked so many times to meet and discuss the matter to maintain our business somewhere in the car park but to no avail.

“We are determined to maintain the business at the station car park where our customers know we are based.

“We employ local people and we provide a good service to the community.

“The car park is always empty so I can’t make sense as to why they won’t let us move to the back of it. I just don’t understand.”

The company relied on grants to survive during lockdown and say the money they were given would be “wasted” if they were forced to close.

Gezim is now launching a petition and hopes to be able to speak with Greater Anglia and the National Car Parks who are in charge of the car park ahead of their court date on June 4 to come to some form of agreement so they don’t have to give up their business.

National Car Parks declined to comment ahead of the court date next month.