AN abandoned restaurant in Eastwood which has fallen into a state of disrepair is “reflecting badly on other businesses”, it has been claimed.

Worried councillors have urged for action to clear broken wooden beams outside the former Cosmos Turkish Restaurant in Rayleigh Road after branding it “dangerous”.

The restaurant has been permanently closed since 2021, with the outside of the building slowly falling into disrepair.

The Echo understands one of the options open to Southend Council is to issue a Section 166 notice ordering it to be tidied up.

Eastwood ward councillors have said the “eyesore reflects badly on other businesses in the area”

Lib Dem councillor Rob McMullan, said: “It is an eyesore site. It reflects badly on normal businesses on a good, well used stretch of shopping road and it stands out as being in a poor condition.

“It has been a deserted restaurant for years, it closed during the tail end of Covid, and the premises have been allowed to decay.

“There has been a lot of mess and rubbish, at the front of the building there is a decking area, and it is in particularly bad condition.”

He added: “Eastwood councillors have been pushing to get the owner of the building to tidy it up and make it safer, it is an open space with tables and chairs, and we need them to take responsibility, to make it safe.

“The decking has deteriorated and there are a lot of kids hanging out in the area, there is a Nisa next door, and it is on a busy street.

“Something must be done; it is not acceptable to allow things to deteriorate like this.”

Mr McMullan added that officers will be looking to understand what conditions are being breached to either provide the owner with advice or begin enforcement by forcing the owner to clear the site.

The Echo has attempted to contact Cosmos but they have been unavailable to provide comment.