CONCERNED residents fear their town is being over-run by clubbers who have had nowhere to party since venues closed at Basildon’s Festival Leisure Park.

Two serious incidents have taken place in Rayleigh over the last two weekends, one in which a man was thrown through a shop window, and the most recent, a brawl involving about 20 people.

Some residents claim the upsurge in incidents is due to the closure of the Basildon clubs, meaning clubbers are travelling to Rayleigh for latenight entertainment.

James Bridge, 28, of Pearson’s Avenue, Rayleigh, works at Hennessy’s Barbers, in Eastwood Road, and is worried for the character of the town.

He said: “It wasn’t like this until the clubs at Festival Leisure shut down, and everyone who went there is coming here now, which will ruin this place.

“Rayleigh is not that sort of place.”

Jackie Warsap, 66, of Crown Hill, said: “We have problems with people coming down the road at 4am or 5am, screaming, shouting and damaging cars, as well as fighting.

“It’s been getting worse over the last two years and we shouldn’t have a nightclub here.”

A man in his twenties from Leigh was taken to hospital with injuries to his hand after the latest incident early on Sunday, which resulted in Haart of Rayleigh, in Eastwood Road, having its window smashed.

The weekend before, an 18- year-old from Leigh and a 24- year-old from Billericay were taken to hospital after one of them was thrown through the window of Burton’s, in the High Street.

Last month, the glass door of Wimpy, in Eastwood Road, was smashed and a window at Costa in the High Street was damaged.

Despite the incidents, traders are not too worried. Carl Watson, who runs Squire’s Coffee House, in the High Street, and is chairman of Rayleigh Chamber of Trade, said: “Rayleigh has become more of an evening destination and that has brought a rich diversity into the town, which is still very safe.

“We have a Pub Watch that works very well and a Behave or Be Banned policy, which can bar people from all venues.

“There’s a bit of an issue late on Fridays and Saturdays, but I don’t think it will become the norm.”

Gainsborough Carpets had a window smashed last year, but salesman Peter Creed said such incidents were rare.

He said: “The guy had come out of Bar Blanco and had a row with his girlfriend, so punched the glass.

“Generally, we don’t get any problems.”