Southend-on-Sea City Council is continuing to monitor and respond to the situation at the Metrow Foods site following a fire at the private commercial premises on 15 August 2025.
The Council recognises the impact this incident has had on nearby residents and is committed to protecting public health and ensuring the company takes appropriate action. The Health and Safety Executive is also involved in the matter.
The fire caused serious damage to the wholesale food warehouse. Firefighters had to access the building through the external structure, which disturbed asbestos insulation and cut power to the site. This led to the decomposition of a large amount of food stored inside, creating unpleasant smells and environmental concerns.
Since receiving the first complaint on 27 August 2025, the Council has taken several steps to investigate and address the issue. Environmental Health Practitioners have carried out multiple site visits, worked with the company and their surveyors, and served an Abatement Notice under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on 19 September 2025.
Cllr Martin Terry, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, said: “We've been working closely with the company, including issuing an enforcement notice, which has given them a reasonable amount of time to deal with the environmental health nuisance. This timeframe has now passed.
“We are in ongoing discussions with the company and are considering the Council's legal position and what further action can be taken to ensure this issue is resolved. We remain committed to holding the company causing the nuisance to account and to finding a solution and minimising the unpleasant situation that residents are experiencing.”
Cllr Daniel Cowan, Leader of the Council, added: “This is a deeply concerning situation for residents, and I want to reassure our community that the Council is doing everything within its legal powers to resolve it. We will continue to act firmly and transparently to protect public health and ensure accountability.”
The Council continues to work with Metrow Foods and their legal representatives to ensure that the best possible steps are being taken to resolve the issue. The company has said that the complexity of the situation has delayed full compliance with the abatement notice. The Council is investigating whether the notice has been breached and will take enforcement action if needed.
While Metrow Foods is a valued part of Southend's business community, supplying many local restaurants and employing over 100 people, the health and wellbeing of residents remains the Council's top priority.
We understand how distressing this situation has been for those living nearby, and we are committed to resolving it as quickly and safely as possible.
The Council has a legal duty to act proportionately and within the law. All actions taken to date have followed national guidance and statutory requirements, and we continue to assess the situation carefully to ensure the right steps are taken.
The Council will continue to provide updates and remains committed to resolving this matter in a way that protects public health and the local environment.
Timeline of events
This timeline will be updated as appropriate to reflect any new developments. Below is a selection of key dates since the fire and is not an exhaustive list of all actions taken.
Ongoing
Environmental Health Practitioners continue to monitor the site. The Council is investigating potential breaches of the Abatement Notice and will take enforcement action if required. Updates have been provided to known complainants, with further communication planned.
Post-notice period (from 19 September 2025)
Metrow Foods confirmed they could not complete all necessary works within the original timeframe due to the complexity of the situation. The Council remains in dialogue with the company and their legal representatives.
19 September 2025
An Abatement Notice was served on Metrow Foods under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. A reasonable timeframe was set for the company to resolve the nuisance.
18 September 2025
A site visit confirmed that the test for Statutory Nuisance had been met.
12 September 2025
Metrow Foods responded to the Council with findings from a specialist contractor, confirming a very low risk of methane build-up due to the building's disrepair.
11 September 2025
Council officers visited the site to assess odour. While an odour was present, it did not meet the threshold for Statutory Nuisance at that time.
5 September 2025
The Council raised concerns about possible methane build-up due to food decomposition. Metrow Foods appointed a specialist contractor to assess the risk. Their surveyors also provided an update on planned works.
3 September 2025
The Council requested information from Metrow Foods about the works they intended to carry out following the fire.
1 September 2025
A follow-up visit confirmed no risk of asbestos release. The Council made enquiries about how the decomposing food would be safely disposed of, given the asbestos contamination.
29 August 2025
Council officers visited the site. Environmental Health Practitioners confirmed the warehouse was no longer operating as a food business. Works were underway to safely enclose the exposed asbestos, with air monitoring in place. Lab reports confirmed no risk of asbestos fibre emissions. Monitoring has continued with regular copies of the reports submitted to the council to ensure levels are controlled.
27 August 2025
The Council received the first complaint from a member of the public.
15 August 2025
A fire broke out at Metrow Foods late in the evening, causing significant damage. Firefighters disturbed asbestos insulation while accessing the building and power was cut to the site.