AFTER stamping out a number of small fires in the derelict State cinema in Grays this afternoon, campaigners for the preservation of the Grade II-listed building have called on Thurrock Council to deliver on its enforcement responsibilities.

Ardent fans of the building Mark Place and his friend Will Smith visited the iconic art deco cinema in the heart of Grays earlier this evening (Thursday, 4 July), to take pictures of the latest security breaches and smelled smoke somewhere in the building.

Easily entering it through one of a number of vulnerable access points, they found a group of youngsters, who appeared to have started the small fires.

The duo called the fire service and police to attend but quickly moved into action to stamp out the flames.

Firefighters arrived shortly afterwards and ensured everything was damped down.

The incident is the latest as fears grow that owner of the building, London-based businessman Naveed Ahmad, is reneging on promises to ensure its preservation and to bring forward plans for its redevelopment as a conference and function venue and possible hotel.

Despite promises of a planning application from his company London Developments Global, it has yet to appear.

Mr Smith (who gave permision for Nub News to share his Tik Toc report on today's incident) told Thurrock Nub News: "Over recent days there have been a number of security failures on the site and more places where you can get in have opened up.

"We were going to photograph and catalogue them but smelled smoke. Going into the building, we discovered the youngsters, who denied they had started them, and thankfully we were able to stamp out the flames – at the cost of both our pairs of shoes.

"This continuing situation is simply not good enough. We have broken promises after broken promises.

"Thurrock Council has a statutory duty to look after this building and it is failing. Action needs to happen and happen soon before this building, which Mark and I and so many people love, will be lost forever."

Later in the evening Mr Ahmad told Nub News he was on the scene and he was arranging to make the building secure.

He said: "I am at the site and it has been secured. There is security on site and builders are coming.

"The fire set off was very small and there is no serious damage. I have just met and spoken to the council highways department."