Stephen Lane Estate Agents in Canvey Island is continuing business as usual after a car driven by an alleged drunk driver crashed into the front of the office late on Saturday night (6 September), causing significant damage.

Essex Police were called to the scene on Furtherwick Road at around 11:45pm, following reports of a single-vehicle collision. A woman was arrested at the scene.

Mabel Rodgers, 29, has been charged with drink driving. She was released on bail and is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court in early October.

Despite the severe damage, business owner Stephen Lane is staying positive.

He told the press: “Every bit of furniture has got marks on it. The office was covered in glass, but because (the crash) just impacted the front of the office, there was no structural damage to walls, and that would have been a completely different story.

“I mean, carpets ruined. I’ve never seen an office with tire marks on the internal carpets!” Despite the damage, the team got to work cleaning up the office – and they’re back ready for business this morning.

He added on social media: “As I stood in the office at 4am, surveying the aftermath, I couldn’t have imagined that 24 hours later, we’d be able to continue working there. This includes the emergency team who disposed of damaged items and secured the office.

“Special thanks to Adam and his family, who arrived at the office as soon as they heard about the incident and helped me sort out the mess. They also looked after the office while I went home to rest.”

While the business is operational – with customers able to enter through the rear – Lane is concerned about how the boarded-up storefront might affect business.

He commented: “So I think my worry as a business, as my partner said to me last night, if I went into a town center to pick an estate agent and I saw one was boarded up, I don’t think I’d make an effort to try and get through that boarding and find out what was going on.

“So there is a worry that we’ll lose business. How we’ll monitor that, I’ve no idea.” However, today, it is business as usual (although, they are missing a front door).

He continued: “I’m a great believer in that I’ve got two options. I can either get on with it and laugh about it, or I can let it get me down. And that one was probably where I was yesterday.

“But you just have to get on with things, don’t you? It doesn’t change what’s happened if I’m moody about it.”

He is also delighted with the amount of support he has received from locals. He said: “It was a bit overwhelming to be honest, it was lovely, you know, but you’re like, wow!

“Even now I’ve still got people saying do you need any help, anything you want us to do, and I think that’s lovely. I mean, even people, competing agents, offering me space in their office.”