Priory Crescent

From the Ekco factory to Access House – and back to houses.

Before Access

From its launch until about 1989, Access was processed and serviced mainly from Southend-on-Sea. Many buildings around the town housed Access offices, but the main production site was the old Ekco buildings in Priory Crescent. The original Ekco factory had been built by 1930, and for Access it eventually housed the Priory canteen, the mainframe room, the embossing suite and more. By 1940 the brick and stone building facing Priory Crescent had been built, and Ekco used the site until 1966. Before Access took it over it was just two storeys high, apart from the central section; Access raised it to three storeys throughout.

The Priory Crescent factory in 1930 (www.lamptech.co.uk)
The Priory Crescent factory in 1930 (www.lamptech.co.uk)
The Ekco works in 1934 (Britain from Above)
The Ekco works in 1934 (Britain from Above)
The Ekco frontage on Priory Crescent
The Ekco frontage on Priory Crescent

Inside the main building

These rather poor-quality videos will without doubt be a trip down memory lane for many who worked at the Southend site – for the sounds, if not the pictures!

Entering the main building

Watch on YouTube

Leaving the main building

Watch on YouTube

The site from above, 1999–2013

Thanks to Google Earth we can watch how the site developed – and disappeared – from 1999 onwards.

The Priory Crescent site in 1999The Priory Crescent site in 2003The Priory Crescent site in 2006The Priory Crescent site in 2009The Priory Crescent site in 2011The Priory Crescent site in 2013
The Priory Crescent site: drag the slider, or press play, to watch the site change. Aerial imagery from Google Earth.
See each year separately
The Priory Crescent site – 1999
The Priory Crescent site – 1999
The Priory Crescent site – 2003
The Priory Crescent site – 2003
The Priory Crescent site – 2006
The Priory Crescent site – 2006
The Priory Crescent site – 2009
The Priory Crescent site – 2009
The Priory Crescent site – 2011
The Priory Crescent site – 2011
The Priory Crescent site – 2013
The Priory Crescent site – 2013
The Priory Crescent site outlined, with building numbers marked where known (red: number unknown)
The Priory Crescent site outlined, with building numbers marked where known (red: number unknown)

The end of Priory Crescent as Access knew it

This was the central Access headquarters. In the 1980s the name “Access House” was carved above the main entrance, though this was later changed simply to “Offices”. Many of the buildings were part of the famous Ekco works, but the leaded top storey was an Access addition.

Access House (Building 3), Priory Crescent, 2007. Image by Flickr user Crazy Guy (www.daveguy.com)
Access House (Building 3), Priory Crescent, 2007. Image by Flickr user Crazy Guy (www.daveguy.com)
Building 25, 2008. Image by Dave Bullock
Building 25, 2008. Image by Dave Bullock
The Priory Crescent buildings flattened, 2008. Image by Flickr user “adeplus2”
The Priory Crescent buildings flattened, 2008. Image by Flickr user “adeplus2”
The H-shaped building (6?). Image by Alan Flay
The H-shaped building (6?). Image by Alan Flay
The H-shaped building (6?). Image by Alan Flay
The H-shaped building (6?). Image by Alan Flay

The future

As of 2016 the former Access site and neighbouring industrial units are being redeveloped as a housing estate, Ekco Park, by Bellway Homes. The development is to include one- and two-bedroom apartments; two-, three- and four-bedroom houses; a future hospice; and a future commercial development.

Site plan of the new Bellway Ekco Park development (from the Bellway brochure)
Site plan of the new Bellway Ekco Park development (from the Bellway brochure)

Memories of Priory Crescent

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