A MAN who started out as a van driver with a local business 48 years ago is retiring as part-owner of the company.

David Scrivener, 70, is leaving his job as works director at Borough Ltd in Progress Road, Eastwood, but his career has followed an extraordinary path from the shop floor to the board room.

Mr Scrivener, of Little Wakering Road, Little Wakering, started out as a van driver for Southend company E K Cole, but was offered a job by Leslie Coombes, the father of David Coombes, the current owner of Borough, after making a delivery there.

He said: “In those days it was Borough polishing and plating.

We would take metal parts and polish them and chrome-plate them. Nowwe chrome-plate plastics.

“The company has been in the town since the early Fifties, but a lot of people don’t really know what we do. We plate parts for companies like Bentley and Mini. TheMini showroom on the A127 didn’t know we plated Mini parts for them.

“There are only three places in the country that do this and we are the biggest.”

The company employs 80 people, overseen by Mr Scrivener.

He said: “I do everything from managing the employees to health and safety. David’s son, Nick, will be taking over and bringing some fresh blood in.

“When you reach my age you wonder how much longer you should go on.”

Mr Scrivener has seen some changes over the years, but the family business has stood fast even through tough economic times.

He said: “The benefit of a small family-run business is that you can make decisions very quickly. You don’t have to go to other people, you can make decisions on the day. That’s behind our success.”

For a while the company was owned by Norman Hay plc after being sold in 1975, but in 1990 David Coombes and Mr Scrivener put up the money to buy it back.

Mr Scrivener, who is married to Alison, 58, and has two sons David, 32, and Ben, 27, said: “At the time neither of us had a mortgage – then we did! Now, I’m a shareholder of the company.

“I’m sad to go, but I am grateful I have never been unemployed.

I have been with Borough all the way through my career.

“People have come and gone over the years, but I keep in touch and try to call everyone at least once a year. I will have lots to do, including painting and gardening.

I’m sure I won’t know how to fit it all in.”

David Coombes, managing director of Borough, said: “David has helped Borough immensely and has seen a lot of changes over the years.

“He’s made a significant contribution and was ready and willing to invest in the company when we bought it back, not knowing what the future was going to be.”

POLICE investigating the theft of £2,500 of tools from a white Ford Transit van want to identify this man, pictured below.

The van was left locked on the victim’s driveway overnight in Minster Road, Laindon.

Thieves broke in some time between 6.30pm on Monday, February 17, and 5.45am on Tuesday, February 18.

They made searched the van before stealing a variety of Makita power tools.

This man was captured on a neighbour’s CCTV around the time of the offence, but police have not yet been able to identify him.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Lee Ryan at Basildon Police Station on 101 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A MAN claims he was so drunk he does not remember stealing three cans of Special Brew from a corner shop.

Dean Evans, 33, of Lynderswood, Basildon, admitted stealing the cans, worth £5.07, from Wisebuys, in Basildon, when he appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The court heard he only realised what he had done when he went