Old Leigh could be closed to traffic to stop cars driving through crowds of pub-goers and to allow space for drunk crowds to spill onto the street.

As fears grow surrounding street drinking in the town and history repeating itself, plans are being drawn up to combat the issue.

Vehicles will be banned if crowds grow too large, and pubs are being asked to install portable loos in their gardens while they cannot open indoors.

Visitors will also be asked to park further away and walk in.

It is also hoped the measures will increase social distancing and prevent visitors urinating in the street.

Martin Terry, councillor in charge of community safety, is “fearing for the worst” as the weather improves but the pubs can’t open.

This comes as Leigh was hit with a wave of street drinking and parties in the summer, flouting Covid restrictions.

Mr Terry said: “We want to attract visitors, but we need them to behave themselves.

“We have an open mind about what we can do. When people are drunk, they can make poor choices.

“We may need immediate measures, like dispersal orders.

“We are worried about it, but I hope the measures we’re looking at will combat the issue.”

High Street in Old Leigh was closed for three weeks in July.

Plans to introduce a ban on street drinking is under consultation.

The public spaces protection order, which prevents anti-social behaviour, would include the old town and access routes, including the Cinder Path from Chalkwell Station, Cockle Row from Leigh Station as well as routes from the north of the old town.

Leigh’s Carole Mulroney, councillor in charge of planning and environment, admitted it is impossible to stop visitors bringing their own alcohol to the town.

She said: “We’ve got a partial opening of pubs, but we don’t want a repeat of what happened in the summer.

“We had a major problem of people urinating in the streets in front of people.

“We’re worried about people spilling onto the street from the pub gardens.

“People may be asked to walk 10 minutes further, it’s a nice walk along the cockle sheds. That will help reduce the crowds.

“It’s all about how we control the access onto High Street. When it’s sunny, we get hoards of people down there.

“We have got residents here too, we don’t want them feeling intimidated by the amount of people. That has happened before.”

Southend Council are in negotiations with pubs to finalise who will pay for the portable loos.