Why are councillors trying to stop vape, phone and barber shops?

Councillors could be given more powers to block vape, barber and mobile phone shops from opening in Southend-on-Sea.

A motion to be heard by city councillors on Wednesday warns the city's High Street is at risk of "over-concentration" of such businesses.

What could the Labour-run authority actually do - and why does it want fewer of these shops?

There are 16 mobile phone outlets, 11 vape units and nine barber shops on Southend's High Street, according to James Rourke, a Reform UK councillor who is backing the motion.

It seems "a little excessive", Rourke says.

So, what can be done about it? A motion proposed by Rourke's party colleague, John Corrigan, outlines one vision.

It proposes that the local authority begins refusing to lease shops in council-owned units for these purposes.

"The council has a responsibility to make sure our high streets provide a good service for residents, rather than an over-concentration of the same types of shop," Rourke says.

For a number of years, people around Britain have spoken of what they perceived to be "dodgy" cash-based shops on their high streets.

Whispers spread among neighbours about money-laundering mini-marts and gang-owned vape stores.

"It's become almost a joke," says Matt Dent, the council's cabinet member for business.

Counterfeit Labubu dolls, worth £45,000, that failed to meet UK safety standards were seized by police and council officers from Southend High Street retailers in October 2025.

Illegal hand-rolling tobacco, vapes and cigarettes were also found during raids six months earlier.

Although it has been proposed by a rival party, Dent - a Labour councillor - agrees with the principle of the motion.

"The problem you get is - this isn't driving people to the high street," he says of vape and barber shops. "People miss the shops, they miss the restaurants."

Analysis by the Centre for Social Justice found Britain has lost nearly 1,800 pubs and bars since 2016, while the number of vape and tobacco shops increased to almost 2,200.

But for the first time, the government announced in August that vape shops would need planning permission before opening.

Previously, no change of use application to the local council was needed.

Authorities in England and Wales are also having their powers to close shops down doubled from six months to a year.

The move aims to give police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime and prevent them reopening before investigations are complete.

"It gives us a way to exercise some control over what's happening up on our high street," Dent says.

However, the Conservatives have argued the government's plan could lead to more empty shops.

While the issue is debated in Westminster, Dent believes it is important to have local discussions too.

The council has struggled to intervene with privately owned units, but making vape shops apply for a change of use opens that door.

Dent says while there is no issue with "legitimate" barbers, vape and mobile phone shops, he wants to prevent them taking over the high street.

"Having such a concentration of the same businesses puts people off going to high streets and it damages the whole local economy," he adds.

The motion is due to be debated on Wednesday evening.

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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