When hundreds of teenagers descended on Southend seafront on the UK's hottest day of the year, Martin Richardson had his "I told you so" moment.
But instead of feeling smug satisfaction, the local business owner was incandescent with rage.
Around 3pm on Tuesday, Mr Richarson, owner of the Happidrome Arcade on Marine Parade, had been given "intelligence" that a poster and video were circulating on TikTok about a "rave" on the beach.
It included the area's postcode and instructed partygoers to "bring your own weed, balloons and laughing gas".
The arcade owner knew that this was a "red flag". Since taking over the business more than 10 years ago, he has seen acts of violence erupt on the seafront with alarming regularity.
In August 2023 a social media invite to "get lit" on the beach descended into chaos.
Situated a short train ride from Fenchurch Street, Southend-on-Sea is a popular tourist spot for people looking to escape the capital.
Its proximity to London also means troublemakers use the seafront as a "stage" for violence, Mr Richardson says.
Anticipating similar scenes unfolding on Tuesday, the arcade owner passed on the information to the police, but alleges the force dismissed his warning as "hot air".
Then, around 7pm that evening, East of England Ambulance Service received reports that a man had been stabbed after a gathering of hundreds of people descended into violence.
A dispersal order was put in place as shocking footage showed at least four people clad in black wielding machetes close to Adventure Island, which flanks the north end of Southend pier.
A dispersal order was put in place as police attempted to clamp down on the violence
Essex Police
The large crowd fanned out into the high street, with a small group of yobs spotted carrying knives.
Police have charged seven people in connection with the violence and disorder. Seven weapons were seized during the unrest.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Richardson claims police could have prevented the chaos if they had only taken his concerns seriously and followed up on his intelligence.
He claims "a radio call came through that 40 of them had just jumped the barriers at Victoria Station with no tickets" and his CCTV identified potential "assailants" gathering down the seafront but the police were "oblivious".
Immediately before our interview, the local business owner had walked out of an emergency meeting with police and other seafront traders early in "utter disgust".
Mr Richardson alleges that during the meeting, which took place on Thursday afternoon, one officer present "swung in his chair with his hands behind his head laughing" in response to his complaints.
In response to these allegations, Essex Police told GB News: "We received information about an event planned to take place on Tuesday 30 July and then developed that intelligence to establish more details about what it entailed and who may be involved.
"None of the information we identified included details of people with weapons.
"When the situation did escalate we responded quickly and robustly making eight arrests and those arrested remain in custody.
"The characterisation of the private meeting with seafront traders is wrong.
"We have taken this situation incredibly seriously which is emphasised by the very visible police presence in Southend this week, which will continue over the weekend.
"We have officers at railway stations, specialist units including police dogs, knife arches, and Opengate weapons detection system."
The violence spilled out into the High Street, where a young group of thugs were seen wielding knives
This doesn't cut it for Mr Richardson, who says the night of unrest directly impacted his business and local community.
Two young members of staff quit after their parents deemed the seafront a "no-go zone" following the incident, he says.
"We're encouraged to employ younger members of staff to give them their first jobs for the summer season before they go off to university or college and now I am two staff down."
Mr Richardson, who was forced to close his arcade four hours early after the violence erupted, estimates he lost £4,000 of trade that night and a further £5,000 as a result of losing two members of staff.
"Our narrow-minded police force doesn't see the implications of their failures," he claims, alleging that this will keep happening unless the force improves intelligence gathering and sharing, and clamps down on crime.
"We can't be seen as a pushover country," Mr Richardson said.
The local business owner calls for harsher sentences, claiming that the current judicial system favours a "slap on the wrist and community service" over lengthy sentences - it's broken and criminals know it.
"If you get caught with a knife, you should get a 10-year sentence at the minimum - that will make these kids think twice," he said.
Mr Richardson estimates he lost £4,000 worth of trade that night
Martin Richardson
Police should also be granted extra powers, he says, claiming that "paperwork" has tied them up in knots and they are "scared" to deploy force because of the potential repercussions.
Overcrowded prisons are not helping either, the arcade owner continues, claiming that it incentivises officers to avoid making arrests.
The force also needs to get better at harvesting data to snuff out criminal networks, Mr Richardson adds.
Sir Keir Starmer appears to be listening. In response to the riots that have broken out across the country following the killing of three young girls in Southport, the Prime Minister has set up a new national violent disorder unit to help clamp down on violent groups by allowing forces to share intelligence.
Sir Keir has condemned "far-right hatred" for stoking violence across the country but Mr Richardson feels this is missing the point.
While he does not condone violence in any form, the police should not shy away from what's fuelling it, the local business owner says, adding that the events which unfolded in his hometown are symptomatic of a far wider problem that needs to be tackled: uncontrolled levels of immigration.
He attributes rampant crime in part to a lack of assimilation and values that have no place in Britain, adding that "we're never going to eradicate it".
Other locals have grown equally despondent.
Dave, 60, left Southend two years ago after feeling increasingly unsafe at escalating levels of crime.
"You have got an invasion. Drugs are being openly dealt. People are openly smoking weed and it's just generally aggressive," he told GB News.
Like Mr Richardson, Dave is equally frustrated at the police's response to the disorder on Tuesday night.
"If they knew it was going to happen. Why didn't they stop it?"
