USERS of a drop-in mental health centre have spoken of their anger at its imminent closure.

Essex County Council will shut down Roding House, in Victoria Road, Buckhurst Hill, in September, in exchange for a more open-ended system of care.

But William Long, of Lushes Road, Loughton, whose son Michael is a regular user of Roding House, voiced concern that any new facilities would not be the same quality.

He said: “Roding House and its hard-working staff do a fine job of work and I find it appalling to think that a bunch of faceless bureaucrats can just come along and wipe them out.

“It's an excellent place that gives people three days a week for help. It's been there quite a while- ten years- so it's established.”

Roding House is currently run by the charity Rethink and offers various courses and activities for people recovering from mental illness.

Under the new system, due to be adopted by Essex County Council following a strategic review, there will still be regular activities in the area, but not from a dedicated building.

A spokesman for the county council said: “The services currently provided by Rethink at Roding House are to be replaced with a modern inclusive day service that will provide improved coverage for people who use day services across North Essex.

“We anticipate that Uttlesford Mind, as the new day service provider, will be in contact with existing providers and people who use day services in due course to provide as smooth as possible transition between services.”

Mr Long said: “They say they're going to do something else but it's just the same thing they always do- they just want to sell it off.”