Basildon…
Colchester…
I know where I’d rather live. Go to Google and do an image search on both of them. If you like concrete then Basildon is for you.
Colchester is lovely, but after living there for 40 odd years, Basildon is not as bad as people make out, good and bad bits much like anywhere else.
A couple of recovery firms that spring to mind are D and G cars, and Albert road recovery, but have no idea on what they are like to work for.
Never mind finding work, how do you expect to understand what they are talking about? They don’t speak proper England down there mind. Only the other night I had to tell the forkie at ASDA dartford who kept calling me a name, if that’s the way you say it then the second letter would be an A and not a U, the cant.
Pimpdaddy:
mike68:
Tesco are recruiting via there website for drivers in the Dagenham depot.£10.70 or so plus night and weekend premiums. stores.tesco-careers.com/jobsearch.cfm
Stay away from this [zb] outfit if you know what’s good for you, doesn’t matter how much they claim they pay…
Do you have a sensor go off every time someone posts the word ‘Tesco’? 
Definitely recommend living between Chelmsford / Colchester. Basildon probably has a ton of work available at various firms because it is predominately one big industrial site.
Couldn’t tell you what they’re like to work for but you can probably get yourself in Arla (Hatfield Peveral) / ALDI (Chelmsford) through agencies as a starter.
FreddieSwan:
Do you have a sensor go off every time someone posts the word ‘Tesco’?
.
I wish…
Maldon is a nice place, quiet little town with a few supermarkets and an quay, pubs and park. It’s only a few miles to the A12 in either direction and there’s a fair few hauliers / operators in the town. Also you have Braintree & Witham with quite a bit of industry fairly close, Chelmsford and Colchester are both easy and even Basildon not too far away.
Chelmsford is 10 miles from Maldon but housing much more expensive.
What a lot of encouraging posts - thanks everyone, and for the good advice about where to live.
I must admit, coming from the North East, I am surprised at how much work (comparatively) there seems to be advertised in Essex, even taking into account ‘fictitious’ agency jobs. It seems like a different world.
On the matter of where to live (again, thanks for advice received):
We would prefer Colchester if suitable work for me was there or nearby.
Rents in Chelmsford are a couple of hundred quid a month more than Basildon or Colchester.
If we ended up in the Basildon area we would probably try for Wickford.
The point is, getting a job is the priority, we can always move again in a few months time.
Thanks for all the input. Other/additional thoughts welcome.
Alan
mike68:
Tesco are recruiting via there website for drivers in the Dagenham depot.£10.70 or so plus night and weekend premiums. stores.tesco-careers.com/jobsearch.cfm
Yes. They are using a class 2 vehicle to advertise there are jobs going
Colchester is a great place to live and theres plenty of work about. Its a perfect location for ipswich, harwich, chelmsford etc. If you need any more help just give us a shout
Southern softy beer, or proper Northern beer.
Decisions decisions.
Ken.
Quinny:
Southern softy beer, or proper Northern beer.Decisions decisions.
Ken.
Being able to afford beer or not? 
Not a hard decision to make. 
No Roger Whitaker and his Old Durham Town.
Socketset:
No Roger Whitaker and his Old Durham Town.
.
I remember him.
Thought Durham was a town and thought the river Tyne ran through it. 
OnlyAlan:
Socketset:
No Roger Whitaker and his Old Durham Town..
I remember him.
Thought Durham was a town and thought the river Tyne ran through it.
City. River Wear. 
You could try HBC salvage. Money isn’t that bad, if you just want days that may be possible and also easy work especially if you have done some recovery work. I only left because it was a bit far to travel when I was home. If you want the number just message me.
Bucket load of Chelmsford jobs just gone on jcp class 1 and 2