Grays is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, and is situated approximately 20 miles (32km) to the east of London on the north bank of the River Thames.

Local sites of interest include the Thameside Theatre, the Thurrock History Museum, Grays Beach and the now-disused State Cinema (which was used as a location in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and for sections of Jamiroquai's video of "Deeper Underground" for the film Godzilla). The ancient local manor of Grays Thurrock was granted by Richard I in 1195 to Henry de Gray, a descendant of the Norman knight Anchetil de Greye.

From the top of the Derby Road Bridge in Grays you can look down to Thurrock Yacht Club, Grays Beach children's playground and the River Thames where you can occasionally see large ships travelling up and down.

As well as Thurrock Yacht Club, Grays Beach is the site of the local landmark The Gull, a lightship built in 1860, which has lain on the foreshore for decades and is now in a serious state of dilapidation.