‘Cancelled events were part of our DNA’

In the last ten years, a number of events have been cancelled for various reasons.

Southend Council stopped its air show in 2013 due to budget cuts and the Southend Shakedown, organised by Ace Cafe, was stopped in 2016 because the cafe couldn’t cover the cost of policing the event.

Last month, organisers of the Southend Barge Match had to cancel this year’s event, citing lack of support from Southend Council and rising costs as the reason.

The council has disputed this - claiming it had provided a “no-cost” option for the event to take place, but the committee did not respond to its proposal.

The popular Village Green event will not take place this year, but is returning next year and the future of the Leigh Folk Festival is hanging in the balance as organisers say it has grown too big for them to cope with it.

The Southend Illuminations were cancelled in 2007 due to council cut backs - although the council has pointed out this has been replaced with fireworks, organised by the Business Improvement District, which draw large crowds every year.

Traders say the cancellation of these events is having a huge impact on traders and the town centre and attribute some of the blame to Southend Council, which they claim is not doing enough to support the event organisers.

Paul Thompson, chairman of the Southend Seafront Traders Association, said: “I think it’s undoubtedly having a major effect on the town.

“All of the events, to a certain extent, put Southend on the map and people used to come from all over the country for the air show and Southend Shakedown. If they enjoyed it, they came back.

“It’s a massive advert for how good Southend is.

“The officers at Southend Council don’t understand the bigger picture, what tourism is about and how to welcome visitors to the town. They put so many health and safety restrictions in place that it puts people off.”

Mr Thompson added: “You have only got to look at the vast amount of comments on social media to see that the people who vote these councillors in want these things to take place.

“They take so much money through parking meters that it off-sets the costs.

“These events are part of the culture and Southend DNA.”

Philip Miller, owner of Adventure Island, added that he was pleased some events had stopped, such as the Southend Air Show and the Shakedown, but thought other events were positive for the town.

He said: “Losing the Barge match is just plain daft as I am told it was the pier’s best day of the year.

“That’s the problem with the council running the show, they have no incentive to prosper.

“Village Green I have never attended as I am always working when it’s on but I heard good things about it. It is a good advert for the town bringing recognition for our great arts and cultural base that exists in abundance locally.’ SOUTHEND Council has strongly rejected claims it is not doing enough to help events in the town prosper.

Scott Dolling, director of culture, tourism and property, said: “We want and encourage organised events and activities to take place throughout the borough all year round, but we also acknowledge that there is a strength of feeling and a perception in the community that we don’t. It is in all of our interests to have a varied and active events programme.

“However, we must be clear that we now operate in a different financial environment to that of ten years ago.

“The council has been subject to major central Government funding reductions and our role has needed to change as a result.”

Mr Dolling said the council needed to save £72million over the last seven years just to balance the books. He added: “This cannot be achieved without some difficult and unpalatable decisions, including the cancellation of the airshow back in 2012 for example.

“At the same time as council funds have reduced, other public bodies, such as the police, have started charging for certain activities to manage their own budget pressures.”

Mr Dolling said the council’s role was now about facilitating and supporting event organisers, charities and other groups to run safe events across the borough. He said: “We are happy to talk to any group about organising events in the High Street, seafront or any other suitable locations across the borough.

“In fact just last month there was a workshop to provide guidance on just that.

“A great example of success are the regular classic car events with the next one on April 15.

“We have a great borough with much to celebrate, and we are home to a variety of popular events, with hundreds listed on the Visit Southend website. These include the Southend Film Festival, The Leigh Folk Festival, a new Oktoberfest event taking place in Priory Park this year, Armed Forces Day, Southend Carnival and live music in the park.

“These are supplemented by many other cultural events and exhibitions in our galleries and museums and a full programme at the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre.”

To see upcoming events, visit visitsouthend.co.uk/whats-on/