IT’S D-Day for the future of Southend Cricket Festival.

Essex County Cricket Club’s committee will be meeting this evening at the County Ground in Chelmsford to decide its fate.

And Derek Jarvis, executive councillor for culture and tourism at Southend Borough Council, is keeping his fingers crossed the festival will continue.

“We are 100 per cent behind the festival and have written a strong letter of support to the club saying that,” said Jarvis.

“I think a good case has been put together to show why the festival should carry on and I really can’t understand why it’s even in doubt if I’m honest.

“It’s become a very successful event with good support and it makes money too, so I hope they make the right decision because it’s a fundamental event to the community.”

The festival, which has been in operation for 105 years, switched to Garon Park from Southchurch Park in 2005.

Jarvis feels the change of location helped to revitalise the event and has helped it fare far better than Colchester’s festival in Castle Park.

“Peter Butler worked hard to improve the festival with his team and it now outperforms the club’s other festival,” said Jarvis.

“There are also a tremendous number of youngsters from local schools who come along to watch the matches in Southend and I think that’s important.

“We want to reduce obesity and encourage kids to take up sport, which is something else I think the Southend Festival does.”

The Echo revealed at the start of September that the future of the festival was in doubt.

Since then a number of south east Essex based cricket fans, including Kim Bailey — the son of Essex and England legend Trevor — have expressed their concerns.

Supporters have also signed online petitions and will be nervously awaiting news from tonight’s meeting.