A BIKER event is set to make its return in 2022 after being cancelled for two years due to Covid-19.

Southend Shakedown, a tradition for Southend seafront, did not go ahead this year due to ongoing Covid restrictions, much to the dismay of organisers and supporters from across the town.

The event is a tradition for Southend seafront and was resurrected in 2019, typically seeing thousands of bikers travel from far and wide for the annual showstopper.

With Thursday marking two years since the last event was able to take place, Adam Ball - chairman of the Southend Shakedown Resurrection Committee - says the team are “raring to go” for next year’s planned event.

READ MORE:

He said: “We couldn’t get the event back on for this Easter, so we’re looking towards 2022.

“All the plans we had for last year we actually put on pause thinking it would go ahead this year, but restrictions were still in place. This particularly limits crowds gathering and with hospitality being largely restricted we wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

“When we heard Boris’ plans for the roadmap out of lockdown we knew it just wouldn’t happen, it has been really hard.

“But we’re really excited to get things back on and we’re still constantly getting people liking our page, so there is definitely interest even after all this time.

“With the success of 2019 I’d dare say people will want to get involved, there was over 5,000 bikes and 30,000 visitors.”

The original event was cancelled in 2017 – which would have been its 19th year – due to spiralling costs, but the bikers returned in 2019 for what was known as the Southend Shakedown – the Resurrection.

Mr Ball, 46, continued: “The advantage this will give us is we can look at getting more things in, we should be having the Southend Ghostbusters Team in doing their bit and there are slots of ideas brimming.

“We’re hoping to get a few extra trade stand areas too.”

“The first moment we can sit down with each other to catch up we will, it’s been so long so we’re really looking forward to it.

“We’re keeping our fingers and toes crossed it will go ahead next year.”

Keep an eye on the SSR (Southend Shakedown Resurrection) Facebook page.