SOUTHEND’S beloved shakedown will not take place this year, disappointed organisers have announced despite a major push to see the event return.

After the 2023 Southend Shakedown biker rally was cancelled, organisers spent months banging their heads together to devise a grand plan for the event to return this year and had hoped to see it move to East Beach.

However, the committee announced yesterday that a variety of issues surrounding “a lack of resources” and “waterlogging” has led to plans being put on a backburner and the group switching their attention to 2025.

Traditionally, the event took place on the seafront but this has been ruled out due to issues in the past with marshals facing abuse and East Beach has been identified as the preferred location after the success of the Caribbean themed East Beach Festival.

Organiser Adam Ball said: “In relation to 2022, some of our marshals received abuse and threats from the public and some from the biking community wouldn’t park where we wanted them to. It’s just things like that.

“At the end of the day, our guys are volunteers and they give up their time to give everyone an enjoyable event.

“It was disappointing that some people reacted that way particularly because we struggled to get the event on after the pandemic.

“In 2019, we had a lot more resources to work with than in 2022, so the fact we got it going in 2022 was basically a miracle.”

Mr Ball added: “To our supporters, we’d like to say thank you and we appreciate you understanding the difficulties we have faced.

“What we need more than anything is help with marshalling the event because we’ve only got about five active committee members, we’d normally have ten.”

Martin Richardson, owner of Happidrome Arcade on Southend seafront, called on Southend Council to offer more support.

He said: “I spoke to the council a couple of weeks ago and it’s such a shame they don’t want to adopt it as an event.

“It’s an event that brings thousands into the area whether they’re pending or not.

“My biggest problem was with the council’s argument that 90 per cent of bikers that turn up are good but they only want to pick up and focus on the bad ten per cent.”

Kevin Buck, Southend councillor responsible for highways, transport and parking, said: “I’ve been assisting the Shakedown so I attend their committee meetings to help facilitate and make sure it goes ahead.

“I do know the primary reason for it not going ahead is because of a lack of marshalls. There are thousands of bikes that come on the day that need loads of management and control so you need 40-50 marshalls on board.

“It is disappointing but I suspect that many motorcyclists will still come irrespective of an official Shakedown or not. It’s sort of a tradition now that bikes come on a bank holiday but it’s unfortunate that an official event can’t be organised.

“We’re looking at how we can support the organisers better to ensure it can happen.”

“I can assure you the council has done all it can and the event’s cancellation wasn’t because of a lack of council support.

“As the Shakedown’s statement said it’s been because of an insufficient amount of volunteers that can ensure the event happens on the day.”