Southend to lose cricket festival? (From Gazette)

Southend to lose cricket festival?

12:37pm Wednesday 7th September 2011 in Essex County Cricket Club news Exclusive By Chris Phillips

Ravi Bopara (right) in Southend earlier on this summer

SOUTHEND’S Cricket Festival could be coming to a close after 105 years in the town.

Some executive committee members are recommending that the county should not come back to south east Essex next season.

But a definite decision will be made at the end of the month.

And Essex Committee member Peter Butler, who was born in the Southend area, wants fans to show they care for the future of the festival.

“I personally don’t understand why it’s in doubt, but now is the time for people to come forward and show they care about the Southend Cricket Festival and its future,” stressed Butler.

“I know how passionate the fans are in this area and we enjoyed a very successful festival this summer which saw us make above average profits.

“That average over the past four years has been £15,000, which makes us more financially successful than the Colchester Festival so we don’t understand what’s happening.

“It can’t be a financial decision or a cricketing one either so we really do need to get to the bottom of what’s going on.

“But we will put our case forward at the meeting which is taking place at the end of the month and it would be great to be able to show we have the public behind us for that.”

County cricket was first played in Southend in 1906 and switched from Southchurch Park to Garon Park in 2005.

Attendances have steadily risen since the change of venue.

And Butler believes the current base, along Eastern Avenue, is now proving popular among the majority of local supporters.

FULL STORY IN WEDNESDAY'S ECHO.