Southend Airshow scrapped

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Southendnick
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Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by Southendnick »

Southend Airshow has been scrapped
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DeanW
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Re: Southend scrapped

Post by DeanW »

Another one bites the dust :sad: Scrapped as a result of council cutbacks, which will save them in the region of £130,000.

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Southendnick
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by Southendnick »

£6.8million needs to be cut from the budget, council tax is going up and Southend Pier is to shut for two days a week over wintertime
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8674planes
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by 8674planes »

So they are sacrificing a two day show which brings thousands of tourists in from London and the surrounding areas just to save £130,000. :mad:
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DeanW
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by DeanW »

Can't imagine the local traders will be happy with that decision! The only positive I can find from it is that Duxford may well see the benefit.


FGR2
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by FGR2 »

That is a shame, although it was a shadow of its former self.

Have been going to the show for many years now, I wonder whether anyone will step in at the last minute.

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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by FGR2 »

I think what they used to do was approach the RAF for easy to get aircraft, Jaguar/Tornado/Harrier/Typhoon/C-130, Red Arrows and then used to top up the rest of the displays with filler acts.

With current budget cutbacks, the show was reduced in length and more filler aircraft were needed to fill the RAF Fast Jet gaps.

You then ended up with very few jets, and lots of puddle jumpers that got lost along the seafront.

The Vulcan the other year was impressive, but star items were few and far between.

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LN Strike Eagle
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

DanO1978 wrote:Around 2004-05 it hit a real sweet spot.

Yeah, they were good shows. Enjoyed the Airport Open Days too - good memories of the Jaguars, Harriers, Tornados, Sea Vixen, Sabre etc parked up and taxiing just feet away.
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westhamfan84
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by westhamfan84 »

Another big loss for south first with biggin and now this show. Very sad news but sign of the times I'm afraid. How many more sea front airshows will follow thats my worry.
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by duxfordhawk »

Very sad to see this show go, also feel it maybe a little short sighted to cancel it as it was one of Southend's main tourist attractions and must have made back that £130,000 for local businesses easily.
Sadly the flip side is the weather has become more unpredictable, people have far less money to spend and costs in general have gone up. Its sad times desperate times and I feel sympathy for Southend having to cut back on this show.
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davidjones533

Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by davidjones533 »

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Last edited by davidjones533 on Sat 21 Jul 2018, 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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8674planes
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by 8674planes »

There is a "Save Southend Airshow" Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SaveAirshowSouthend
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stonojnr
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by stonojnr »

davidjones533 wrote:If they don't want to put it on for free then why don't they charge? Seems to work for Southport.


the first one was, they had so many problems with people breaking the fences or just not paying , it was decided the event had to be free to work as you cant hold the show anywhere along the seafront that people cant view for free, and Lowestoft have shown theres no appetite for a donation model either.

the thing is the council will spend the 130k they save on just another scheme to attract visitors to support the businesses in the town, whilst theyve claimed themselves the airshow generates 10million pounds into the local economy and attracts 750k people every year, so it actually works for them as a concept.

means its either the classic cut a headline item that people might kick up a fuss about as, then you can reinstate it, pretend youve listened to what the people want and probably pushed through a higher tax increase to pay for it

or the real reason is that extending the airport recently, with the intent to increase passenger numbers to 2million a year, putting it towards being on par with London City Airport, is no longer compatible with running a 2 day air show alongside it.

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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by Ken Shabby »

If only £130K is needed, and the show brings in so much business to the town, it beggars the question: "Why doesn't the local Chamber of Commerce sponsor it?".

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stuart n
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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by stuart n »

That though did enter my mind Ken. Maybe EasyJet and Stobart could have provided some sponsorship/ financial assistance as well, would be good publicity for them

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Re: Southend Airshow scrapped

Post by UKTopgun »

Southend show confirmed tonight as gone.... thanks to SBC. Unlikely to ever return, what a shame :sad:

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