SOUTHEND Shakedown could dramatically be back on the cards after seafront traders, and a councillor, raised the £4,000 needed towards policing costs.

Last week, the Echo revealed the 18th incarnation of the biker event, due to take place on Easter Monday, had been axed, because organisers could not afford it.

Since then, Independent councillor Paul van Looy, who runs Grumpy’s Diner in Southchurch Road, has offered £2,000 to the cause, while 20 seafront traders have each pitched in £100 to raise the remainder.

Yesterday, Southend Council officers were locked in negotiations with organisers the Ace Cafe, based in London, over event planning for the March 28 bash, but were confident a deal could be struck.

Mr van Looy, who represents St Luke’s, said: “We get a lot of bikers in the restaurant and we’ve been looking at ways to help since the announcement was made.

“People either love or hate the Shakedown, but it can only be good for Southend seafront, if it happens.”

For the past 17 years, the Shakedown has seen hundreds of bikers descend on the seafront. In previous years, Essex Police had not asked for a contribution to policing costs, but this year asked for £4,000 towards costs – a quarter of the total police bill.

Seafront traders disputed previous council claims that they were unwilling to contribute.

Paul Thompson, chairman of the Seafront Traders’ Association, started a whipround.

He said: “Since the announcement, we’ve been trying to get this event back on.

The council is working on event planning with the organisers at the moment, but it is looking promising.

An announcement on whether the event can go ahead is expected by the end of the week.

The organisers did not get back to the Echo before we went to press.