Leigh Regatta’s Return

PLANS are afoot to restore Old Leigh’s historic Regatta to its place on the town’s event calendar.

It has been reported that Marcus Dean, a group events manager for the 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scout Group, is hoping to put a team together in a bid to bring back popular event.

Traditionally, a regatta is a set of boat races and in the past the event has featured this nautical element, appropriate to Old Leigh’s fishing and boating heritage, in addition to the wider social engagements of stalls, entertainment, activities, and Punch and Judy.

The event is organised to raise money for the two sea scout groups – 3rd Chalkwell Bay, and 4th/6th Leigh, and this nautical focus of the local groups is at the focus of plans to bring it back.

Mr Dean said: “It is important to us this time, that we keep the water sports right at the front of the event.”

The event last took place back in September 2019, but suffered a series of cancellations due to the pandemic and in 2022, it was cancelled in respect to her late Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Due to an ever increasing budget and other technical challenges, there was then no event planned for 2023.

Mr Dean is keen to return it to Old Leigh, but stressed that plans are in the early stages.

He commented: “There is a huge amount of work that goes into an event of this size, and many financial hurdles that we need to jump.

“I hope we can rely on Southend Council, Leigh Town Council, and the community to step forward and help where they can.”

He underlined the importance of the event for Leigh: “The first Regatta was supposedly held in 1880. We can’t just let it go without a fight.

“It is a massive event for the community and lots of people want to see it happen, so we want to try and make it work for 2024.”

Picture: by Marcus Dean –  Old Leigh Regatta in its heyday.

Read more.

Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news

Contact us. Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news

Twitter: @leighonsea_news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighonsea.news