Women's Tour bike race brings in £1.3m for Southend council

The Women's Tour cycle race saw one county's economy boosted by £1.3m, a survey said.

The Southend leg of the Women's Tour bike race in October was attended by 52,000 people with visitors spending a daily average of almost £46 per group.

About 28% of people were from outside the borough and 12% stayed locally overnight, spending almost £100 per person.

Just under half of people cycled to the event, the economic impact survey said.

Food and drink, travel, entertainment and accommodation contributed to the spend and of the 1,003 Tour spectators questioned, 58% said the race had inspired them to cycle more often.

The race cost Shoeburyness, Southend and Essex authorities a combined total of £89,000.

The fourth leg of the 73-mile (117.5km) race started at East Beach in Shoeburyness.

It went through Wakering, Rochford and Rayleigh before finishing in Western Esplanade in Westcliff-on-Sea.

Conservative councillor for Southend Borough Council, Dan Nelson, spearheaded the bid to bring the tour to Southend in October.

He said: "The Women's Tour saw almost a million people worldwide watch Shoebury and Southend host a world class sporting event and I am sure it will be in the positive memories for so many for a long time.

"Money can't buy such a positive advert for our city."

Spurred on by the success of the event, Mr Nelson is now hoping to host part of a Tour de France, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Government is bidding to host the 2026 Tour de France Grand Depart in the UK.

The bid is backed by Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge who is hoping Southend will host a time trial stage for the event.

If successful, it would be the second time the Tour de France has taken place in Essex. Crowds lined the streets of Chelmsford back in July 2014.

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