“JOBS could be lost” if Southend’s popular fireworks displays do not go ahead - with seafront traders insisting there is no risk as events are “open-air”.

Traders, including former chair of the seafront trader association Paul Thompson, are urging the council to review the decision.

The owner of Pebbles One Cafe wants the first event to be a “pilot” before a decision is made on cancelling the run of events entirely.

Mr Thompson argues the risk of Covid-19 spreading in an open-air environment would be “extremely low”.

In a letter to chief executive Allison Griffin, he said: “It is essential to find the correct balance between risk management of the virus spreading against the impact on the local economy.

“The decision to cancel the fireworks has unnecessarily forsaken this balance, and in my view seems to have been made in haste.”

He explained the two-week heatwave in August saw “tens of thousands of visitors” come to Southend’s beaches and the council’s public health chief Krishna Ramkhelawon confirmed there was no outbreak as a result.

He also insisted the fireworks rarely see large groups gathering, but are more likely to see small groups spread from Thorpe Bay to Chalkwell.

Rather than cancel, the council should use the first Saturday in October as a “pilot” for the fireworks which can be reviewed, Mr Thompson claims.

He added: “The fireworks are vital to seafront businesses, the high street and the wider local economy.

“Even more so given the disruption to trade throughout the lockdown. They also provide something for the community to do at no cost, to get out of the house for a short while in the open air.”

John Remblance, owner of a number of seafront arcades on Marine Parade including Electric Avenue, New York New York and Stardust, called the cancellation of the fireworks “disastrous” for trade.

He said: “It ends our season instantly. We’ve already missed Easter and the May Day Bank Holiday.

“To have it not start, then to end the season so abruptly is disastrous and it will affect jobs.

“The Government is asking us to keep people on but we can’t if we don’t make money.”

He added there appeared little logic in stopping fireworks that involve people being spread out across open beaches.