A MAJOR airshow which brings huge crowds to the Sussex coast each year will no longer be going ahead.

Eastbourne Borough Council said the cancellation of the Airbourne event was "inevitable" with the coronavirus crisis putting a stop to months of mass gatherings.

Council leader David Tutt said: "I had been hanging on to the vain hope that Airbourne could take place this summer, but we have to accept that bringing hundreds of thousands of people together to watch the event is now out of the question.

The Argus:

"This is a sad but inevitable decision for me. But, at a time when our incredible medical and care workers are on the frontline of this crisis saving lives, there are much bigger issues at stake."

It was due to take place between August 13 and 16 and has been hosted in the town each year since 1993.

Eastbourne Borough Council said there had been a "broad support and understanding for the decision to cancel Airbourne" from airshow partners.

The Argus:

Councillor Penny di Cara, leader of the town's conservative group, said: "I fully support Councillor Tutt’s decision and I’m sure that everyone else, however disappointed they are, will also understand why hosting Airbourne this year is impossible.

"I have no doubt that when we fully overcome the challenges we face now, we will bounce back and make Airbourne 2021 the best ever."

  • At The Argus, we are championing the work of traders during the coronavirus pandemic as part of our #BackingSussexBusiness campaign. We are always interested to hear how the community is coming together in this crisis. If you know of a local business battling to do all it can in these tough times and/or offering support to the local community, please get in touch at laurie.churchman@theargus.co.uk and rose.lock@theargus.co.uk.