Brighton Pride: Mass gatherings still a 'huge challenge'

Organisers have been left "devastated" after they were forced to cancel Brighton Pride for a second time, over uncertainties around mass gatherings.

The annual festival that sees thousands of people flock to the city to celebrate the LGTQ+ community was called off this morning.

It means the celebrations that were due to take place this year on August 7 and August 8 will no longer go ahead.

• FOLLOW LIVE: Updates as Brighton Pride is cancelled for second year

Despite calls from festival-goers that the decision was an overreaction to coronavirus fears, Brighton and Hove City Council said it "fully supported" the cancellation.

In a statement that followed the announcement, Nick Hibberd, Brighton and Hove City Council’s executive director for economy, environment and culture, said: “We’re very sorry that the in-person Pride events need to be cancelled again this year.

“They are very important community events in our city’s cultural calendar promoting LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion and will be much missed.

Brighton Pride has been cancelled for 2021

“We’ve been in regular discussion with Pride through the city’s multi-agency safety advisory group. Even with restrictions starting to ease, it’s clear managing large events safely remains a huge challenge.

“Keeping everyone safe and Covid rates low remains our priority. With that in mind, we fully support the decision.

“We will continue working with Pride to support the smaller events arranged this year and help manage a safe city over the traditional Pride weekend at the beginning of August.

“We look forward to working together next year to make sure our city’s full Pride celebrations can return better than ever.”

• READ MORE >> 2021 Brighton Pride cancelled over mass gathering fears

Last year, coronavirus restrictions meant the event to mark the landmark 30th anniversary was cancelled “with a heavy heart”.

Despite the cancellation, smaller in-person satellite pop up community and cultural events are still planned for throughout the summer and autumn.

Taking to Twitter to share his disappointment, Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty suggested that a "government-backed insurance scheme" might have allowed planning for the event to go ahead.

Phélim Mac Cafferty said he was 'sorry' to hear that the event had been cancelled

He wrote: "Sorry to see Pride has been cancelled but reassured that community wellbeing is coming first.

"A government-backed insurance scheme might have allowed planning for Covid-safe event but uncertainty makes it impossible.

"Brighton Pride will be back and we will celebrate equality together."

The cancellation comes just days after the government trialled a club event in Liverpool ahead of the easing of restrictions on June 21.

A pilot event which saw around 3,000 clubbers return to the dancefloor has been hailed as a glimpse of what the future might hold by public health leaders.

Revellers, who all had to produce negative coronavirus tests, did not have to wear face coverings or social distance for the first time since before lockdown began.

It is hoped the event, the first of two taking place on consecutive nights, will pave the way for clubs across the country to reopen their doors.