ORGANISERS behind Brighton Pride claim a lack of coronavirus insurance made it "impossible" to plan for the event.

The annual festival that sees thousands of people flock to the city was cancelled for the second year in a row over concerns around mass gatherings.

In a statement posted online, organisers said they were "heartbroken" to cancel the popular event and cited "many uncertainties" that made it "impossible" to plan the festival.

The absence of "government-backed Covid insurance" made it too hard to predict what would happen to the event later this year, organisers said.

The celebrations that support the LGBTQ+ community were due to take place this year on August 7 and August 8.

Paul Kemp, director of Brighton Pride said challenges including infrastructure, security and staffing made it impossible to deliver a safe event with any "certainty".

He said: "Pride attracts tens of thousands of people to our city for the LGBTQ+ community parade which is the heart of the Pride celebrations, where social distancing clearly can’t be facilitated safely.

"Our planning has also identified significant supply chain challenges including infrastructure, security and staffing making it impossible to deliver a safe event with any certainty.

The Argus: Brighton Pride was cancelled over mass gathering fears Brighton Pride was cancelled over mass gathering fears

Concerns around the lack of protection and safety net for big events, including Pride, were echoed by Caroline Lucas.

The Brighton Pavillion MP said the event's programme is facing total collapse because of the "government’s failure to act on Covid-related cancellation insurance".

She wrote: "This summer’s festival and events programme is facing near wipe-out because of the government’s failure to act on Covid-related cancellation insurance.

"It’s impossible for promoters and organisers to pay huge up-front costs if they can’t get protection in the event of cancellation.

"I fear many other events will also be called off because of the government’s short-sightedness.”

It comes as more than a quarter of music festivals due to take place in the UK this year have been cancelled as a result of government inaction on event insurance.

According to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), 26 per cent of all festivals with a capacity of more than 5,000 people have been cancelled by their organisers.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader also Phelim Mac Cafferty also suggested that a "government-backed insurance scheme" might have allowed planning for the event to go ahead.

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."

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

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.