Summer events in Portsmouth including kite festival and bandstand cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic

Anticipated events including the kite festival and bandstand sessions would not be going ahead as planned, the city council announced today.

A council spokesman said: ‘Unfortunately due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we have decided to cancel the Southsea Food Festival, the bandstand events, the International Kite Festival, VJ-Day events and the Southsea car boot sales this summer.

'The UK government's Covid-19 recovery strategy clearly recognises that public events present a high risk to public health and therefore it will not be possible to hold large scale public gatherings at this stage and for many months ahead.

'Thank you to all involved in these events and activities - we very much hope to bring them back again in 2021. '

It comes as organisers announced Victorious Festival, which was due to take place in August, would be cancelled.

The city council's culture boss, Councillor Pitt, added: 'Public safety has to come first.

'We will continue to monitor and assess and make the appropriate decisions.'

Portsmouth City Council will be holding its first ever public virtual meeting next week on a video chat forum due to the pandemic.

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