Brighton Pride cancelled for the second year in a row
Brighton Pride in 2019. (Getty)
Brighton Pride has been cancelled for a second year due to “the many uncertainties” surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccine rollout.
The heartbreaking news was announced on Wednesday morning (5 May), with organisers revealing that its in-person events – scheduled for the weekend of 7 and 8 August – will no longer be going ahead.
Brighton Pride organisers said the need for community “has never been stronger”, but admitted that it is not yet possible to stage a large-scale event due to the ongoing pandemic.
“Delivering Pride requires an all year-round planning cycle working closely with our partners agencies and, while the vaccine rollout continues to be successful, the many uncertainties that need to be resolved to safely deliver mass gatherings and the complexities of organising multiple Pride events across our city are impossible to achieve in the time we have,” or
Brighton Pride has been cancelled for the second year in a row
Brighton Pride has been cancelled for the second consecutive year due to concerns around COVID.
In a statement, organisers noted the success of the vaccine rollout in the UK, but said “the many uncertainties that need to be resolved to safely deliver mass gatherings and the complexities of organising multiple Pride events across our city are impossible to achieve in the time we have.”
Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton Pride, called the cancellation ‘devastating’ because of the impact it will have on local businesses, charities and community groups who “rely” on fundraising from Pride weekend.
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Council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty said there would be an emergency meeting to hear the concerns of cabbies TAXI drivers in Brighton and Hove look set to get £500,000 to help them get through the Covid crisis. The money would be shared between 1,300 cabbies in the city, after Brighton and Hove City Council backed the idea at a meeting yesterday. It follows the news that three of the city s taxi drivers have died during the pandemic with others struggling financially and some using food banks. Drivers will be able to apply for up to £400 as part of the scheme, intended to cover the cost of Covid safety measures, rather than subside lost income.
Business owners waiting to hear about coronavirus-related grants have been urged to contact their councillor or Brighton and Hove City Council directly. Several grant schemes with different rules – and a third national lockdown – have all added to the challenges for council officials as they try to help businesses as swiftly as they can. But Conservative councillor Joe Miller said that two businesses in his Rottingdean Coastal ward had contacted him about delays to support grants. One business owner spent 11 hours trying to get through to the council on the phone to find out their grant situation. He called for better communication with businesses to explain delays.