Notting Hill Carnival has been cancelled for a second year running

Notting Hill Carnival has been cancelled for a second year running due to the pandemic.

2020 marked the first time there was no Notting Hill Carnival since the street party began in 1966, with the event being held online.

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According to the organisers, plans for a 2021 edition “will not be on the streets” but other events that “allow everyone to safely celebrate everything” are being organised.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, everyone involved in the event desperately wants a return to the road where carnival belongs but safety has to come first and with the latest cautious announcement on the government’s road map, this is the only way to ensure that,” the statement reads.

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“In making this decision, we have considered our responsibilities to deliver a safe, spectacular, successful and sustainable carnival. The conclusion is that with so much uncertainty, with time short for carnivalists to prepare and the risk of eventual cancellation a real possibility, we must refocus our efforts for 2021.”

Earlier this year, it was warned that social distancing measures would make the event difficult, with organiser Matthew Phillip saying: “It would be very difficult to hold Carnival in its traditional format on the streets with social distancing in place. It would be devastating for a second year in a row.”

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Find the full statement below.