Seven-day beach festival in Harborough has been cancelled amid fears over Covid-19

A huge seven-day beach festival due to go ahead in Market Harborough next week has been cancelled amid fears over Covid-19.

The BeachFest spectacular was set to be staged at Market Harborough Showground on Gallow Field Road from Tuesday August 25 until the Bank Holiday on Monday August 31.

But the summertime extravaganza has been called off very late in the day after a high-powered meeting on Tuesday (August 18) of Leicestershire’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

The SAG unit is made up of all three emergency services as well as Mike Sandys, the county’s director of public health, and Harborough District Council.

And they moved to halt the BeachFest event in its tracks as concerns grow over a dramatic coronavirus spike in nearby Northampton as well as the ongoing lockdown in Leicester.

The event’s organisers, Fleckney Group, have told the Harborough Mail: “Fleckney Group has been in a safety advisory group meeting with the director of public health for Leicestershire, police and various other Harborough council departments and services.

“We would like to make the following announcement.

“Due to the fact that Northampton just across the border is having a spike in cases and some of Leicester is still in a form of local lockdown, it has been agreed that BeachFest cannot happen this year and will be postponed.”

They added: “We are deeply disappointed for everyone involved.

“But the safety of our local community has to come first as we deemed this type of event as a too-higher risk to maintain the safe standards we strive for over the seven days.

“We will be postponing it until next year and will be looking at how we can make 2021 a success.”

People who have already snapped up tickets for the festival will either get a refund or can use them next year instead.

“Thank you all for your understanding and anyone who has tickets will be contacted in due course,” said Fleckney Group.

The action-packed festival was set to feature a huge beach with deckchairs, pop-up café and bar, fairground rides, live dinosaur show, live music, summer market and fireworks.

Ticket sales are thought to have gone well as many families locally were looking forward to taking their kids to the beach without leaving Market Harborough.

But BeachFest was also attacked on social media as critics branded it “irresponsible” as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to be a serious threat.

Fleckney Group has stressed that its ‘pop-up’ drive-in cinema is still poised to go ahead at Market Harborough’s Showground site this weekend.

Six movies will be shown between Friday August 21 and Sunday August 23.

Customers will be charged £35 per car for up to four people and £40 for five or more occupants.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: “Following a meeting with the organiser of Market Harborough BeachFest and relevant partners the decision was made by the organiser to cancel the event this year.

“In order for an event to go ahead early engagement with agencies must take place and a Premises Licence or Temporary Events Notice submitted ensuring that measures are in place to ensure the safety of those attending the gathering.”

She said the organisers, the Fleckney Group, will still be able to stage the drive-in cinema at the Showground this weekend.

“It has been agreed with the organiser that the event can take place in a reduced format consisting of a licensed bar and a cinema.

“It will run between 21 – 23 August,” said the spokeswoman.