Boating events cancelled amid virus fears

CORONAVIRUS is causing major disruption across the inland waterways with two of the country’s biggest boating events already called off and many more set to follow.

Britain’s biggest inland waterways event Crick Boat Show – that attracts around 30,000 people a year – has been postponed until later in the year, while London’s largest waterside festival the IWA Canalway Cavalcade has been cancelled.

Crick Boat Show was due to take place over the late May Bank Holiday weekend (May 23-25) at Crick Marina near Daventry.

Peter Johns, show director, said: “The health of visitors, exhibitors, volunteers, contractors, suppliers and our staff is paramount and with the currently projected duration of the Covid-19 outbreak, it has become clear that now is the right time for us to postpone the 2020 show.

“We are aware that the show is critical to many waterway-related businesses and is the highlight of the waterways calendar for many visitors, so we will be working hard to find a suitable alternative date later in the year.

“A number of other events have rescheduled and we will work as quickly as possible on our own plans.”

IWA Canalway Cavalcade should have taken place May 2 and 3.

Paul Rodgers, IWA national chairman, said: “It is with great regret and disappointment that IWA has decided not to proceed with our annual spectacular waterside festival at Little

Venice, owing to the risk the virus presents to volunteers and all those who attend and support the event.

“People travel from across the country to visit and celebrate at the capital’s biggest waterside festival, and with the news that the peak of the virus spread is likely to coincide with the timing of the festival, we felt cancellation was the right decision to take. The festival team will be contacting our exhibitors and attendees.”

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