Events axed due to Coronavirus crisis

The country’s most famous horse race has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus crisis.

The Jockey Club has made the decision following the government’s new public health guidance and cancelled the event which attracts thousands of racegoers.

The event was due to take place on the first weekend of April.

Sandy Dudgeon, senior steward of The Jockey Club, said: “The Randox Health Grand National Festival was just three weeks away and it’s very clear to us it will not be possible for the event to take place. Public health must come first.

“I know this is hugely disappointing news for the many people who work in our sport and the many millions who were looking forward to this year’s event, but very sadly these are exceptional times and this is the responsible thing to do.”

And a trade show which attracts several thousand visitors has been cancelled along with an arts festival.

The Manchester Cleaning Show, which was due to take place on March 25 and 26 has been postponed due to the ongoing international Coronavirus crisis.

The event, which is the North of England’s premier cleaning and hygiene event, will now take place from 15 to 16 September 2020 at the same venue, Event City.

All existing bookings, content and visitor registrations remain in place and will be transferred automatically to the new dates.

Organisers Quartz Business Media and the British Cleaning Council have begun contacting exhibitors, visitors and speakers to inform them.

Steve Diprose, chief executive officer at Quartz Business Media, said: “In light of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and the severe uncertainty it is causing, we have taken the correct decision to postpone the Manchester Cleaning Show.

“We remain committed to delivering a powerful and timely event that delivers exciting content and business solutions to our visitors and new commercial opportunities for our exhibitors, but that will now be happening from 15 to 16 September.

“We will be in touch individually with exhibitors, visitors and speakers over the coming days to ensure there is a smooth transition.

“We would like to thank everyone connected with the show for their continued support and patience during this challenging time.”

Paul Thrupp, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), said: “It is regrettable that we have had to postpone the Manchester Cleaning Show but, in the circumstances, it is clearly the right decision.

“Like the organisers of the many other major events in the UK and around the world which have been postponed, we felt we could not go-ahead when the Coronavirus crisis is likely to get worse in the immediate future.

“We hope that visitors and exhibitors will be able to understand this decision. “

This year’s Manchester Cleaning Show is the third edition of the event.

The biannual event is free to attend and features a wide range of national and international exhibitors as well as an exciting conference programme of talks by leading industry figures and experts.

The last Manchester Cleaning Show, in 2018, attracted more than 2,000 visitors.

The Not Quite Light Festival in New Islington has also been cancelled.

The festival is a celeration of the arts and has been postponed until the Autumn.

 All tickets will be refunded over the next couple of days. 

A spokesperson said: “There has been something of a collapse in terms of public events, and many well-worn phrases, such as ‘the decision has not been taken lightly’, are now becoming all too common as we scroll through our social media timelines.

“But these decisions are not taken lightly. There can be very challenging, life changing consequences. However, events simply are becoming untenable both from a public health and commercial perspective. 

For those of us who are charged with delivering creative art to the public are fully aware of the impact on all those involved when there are cancellations. I’ve been self-employed for all of my life, and so am acutely conscious of the effect that this extraordinary situation has on those who rely for their livelihood on festivals, markets and similar commissions.”

The Northern Powerhouse Women awards which were due to take place on Monday night were also called off along with the Lakes Hospitality Trade show.