Covid: Manchester Pride parade cancelled over safety concerns

Manchester Pride's parade has been cancelled over concerns it could not run in accordance with Covid rules.

The annual event, which sees floats and performers travel through the city, had been due to take place on 28 August.

Manchester Pride (MP) said guidelines for large-scale events meant bringing thousands of people together was not "the right thing to do just now".

It said five "Equality Marches", each with a maximum of 400 participants, would take place instead.

In February, MP announced it would be returning for an "in person" event, after its "celebration of LGBTQ+ life" moved online in 2020 with about 114,000 people joining a virtual event.

In a statement, organisers said MP had been in discussions about how to deliver the parade safely after guidelines for large-scale events were issued following the lifting of most national Covid restrictions on Monday.

They said after "subsequent Covid safety advisory group meetings" on Wednesday, "we recognise that it is not possible for us to deliver the much-loved and anticipated parade in 2021".

They said MP had a "duty of care to our staff and our audiences" and it was "not possible" to follow the guidelines "when bringing hundreds of thousands of people together in Manchester city centre", adding: "We do not feel this is the right thing to do just now."

They added that the "Equality Marches" would still allow people to "take part in a way which feels comfortable and safe for all participants".

MP said full details of the wider Pride Live festival, which is due to take place from 27 to 30 August would be released soon.

In April, it was announced the festival would be headlined by pop star Zara Larsson and a mystery headliner.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]