Notting Hill Carnival OFF – Organisers forced to scrap London’s biggest street party for second year in a row

THE Notting Hill Carnival has been called off, as London's biggest street party is scrapped for the second year in a row due to the Covid pandemic.

In a statement, the board of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd said it had decided this year's event "will not be on the streets due to the ongoing uncertainty and risk Covid-19 poses".

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"This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make," the statement added.

"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.

"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 2022."

The event was also removed from the streets in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Last year was the first time the carnival had been axed for 54 years.

The carnival was the latest in a string of summer calendar events last year to have been called off as a result of Covid-19, including the Glastonbury festival and the Tokyo Olympics.