Pride in Liverpool and the annual March with Pride has been cancelled for the second year running due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The popular event was due to take place on Saturday July 31 but the decision to cancel has been taken by the LCR Pride Foundation after the charity investigated all possible options but could not deem any safe enough in light of Covid-19.
According to the government’s four stage plan to exit lockdown, all restrictions could be lifted by June 21. That is assuming mutiple factors including keeping infection rates and Covid related hospitalisations down, as well as the success of vaccination.
LCR Pride Foundation chief executive Andi Herring said: “It’s disappointing news. Lots of people are disappointed it’s not happening but generally the feedback’s been really good.
“Of course, we know not everyone wants to go straight back to normal life again so some people were thinking they wouldn’t have been comfortable anyway. Although it’s a really rubbish situation it’s given us the reassurance that it was the right decision.”
Even if lockdown restrictions are all lifted, the charity feel there is still a lot of uncertainty about what will be required of mass events.
Pride festivals are still taking place in other UK cities which has raised many questions as to why Liverpool’s Pride has been cancelled. The annual Pride event is a big part of the charity’s work but as a free event it has limitations compared to those events that are ticketed and can manage numbers.
Mr Herring said: “People are going to jump to the nearby ticketed events, but our event is a non-ticketed event. We want everyone to take part, but we can’t offer the same structure and restrictions that they can.
“We looked at every possibility, but when you get to that point it just becomes really unpredictable and it throws your plan out again. But the good thing about this is we’ve been through every option for next year already so we’re kind of already ahead of ourselves.”
Lewis Collins, chair of the LCR Pride Foundation board of directors, said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of all involved with and attending the event is absolutely paramount.
“The ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions and the limitations we face in terms of implementing Covid-19 security measures at a free-to-access event attracting 50,000 people, has made it clear that we will not be able to deliver Pride in Liverpool or March with Pride safely and effectively in 2021.”
Every year Pride Liverpool announces the annual theme for the March and this year will be no different. Although the March will not be taking place as an in-person event, Pride Liverpool will still be celebrated online.
Mr Herring said: “We will be launching our digital events programme on the April 5. It’ll be very similar to last year in terms of our March and it’ll be really active. We want people to realise again, it’s all well and good to have a really big celebration but actually the reason why we do it is a lot more than that.”
LCR Pride Foundation will also be announcing on April 5 that they have far more planned across the region including St Helens and Wirral too.
Listen to the CEO for LCR Pride Foundation, Andi Herring, discuss what is to be expected from Pride 2021>>>
https://soundcloud.com/robyncouling/interview-with-ceo-for-lcr-pride-foundation