CANCELLED: Great Dorset Steam Fair 2021 won't be going ahead
Event planners say they can't be certain social distancing measures will be lifted by August
The Great Dorset Steam Fair has been cancelled for a second year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Event planners say they can't be certain social distancing measures will be lifted by August – despite the Prime Minister's roadmap setting out plans to ease by late June.
A spokesperson for the Great Dorset Steam Fair said:
“We have continued to closely monitor the Coronavirus pandemic over the past few weeks and whilst the ongoing vaccination programme is progressing well and should be commended, it has nevertheless become increasingly evident (as in 2020) that it is unfeasible to run the GDSF event again this year.
"This has been a very difficult decision to make, however, as our pre-planning for the 2021 event has now reached a critical stage (with March being the key deadline for confirming major contractors), we have no other option than to make the decision now to not continue with the event this year and focus our efforts on the 2022 show.
"Despite the Prime Minister’s Speech last night and the Government’s roadmap to ease Covid-19 Restrictions, the ongoing problem the GDSF Board of Directors face is that of uncertainty as to what statutory Covid restrictions will still be in place in August for large scale, high-capacity mass gatherings like the GDSF. The Prime Minister also stressed that he is being driven by data and not dates and therefore the timeline of the roadmap is not guaranteed.”
Anyone who booked tickets for the cancelled 2020 event and held them for this year will be able to hold on to them for next year too.