Two of East Yorkshire’s popular fireworks shows were the latest casualties of COVID-19 as organisers announced that the events would not push through due to the uncertainty and insurance complications brought by the pandemic.
Organisers of the much-anticipated fireworks displays at Beverley Westwood and West Park in Goole said the events would not be happening this year. Both shows were originally set on Bonfire Night on November 05, according to a report by Hull Live News.
“Regretfully there will be no Bonfire Night fireworks this year,” West Park Goole announced in its Facebook account. “For further information please contact Goole Town Council.”
This comes a few days after the UK government officially launched its £800 million Live Events Reinsurance Scheme designed to protect live events organisers from costs incurred due to COVID-19-related cancellations.
However, Ross Turner, town councillor at Goole, explained that preparations for the fireworks events were done before the scheme was introduced.
“We had to sign up to contracts with the entertainment companies back in April before the government roadmap was announced,” he told Hull Live News. “It could have potentially cost the Goole taxpayer thousands of pounds in fines and potentially legal fees. Nothing I wanted more than to take my own kids to the display, but we just couldn’t potentially put ourselves at risk by committing.”
The government reinsurance scheme for live events, which was first announced in August, is designed to provide coverage for events such as concerts, festivals, conferences, and business gatherings that are at risk of being cancelled or delayed because of lack of COVID-19 cancellation insurance.
