London New Year's Eve fireworks cancelled, says Sadiq Khan
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has confirmed that the capital’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display will not be taking place this year.
About 100,000 people usually attend the annual celebration of the start of the new year in central London but Khan told LBC radio he could not allow people to congregate in the same way because of coronavirus, so the event would take place in a different format.
He said: “I can tell you there will not be fireworks at New Year’s Eve like there has been in previous years. We simply cannot have the number of people who congregate on New Year’s Eve congregating. What we are working on, and I am not in a position yet to say what, as we are still working out the details [but] … we will do something people can enjoy in the comfort and safety of living rooms.”
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The number of coronavirus cases is now doubling every seven to eight days, with more than 3,300 new cases reported on Thursday. The government is considering measures including shutting down hospitality businesses for two weeks, known as “circuit breaks”, while keeping open workplaces and schools.
Khan said New Year’s Eve was a time to show off London to the rest of the world, but added: “There will be nothing [celebration-wise] happening in town.”
When asked whether bars would be open for celebrations to ring in 2021, Khan said authorities would have to “see how the virus pans out”, adding that the festive season was weeks away still.
