A street festival in Randwick planned for Sunday 15 March 2020 has been cancelled due to escalating concerns around coronavirus.

Randwick Mayor Danny Said says the Council made the difficult decision to cancel the popular The Spot Festival which attracts 15,000 to 20,000 people each year.

“This was not a decision we took lightly,” Mayor Said explained. “Council staff and I have given the matter serious consideration for many days.

“We are in a situation that is changing and evolving very quickly and we have a social responsibility to take practical precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus amongst our community.

“Many members of the community are concerned about the virus and many people have already started practising social distancing.

“Public health and safety is our number one priority.

“I apologise to all the stallholders, performers and staff working on the event as well as the festival goers who were looking forward to attending. I hope you can understand our position and the reasons for the decision.

“We will be looking at what we can do as a Council to assist our local business community work through this period of uncertainty and helping them recover. This may include staging festivals later in the year,” explains Mayor Said.

Randwick Council is currently reviewing its business continuity planning with a view to continuing to provide uninterrupted services to the community. Other Council events are being reviewed on an individual basis considering the potential risk to the attendees.

Media enquiries:

Joshua Hay – 0402 351 459 or joshua.hay@randwick.nsw.gov.au