Perth’s Bonfire Night celebration has become the latest event in the region to be axed this winter among concerns over COVID-19.
Despite most coronavirus restrictions having been lifted, organisers of large-scale gatherings have been reluctant to take on what would be a challenging undertaking amid high case numbers.
The PA reported on Tuesday that the council would not go ahead with a Christmas light switch-on extravaganza.
Instead, the local authority will focus on smaller, family-focused events during the festive season.
And Perth Strathearn 200 Round Table has decided to cancel the November 5 event on Perth ’s South Inch, which helps raise money for charity.
However, the group hopes to return in 2022.
A post on its Facebook page said: “It’s with great regret that we have had to cancel plans to hold our annual charity fundraiser on November 5.
“Our Bonfire and Firework event will now be held over until November 5, 2022, once the COVID landscape is better known and understood by all.
“Despite the best intentions of Round Table members the sheer complexities and demands posed by safeguarding against COVID on an open site like Perth’s South Inch were so grave and costly, both in terms of human resources and infrastructure, that we felt we needed to cancel this year and look at how we can regroup for next year’s event.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has helped this year and to our local businesses who help each year with supplying vital transport; materials and machinery for the event.
“I would like to thank the great Perth and Kinross public who support and donate to us in typically large numbers and thank the Perth Common Good Fund and PKC officials who year after year enable us to put on a legal and safe show.
“Stay safe everyone and we will see you all next year.”
The popular New Year street party in Pitlochry has also been called off while Dunkeld has cancelled its planned Santa Day on December 11.
