BST Hyde Park 2020 cancelled due to coronavirus

BST Hyde Park 2020 has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, ‎Pearl Jam, ‎and Duran Duran were set to headline the festival’s eighth year, due to take place in July.

• Read More: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund

“It is with great sadness that we have made the difficult decision to cancel BST Hyde Park 2020,” a press statement posted today (April 8) reads.

“After closely following government actions and statements during the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as consulting with our partners The Royal Parks and wider agencies, we have concluded that this is the only possible outcome.

“This would have been the 8th year of this event and we were looking forward to putting on amazing, unique shows for hundreds of thousands of fans in the world’s greatest outdoor venue. But safety always comes first.”

The organisers also stressed that they “would not want to place any extra strain on the emergency services” who would be required to support the event. See the full statement below.

It is with a heavy heart that we have decided not to go ahead with BST Hyde Park 2020. Please read our full statement below or here: https://t.co/MlVFWx3o02

Sending you all love and positivity during these difficult times. Look after yourselves, stay safe, and see you next year. pic.twitter.com/ETj6CiyZE0

— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) April 8, 2020

Fans who have purchased tickets will be contacted by the relevant ticket agency by May 6. “We look forward to welcoming you back in 2021 and will be in touch about plans soon. In the meantime, please follow the advice and stay safe,” the statement concludes.

Earlier today, Peter Gabriel shared a statement following the cancellation of this year’s WOMAD festival.

In a statement, WOMAD said that following a meeting with the licensing authority and the combined emergency services and after taking on “government advice on halting the spread of Covid-19,” the festival could not go ahead.

“It is clear that in order to meet the festival’s goal of protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of the whole WOMAD community the festival is unable to proceed this year,” the statement read.