Popular Littlehampton summer event is cancelled

The Littlehampton Waterfront Festival has attracted crowds as big as 10,000 on sunnier years - but this July, the harbour will be empty.

Organisers released the following statement: "In light of current UK Government instructions for events, the restrictions now in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to relieve pressure on our emergency services, it's with regret that we have taken the decision to cancel the upcoming annual Waterfront Festival. The event which saw attendance in the thousands in 2019 was due to take place on Sunday 5th July 2020, but will now return in 2021."

Billy Johnson, the Littlehampton Harbour Master said: “We know the cancellation of the Waterfront Festival will be disappointing for the Littlehampton community as well as participants especially because a huge amount of planning and preparation had already gone into this year’s event.

"The festival is our opportunity to show off the harbour; it wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support of many local and national organisations and we are incredibly thankful for their enthusiasm year after year.

"This year there were to be a few exciting new additions alongside returning favourites and an increasing array of stallholders.

"It is now our intention to make the most of this fallow year to allow further plans to come together for an even bigger and better event in Summer 2021.

"In the meantime, as key workers our staff will focus on ensuring that harbour users’ conservation and safety needs continue to be met in this unprecedented time.

"We look forward to welcoming you all back to the harbour with open arms when this crisis ends.”