Kingston Carnival 2020 has been cancelled amid ongoing fears regarding the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus.

Organisers announced Tuesday (June 16) they had taken the difficult decision to cut their losses on the much-anticipated 2020 iteration of the carnival with the coronavirus pandemic still posing an acute health risk.

In a short statement posted online Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Kingston Race Equalities Council (KREC) who co-founded the carnival said:

"KREC has had to make the very difficult decision to cancel KT Carnival 2020 due to the challenges of COVID-19.

"After serious Health and Safety assessment we felt it would be irresponsible to bring Carnival revellers to @RBKingston this year. We plan to have a bigger 2021 event..."

Organisers, sponsors and attendees will now reluctantly shift their focus to 2021 after seeing plans for a bonanza 2021 edition of the beloved borough festival cancelled.

As the Comet reported last year, 2019's carnival was staged after a dramatic last-minute drive for funding and infrastructure was secured by the organisers.

Restrictions over funds had threatened to derail the borough's biggest cultural celebration after Arts Council England rejected a funding application for last year's event.

Kingston carnival 2020 was due to be the 20th anniversary of the festival after its first edition in 2000, and KREC and other organisers had hoped to make the event even larger than last year's and build on that particular success story.

KREC told the Comet they had followed health and safety advise amid the pandemic and been influenced by the Notting Hill Carnival's decision to cancel their 2020 event.