Soapbox race is OFF
ANOTHER BIG ASHBOURNE SUMMER EVENT FALLS VICTIM TO VIRUS
ASHBOURNE’S soapbox race has been cancelled, as organisers struggle to justify committing an event that could bring up to 10,000 people to the town centre in September.
The reluctant decision to call off what would have been the second event of its kind was made following a speech by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday, in which he spelled out the basics of what he said would be a slow and steady easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
He told the nation the next phase would be a cautious approach, and that pubs and restaurants might not be able to fully open until at least July - which soapbox race organisers feel would make organising a mass gathering inappropriate.
Sean Clayton, chairman of the organising committee, told the News Telegraph on Monday he had no choice but to put the 2020 event on ice.
He said: “I don’t see that we can put the event on, we’re going to have to cancel it. We don’t want to be responsible for bringing between 7,000 and 10,000 people to the town and causing a second spike locally.
“So I’m afraid we’ve got no choice. We’re absolutely gutted. The committee had a chat last night on our Whatsapp group and we felt we had to make the decision.”
Mr Clayton has revealed that only 50 applicants came forward to enter this year’s race, which was down significantly on the 134 that applied last year.
In 2019’s inaugural event, which saw 7,000 spectators crowding the streets, 50 racers were chosen out of the 134 applicants and 37 chose to arrive at the start line on the day.
Mr Clayton said: “If you look at how that might pan out this year, if you base it on 20% of the applicants turning up, we’d probably looking at around 35 carts actually committing to it, maybe even less on the line.
“And we can’t really ask local businesses to support us, they’re still going to be struggling financially by September. So we have to cancel, it’s the only thing we can sensibly do.”
Mr Clayton says the cancellation should not cause the event too much long-term harm as many of the costs it has had to meet so far have come from donations and other commitments can carry over to 2021.
He says they are now fully focused on coming back next year, twice as strong.
“I think for our first event we did absolutely fantastically to get as many people there as we did”, he said.
“We only expected two to three thousand and 7,000 turned up. And I think we can easily generate the same momentum next year.
“But this year, even if everything is relaxed by July, it would only give us eight weeks, and I just don’t think we can put on the show we want in that time.”
The 2020 Ashbourne Soapbox Race was penned for Sunday, September 7, and was due to coincide with the Ashbourne Beer and Cider Festival, which was cancelled by the Campaign for Real Ale several weeks ago.
Ashbourne Festival and the Y-not Festival are also among the big summer events that have been cancelled.
The News Telegraph has contacted the organisers of Ashbourne Show, due to take place this year on Saturday, August 15, but no decision has been reached on whether or not to cancel the event and plans are still progressing.
I’m afraid we’ve got no choice. We’re absolutely gutted.
Sean Clayton