Covid safety fears rule out FA Cup bus parade
CITY MAYOR RULES OUT A REPEAT OF 2016 UNDER THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS
LEICESTER City’s FA Cup-winning heroes are likely to be denied the chance of an open-top parade due to government restrictions and high Covid-19 rates here.
Scenes of mass jubilation at the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening, when hundreds of fans gathered to celebrate the team’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley, suggest the event would have rivalled the Premier League trophy parade in 2016.
But safety concerns have put paid to a repeat performance in the current climate.
The seven-day infection rate in the city is 50.3 cases per 100,000 people compared with the Englandwide average of 24.3.
Large gatherings are still not permitted under the Government’s Covid-19 restrictions.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, who was at Wembley to see the Foxes triumph, said: “We have to accept that the Covid-19 rates in the city, while they have been falling, are still higher than the national average and neither the club or the city would want to be responsible for anything that would put people’s safety at risk.
“It would be very difficult to have an organised event at which people could socially distance.
“It is just too risky and therefore not an option. A mass celebration on the street would not be a wise thing to do in the circumstances.
“But the council will get together with the club to see if we can mark the achievement in other ways. So watch this space.”
Public health officials said Covid19 levels remain relatively high in Leicester.
Sit Peter said conversations would be held with the club about a potential event maybe at the beginning of next season in August.