2021 Bath Half cancelled
Organisers announced the news with regret, saying they have no choice
Last updated 27th Apr 2021
This year's Bath Half Marathon has been cancelled.
Organisers Running High Events announced the news today "with regret" saying it cannot go ahead because of national restrictions for large scale events plus infrastructure projects planned for Bath's roads in the autumn.
It was due to go ahead of 5 September having already been postponed once, but in a statement they say the government has not been clear enough about what the rules will be at that point.
"With just over four months now before our event date we still do not have clarification from government on key factors such as whether social distancing will be required, whether spectators will be permitted and whether participants will be required to provide certification of COVID status," their statement reads.
"These factors will fundamentally effect how we deliver our event, and without this clarification we do not feel we have sufficient time now to plan our arrangements, or to carry out proper consultations with the council and other stakeholders, or to tender and place the necessary contractors’ orders."
The current roadmap out of lockdown states all coronavirus restrictions should be lifted on 21 June, but Running High Events add restrictions on large scale events that are likely to stay this year, "will change the community character" of the event.
"Furthermore, following consultation with B&NES Council, we have also been informed that access to the highways for the event will be compromised by a number of infrastructure projects planned this autumn, including the unavoidable repairs to Cleveland Bridge, which were postponed in 2020, and which is a key part of the diversion route around the city during the event road closures," they continue.
They have called the news disappointing for the runners set to take part and the charity partners who will lose out on fundraising as a result.
"It’s heart-breaking to have to postpone our Bath Half Marathon for a second time and we know that many people will be disappointed by this decision," the statement continues.
"Sadly the combination of uncertainty surrounding continued COVID restrictions for large-scale events and planned infrastructure projects on the highways network in the City this autumn have left us with no choice.
"But with the support of our entrants, community and partners we’re determined to return in March 2022 with a celebration for our 40th anniversary."
As we mentioned above, this year's race has already been postponed once from its traditional date in March.
All this follows the controversial decision to allow 2020's race to go ahead, just one week before the UK was placed into the first coronavirus lockdown.
At the time there were widespread calls for the event to be cancelled including from Bath and North East Somerset Council and Bath's MP Wera Hobhouse.