Covid: Fonmon Festive Light Show cancelled over new rules
- Published
The Festive Lights Show at Fonmon Castle was cancelled hours before it was due to open to guests on Friday
An outdoor festive lights show has been cancelled after police and council officials said it breached coronavirus regulations, organisers say.
The Fonmon Festive Lights Show had been due to get under way at Fonmon Castle, in the Vale of Glamorgan, on Friday.
But just hours after organisers said it had been given the "all clear" from environmental health officials, it was cancelled.
The Vale of Glamorgan council said it was "in dialogue" with organisers.
Organisers of the show say the new regulations, external prohibit outdoor events attended by more than 30 people over the age of 11 at any one time.
But organisers claim they had been caught by surprise by the new rules after they were given permission by Vale of Glamorgan Council just two hours before it was due to begin.
Grade-I listed Fonmon Castle was due to welcome 500 people to the outdoor show each evening
About 500 people had been expected to attend the light show each evening, spaced out over six hours, at the 30-acre (12.1-hectare) site.
"We created a safe, secure environment under the current Covid Laws which we hoped would have provided a much needed uplifting end to the year," organisers said in a statement on Facebook, external.
But due to "a very recent change" to environmental health laws in Wales, staff said they were "very disappointed to say that it is no longer viable or operationally possible for us to proceed as planned this year".
People who were due to attend have been offered a full refund
People who purchased tickets are being offered full refunds or the opportunity to transfer tickets for future events.
The statement added: "Fast changing laws like these make it difficult for any business to survive but we will not let this stop us and we will all push on… somehow."
A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan council said: "It was agreed the light show would not continue beyond Friday night and we are in dialogue with the organisers as the regulations continue to evolve."