ORGANISERS LEFT WITH NO ROOM TO MANOEUVRE AS SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS FORCE CANCELLATION

KEEPING THE CLASSIC VEHICLE SPECTACULAR'S REPUTATION 'PLAYED A PART' IN THE FINAL DECISION

COVID-19 has driven a horse and cart through what would have been Atherstone's most visited event of 2020.

The town's prestigious Motor Show is off – running out of road having fallen victim to the impact of social distancing restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of the deadly virus in its tracks.

Organisers of the free family day out announced the cancellation "with regret" – for the first time in its celebrated 18-year history.

The Sunday spectacular of classic vehicles was scheduled to hit Market Square and Long Street on September 13. It has now been rearranged for the same weekend in 2021.

The committee felt even with an easing of lockdown this month – which has seen the reopening of non-essential shops on Monday and a likely debate on temporary pedestrianisation to accommodate the two-metre rule for shopping – it would "not be able to to put on the sort of motor show that Atherstone is famed for".

A statement from organisers added: "Many shows and events across the country have made the same difficult decision and most will come back even stronger for 2021."

Hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors normally descend on the town for the day with all genre of classic cars and bikes on view.

And lots of rival shows deliberately avoid coinciding with the date of Atherstone's event because it is so highly regarded.

This was surely another factor for the committee to consider when it came to its decision.

Treasurer Mark Jordan said: "We have such a good reputation that we didn't want to put on a show that wasn't up there with those we have done in the past.

"It would have been irresponsible in view of social distancing regulations to proceed but I can assure the townspeople it was not a decision taken lightly."

Atherstone's major attractions have been blighted by misfortune this year.

The 821st Atherstone Ball Game was brought to a premature finish – without the annual winner being declared – after a medical emergency developed half-way through the event involving senior steward Martyn-Kellegher Burton.

Now the town's other major draw – and arguably with more 'tourist' numbers coming from outside – is the victim of a pandemic which has devastated the globe's population.

There have been 8.31 million confirmed cases of coronavirus across the globe with 447,435 deaths.

The latest death tally for the UK is 42,153 – up 184 in the last 24 hours – with just shy of 300,000 people testing positive to the infection. The Office for National Statistics reports the actual fatalities for the UK, where Covid-19 is on the death certificate, is in excess of 53,000.

Some 72 people have died across Atherstone and North Warwickshire up to the end of May, with up-to-date figures for those testing positive standing at 210. Warwickshire's confirmed total of cases is 1,559.