Manchester Food and Drink Festival have cancelled their planned hub in Cathedral Gardens after
In a statement issued this afternoon, the organisers said
“Unfortunately, in light of the latest advice we’ve been given by the city’s public health teams we have, in partnership with Manchester City Council, taken the very difficult decision to postpone this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival Hub event on Cathedral Gardens. We’re hugely disappointed, but obviously safety is our key concern and we have decided to postpone the festival until next April (1st – 11th). We would like to thank Manchester City Council for their continued support and also all the businesses who have worked so hard on this year’s event.
“All table reservations will be refunded, or can be rolled over to next year. The events happening in restaurants and our fringe activity in Urmston are still scheduled to go ahead, and have our full support, as does our wonderful hospitality industry who we will continue to celebrate.
“The Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards will go ahead ‘virtually’ as planned so we encourage everyone to vote via the MFDF website and app. Information and updates will continue to be shared via our app, social channels and website. We are obviously gutted to be postponing but we’ll be back bigger and better in 2021.”
Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure for Manchester City Council, said: “It is deeply disappointing that this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival has been postponed. In a city famed for its events there was a genuine sense of excitement and anticipation in the run up to the festival. However, as we have always said the health and wellbeing of our residents has to be our first priority. After discussions with our partners in MFDF and our public health teams the decision was taken to move the festival into 2021.
“Credit has to go to the organisers and vendors who planned to take part this year for their determination to create an event to be proud of, but as we have shown throughout this year Manchester can and will build back stronger. Manchester’s cultural scene is second to none and I look forward to a time when we can all come together again.”
