Coronavirus round-up: Peterborough Marathon postponed, college stops face-to-face lessons, pride awards pushed back, fair cancelled

Organisers Sublime Racing said: “Along with so many other event organisers we have been monitoring the situation closely over the past few weeks and we have been implementing some robust plans to cater for many eventualities.

“We have tried our very best to ensure that our event could go ahead, and despite there not being a ban in place that currently impacts on the Enervit Peterborough Marathon, we envisage one may come soon.

“However, this is not the reason that we are postponing our event until later in the year. The reason is much more personal than that. The Government may set a ban on gatherings of over a thousand people, in which case we would technically be allowed to continue. We had increased our medical provision to ensure that we would have been totally self-sufficient and propose no risk of increased demand to the NHS.

“But the one thing we could not be sure of is that we would not be responsible for bringing the virus to one of our runners, volunteers or team. We will all be going home to our loved ones and in some cases they may be at a higher risk than us marathoners.

“So, it is for this reason that Sublime Racing has taken the very tough decision to postpone until later in the year.”

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It added: “The decision to postpone is very hard for my team and crew as well as you, the runners.

“We will issue a further update over the next couple of weeks regarding the next steps.”

Meanwhile Anglia Ruskin University, which has a campus in Oundle Road, Peterborough, will next week begin suspending all public-facing activities.

A spokesperson said: “All of ARU’s teaching and learning will move online from Monday, March 23. For those students who wish to stay on our campuses, accommodation and facilities - such as the libraries and open access study areas - will remain open.

“Procedures are in place if any students need to self-isolate while on campus. A number of students and staff are taking the precaution of self-isolating, none of whom have been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19.

“Where possible, ARU staff will work from home from March 23. Our applicant day, scheduled for Saturday, March 21, has been postponed and all of ARU’s public-facing activities will be suspended from March 23 onwards in order to ensure the welfare of students, staff and the wider community during this difficult period.”

University Centre Peterborough in Park Crescent remains open, with the latest updates available at: https://www.ucp.ac.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-update/.

Elsewhere, the Stamford Mid-Lent Fair, which was due to take place next week, has been cancelled, while the Pride in Fenland Awards, which were due to take place on Wednesday, have been postponed.

No date has been set for when the awards will now take place.