Coronavirus: Further events cancelled in Shropshire
Further events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Severn Valley Railway has postponed services this weekend and next.
A message posted on its website says: "Due to the changing situation regarding COVID-19 and Government advice surrounding gatherings, it is with regret we feel it is both necessary and sensible to postpone our train services for the rest of this month.
"Customers who have purchased tickets or experience packages for March 21, 22, 28 or 29 are being contacted individually by phone today.
"An announcement regarding our train services, experience packages and special events in April will be made in the next couple of days."
Newport Carnival has been postponed due to coronavirus, with no replacement date decided.
Organisers said they wanted to see how long it took for life to return to normal before announcing a new date. The event was planned for June 13.
Paul Sydra, chairman of the planning committee, said he would keep people updated via Facebook.
"It is with huge regret that we are planning to postpone this year's carnival," he said.
"We are of course taking the advice from professionals and our government and it is highly likely that we would have to cancel it at late notice if we didn't act early and plan to postpone it due to the time frames they are currently discussing.
"We will be preparing a new date but given that the advice is changing daily I am not prepared to make any suggestions just yet. The event will certainly be going ahead at a later date - we just need to see how long this will take to clear up and things return to normal.
"As ever, we thank you so much for your support, time and effort to make the event the success it is.
"I'd just like to thank my immense committee for their support too, a lot of time and planning goes into this but the health and wellbeing of our amazing town and visitors is paramount."
Shrewsbury's Wacky Races, due to take place on May 24, has been postponed to September 19. Thousands packed into Shrewsbury's Quarry Park for last year's event.
Organiser Sarah Belcher, of Sarah Belcher Events, said: “This has been an incredibly difficult decision but I feel it is in the best interests of everyone involved in the event that we postpone at this point.
"This is a tough time for events across the world but we hope to be back and have just as much fun later in the year.
“I’m sure everyone will understand the situation and we are now gearing up for September.”
The Place theatre in Oakengates, Telford, is closed until the end of May. A statement said: "Following the new Government advice issued around social distancing and non-essential contact we have decided to close the theatre and postpone shows at The Place, Telford until the end of May."
Theatre Severn and the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury will close from Wednesday March 18 until further notice.
A statement says" Following advice from the UK Government which stipulates that people should avoid public buildings, including theatres, Shropshire Council has taken the decision to close Theatre Severn and the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury from Wednesday 18 March 2020 until further notice.
"To allow both venues to prioritise ticketholders for events in the immediate future – between now and Sunday 29 March 2020 – ticketholders for events beyond this date are asked not to contact the venues at this time, and to await further advice in due course.
"Ticketholders for events between Tuesday 17 March and Sunday 29 March 2020 are offered the following options:
"Await further update where events can be rescheduled. Existing tickets will remain valid for rescheduled dates.
"Request an account credit. Where possible, we would be hugely grateful if ticketholders committed to a future visit once the venues reopen by accepting an account credit to use against a future booking.
"Alternatively, a full refund is available.
"Staff at Theatre Severn and the Old Market Hall will work closely with visiting producers during the coming weeks in order to reschedule events on alternative dates where possible.
"We thank you for your patience and understanding. For the latest official advice and information, please click here."
Festival Drayton Centre in Market Drayton has also closed until further notice. Refunds will be issued.
Market Drayton Choral Society's concert at St Mary's Church, Market Drayton, will no longer take place on Saturday.
The performance will be rescheduled.
The Shropshire Youth Folk Ensemble springtime concert, also scheduled for Saturday, is now cancelled.
It had been due to take place at Shrewsbury's Mereside Community Hall.
The Love Wellington business meeting which was due to be held at Wellington Market on March 26 has been postponed.
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Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club has also announced it has taken the decision to postpone meetings and visits.
The decision affects already arranged visits as well as those of booked speakers.
It also affects the club’s regular monthly involvement with reading support at the Grange Primary School, Shrewsbury.
The rotary club says it will evaluate the situation in early May.
All Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks events have also been cancelled or postponed until the autumn season. Box of Frogs at Bishop's Castle, The Hard Way in Clungunford and Juliet and Romeo in Shrewsbury were all due to happen in April but have been cancelled.
Ian Kerry, executive director for Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks, said: "The trustees of Arts Alive have been monitoring the situation of the global pandemic of coronavirus and closely listening to the Government’s advice.
"We are conscious that our live events and Flicks in the Sticks screenings attract an audience demographic that is being viewed as a vulnerable group at this time.
"We therefore feel that we have a responsibility as an organisation to do everything we can to keep our staff, network of promoters and audiences as safe as possible.
"With community at the heart of our work, their safety and wellbeing is of the upmost importance.
"It is with great sadness then that we have made the difficult decision to cancel or postpone all Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks events for the rest of the season until the end of August 2020.
"We will use this time to plan our autumn season in the hope that the current situation is under control by then.
"This is a very difficult time for everyone, and the arts sector will certainly feel the impact in the coming weeks and months.
"We hope to have your support for our community events in the autumn.
"Thank you for your understanding and stay safe."
Neither the Ketley Good Companions or Ketley Coffee Club will meet in April after their sessions were cancelled.
Odeon has closed all of its cinemas, including the Odeon Luxe at Telford. A statement from the firm said: "Following government guidelines, Odeon cinemas are closed until further notice. If you have pre-booked tickets online, these will be refunded automatically. For any specific questions, please contact our Guest Services Centre. We look forward to welcoming you back soon."
Cineworld has also closed all its cinemas, including in Telford and Shrewsbury. A statement said: "We will be closing all Cineworld cinemas across the UK from tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 March) and in Ireland from today (Tuesday, 17 March 2020), until further notice. This decision was made in the light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and recent UK government advice, which the company has been carefully monitoring and following.
"We are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all of our employees and guests. We deeply value our movie-loving customers and their health and wellbeing is our number one priority during this difficult time. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as possible to enjoy a full slate of film releases.
"We sincerely wish good health for you and your families during these uncertain times."
A Shrewsbury event to mark Nutrition and Hydration Week has been cancelled. ‘Fruity Friday’ was one of a number of events planned in Shropshire. Dietitians and a specialist nurse for the CCGs had been due at Tesco Battlefield, Shrewsbury, to promote nutrition and hydration.
Market Drayton Running Club has cancelled its meetings for the foreseeable future. It means that the club's Couch to 5k programme, which had been due to get underway this week, will not go ahead.
Wheatlands Care Home in Much Wenlock has postponed its open day on April 4.
Broseley Local History Society has also postponed its open day on March 28.
Bridgnorth Rugby Club has cancelled its wedding fayre which was due to take place later this month.
Other cancelled events include a concert which was scheduled for April 4 at St Nicholas Church in Newport and a casting event for Catherine, Called Birdy in Shrewsbury on March 28.
Minsterley Eisteddfod will no longer go ahead this weekend while organisers say they have yet to decide whether the Market Drayton 10K will still take place on May 10.
Climbing centre Newport Rock is currently open but is asking anyone who has recently returned from abroad, or who has been in contact with anyone who has, to stay away.
Wellington History Group has reluctantly decided that the talk on Thursday has had to be cancelled.
The Telford & Wrekin 10K, which was due to take place on April 12 at Southwater in Telford, has also been postponed.
Whitchurch 10k was set to go ahead on April 5 this year but organisers have cancelled the event and plan to set a new date in the autumn.
Race director Hayley Alldridge said: "I wholeheartedly appreciate the far reaching impact this change will have on the hundreds of you who have trained hard and planned extensively to take part on April 5.
"Also to all those who have worked tirelessly to fundraise for their chosen charities and how this may impact upon the charity or cause.
"I hope that you can continue with your Whitchurch 10k journey and keep on fundraising until the event can take place later this year.
"Thank you to our headline sponsor Agro Merchants, all of our sponsors, supporters and businesses for their understanding.
"All those who have a place booked for April 5 will automatically be deferred to the new event. If you cannot attend the new date, you can transfer your place with another runner via your confirmation email.
"I ask for your support and understanding while I work towards this new date and take on the logistical issues and challenges this creates."
Shropshire Chamber of Commerce has cancelled all its network clubs, events and training courses until further notice due to the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Telford's Got Talent which was due to be held in the autumn will be staged next year instead.
Harper Adams University near Newport has postponed its postgraduate open afternoon on Friday and undergraduate open day on Saturday.
All Shropshire Library Service events have, for the time being, been postponed.
However, the standard loan period for library items has been extended from three weeks to six weeks.
Customers can also borrow more items than usual and overdue fines have temporarily been removed.
Whitchurch Walkers have had to suspend its current walking programme, postpone the litter pick and cancel its AGM and the walking festival.
Celf-Able, which runs art workshops in Powys, has suspended its art group meetings until further notice.
It is hoping to offer virtual meetings by Zoom. E-mail admin@celf-able.org for details.
Bridgnorth Rotary Club has postponed its free blood pressure checks due to the coronavirus.
The annual event was set to go ahead on Saturday, April 4 at Bridgnorth Library but has been postponed.
Organisers said they intend to reschedule it to some time in autumn.
Anglo Welsh Open Days, including one which was due to take place in Whixall on March 28, have also been postponed.
Rob Lawrence, managing director of Anglo Welsh, said: “We were looking forward to welcoming visitors to our open days to enjoy free canal boat holiday taster sessions, but in light of the Government’s evolving public health advice regarding Covid-19 and large public gatherings, we have decided to postpone our four open day events.
“We hope to be able to reschedule the events later in the year. In the meantime, the canal network remains open for business as usual and offers a chance to take a relaxing holiday in the countryside.”
This year’s Montgomeryshire Village Award, organised by the Montgomeryshire branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales and supported by estate agent Morris, Marshall and Poole with Norman Lloyd, has been postponed until next year.
Bomere Heath Gardening Club has also cancelled its meeting on March 26.
Oakengates Town Council has cancelled its Easter Active event on April 2.
Meanwhile, a council-run litter pick relay event taking place on March 30 in Ketley Bank has been postponed.
Whitchurch Civic Centre has been closed, including the town's Friday market.
All events and activities that were due to be held at the centre have been postponed and it will be closed to the public until further notice.
Staff will be available to deal with enquiries via email or phone as usual.
The Mayor of Wellington's charity dinner which was scheduled for March 28 has been postponed.
The Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings visitor centre has closed and all public group tours and events run by the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings will be cancelled until the end of May.
For any questions email info@flaxmill-maltings.co.uk
