London cancels New Year fireworks again due to Covid

London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks show along the River Thames has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to concerns over Covid, city authorities said Tuesday.

“Due to the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, our world-famous New Year’s Eve display will not be held on the banks of the Thames this year,” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s office said in a statement.

The city is considering a number of “exciting options” to replace it, a spokesman added, promising that “London will be welcoming the new year in a spectacular way”.

Dramatic firework displays around the London Eye observation wheel on the south bank of the Thames typically draw huge crowds from Britain and around the world.

Last year’s even was cancelled due to the pandemic, although the city did lay on some unannounced fireworks along the river as well as a light show involving drones.

The Sun reported that an event including live music is set to be held in Trafalgar Square from midnight to 1:00 am, although online documents say organisers have limited numbers to under 10,000.