Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2020 cancelled as coronavirus repercussions continue

This year's Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has been cancelled after organisers announced they were pulling the plug with a "heavy heart".

The event had been due to take place from November in London, but has been postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Winter Wonderland has been one of the most popular attractions in the city ever since first launching in 2007. More than three million people attended the event in 2019, but travel restrictions following the coronavirus outbreak and social distancing measures have made this year’s event an impossibility.

A spokesperson said: “It is with a heavy heart we share that Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will not be taking place this year.

“Our team has worked tirelessly, exploring every option in the hopes of being able to move forward with the event in a responsible manner, and provide London with some much-needed festive cheer."

They added: "However, in light of ongoing health concerns, travel restrictions and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, and considering the size and scale of this event, we just couldn’t find a way to do that without sacrificing the very thing that makes the event so special: bringing friends and family together in a fun, safe and interactive environment to celebrate the festive season.”

Winter Wonderland is usually home to a traditional German Christmas market, offering more than 100 chalets selling arts, gifts, jewellery and decorations.

It also boasts the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink, as well as a Christmas circus, ice sculpting workshops, stand up comedy ‘lates’, festive rides and a giant observation wheel standing 70 metres high.