A popular Dunedin market day has been cancelled as the local council says it would be too difficult to manage under the traffic light system.
The Thieves Alley Market Day was originally planned for 12 February in the Octagon (pictured). Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown
The Thieves Alley Market Day was originally planned for 12 February in the Octagon.
Dunedin City Council community services general manager Simon Pickford said it was sad to have to cancel the long-running, popular event.
"It was a difficult call to make, but it is the right call given the pandemic and the risks operating large-scale events," Pickford said.
The council would be required to check vaccine passes at the event, which he said would be very difficult to do at the Octagon.
"We explored the option of shifting the event to other locations, however doing so would diminish the value and quality of the event and take the uniqueness away from it."
Hundreds of stalls and a wide array of entertainment and stalls would usually feature in a Thieves Alley Market Day.
The council has already canned its New Year's Eve event and celebrated the lighting of the Octagon Christmas tree online.
Hosting large-scale public events posed a real risk to the community and country as a whole, but there were still plans to host other events, he said.
"We do have an exciting programme of summer events for the community to enjoy," Pickford said.
They included the Chinese New Year celebrations, Sunday Sounds, and the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.