TWO popular festive events have been cancelled over coronavirus fears in Connah’s Quay.

The Connah’s Quay Christmas pantomime and New Year’s Eve Party will once again be postponed this year due to uncertainty around the Civic Hall, which is being used as a local testing site.

It is expected the Civic Hall will be used as a testing site until December 2020, but at their monthly meeting, Connah’s Quay councillors were told that it leaves ‘insufficient time’ to make preparations.

Clerk Steven Goodrum said to host any event in December would be ‘challenging’ and the health board may still ask for an extension which poses a further risk to event planning.

Based on current restrictions, the New Year’s Eve party would be able to go ahead, with restrictions, but councillors voted in favour of postponing the event on safety grounds and timing.

With renovation work needed before the event, members were told there would be ‘no guarantee’ the hall would be ready by December 31, meaning the event would be cancelled at short notice.

Cllr Ian Dunbar described the decision as the ‘most sensible idea’.

He said: “It’s going to cost us because we know the people that attend the New Year’s Eve party are the most vulnerable of residents in Connah’s Quay and around the area, so it’s right to postpone it at this time.”

When discussing the Christmas Fayre, members were advised the event would unlikely be held at the Civic Hall.

With the town council providing a ‘more substantial and more visually stunning tree’, discussions are in place over hosting an outdoor event instead.

Town Centre manager Lise Fearn said the festive light switch on event will be held on November 24 from 4pm to 6pm with plans for school children to take part in Christmas carols.

The event would be held at the corner of Wepre Drive, behind the library and plans are in place for local business stalls, a Santa grotto and fair rides.