YORK Racecourse has abandoned plans to stage a Covid pilot exercise which would have allowed up to 17,000 racegoers to attend the Dante Festival next month, an MP has revealed.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell, who raised concerns in the Commons yesterday about large crowds at sporting events, in particular at the course, said today that chief executive and clerk of the course, William Derby, had made the ‘right decision' in withdrawing from the pilot.

She said she had felt that the level of risk was significant for the city and had had serious concerns, not least as to how people would conduct themselves outside of the racecourse.

She said she had spoken out during Business Statement Questions yesterday, when there were discussions concerning the Dante Festival at the racecourse, from May 12-14, being used as a pilot for sporting events with crowds up to 17,000 people, with areas of no social distancing and free flow movement.

She said: "Clearly at a time when residents have been denied even seeing their families and have worked incredibly hard to follow the rules and get the infection rates right down, to have such crowds of people travel to York - not least now that the South African variant is in the community in parts of the UK - I felt presented significant risk.

"I have to say that William Derby has been very helpful and cooperative, wanting to do the right thing, and wrote to me last night to say that he had taken the decision to withdraw from the pilot."

She said she had had an additional concern was that the pilot would have been in the week that students would also be returning to York and tourism would also be picking up.

"I felt that the level of risk was significant for the city and had serious concerns, not least as to how people conducted themselves outside of the racecourse.

"Although there would have been efforts to ensure race goers did not go into the city, I think that this would have been impossible to manage as some would be staying in York, others living in York and there is nothing in the guidance or rules to say that people couldn’t come into the city. "With the bitter experience of people coming to York before Christmas and the spike in infection and tragically mortality, I had been trying to meet with Ministers to discuss their pilot, however had no response, which I believed was unacceptable.

"I also understand that guidance from government wasn’t forthcoming for the racecourse.

"The Leader of the House has a role in taking up issues when Ministers do not respond, so this is why I raised the matter yesterday.

"I believe it is the right decision not to press ahead with this event.”

A racecourse spokesman said that along with many other sporting and leisure venues, the racecourse was open to ways that it could play a role in helping to return society to normal.

"Clearly attendance at live sport is something valued by many people and indeed is a significant economic sector," he said.

"There were discussions with the Event Research Group, the body that Government has set up to manage pilot events, as to whether the Dante Festival might have a role to play.

"Discussions were held with the key stakeholders in the City and the sport and there was a recognition of the bigger picture benefits.

"However, despite good progress and support both at local and ERG level, we have not been able to get sufficient clarity from Government to enable us to proceed.

"So we can confirm that the Dante Festival 2021 will operate as a “behind closed doors” event, in line with the appropriate protocols for the continuance of elite sport, so will not be a pilot event."