Another Christmas event bites the dust this year... or in London's case, the winter snow.
The Columbia Road Christmas market would miss out on its famous public carol services this year after its organizers canceled it due to public safety fears.
According to The Guardian, over 7,000 people reportedly turned up for the music festival last week, which traditionally runs every Wednesday in December.
Due to the huge turnout, St. Peter's Church, an Anglican parish in Bethnal Green in London's suburbs, said on Monday (December 11) that the caroling services for December 13 and 20 would no longer go ahead after images and footage shared on social media - particularly on TikTok - showed a large crowd packed tightly into the road.
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Church Vicar: Carols Canceled Due to Too Many People
It was understood that the crowds in last week's Christmas carol service prompted the Tower Hamlets Council and local police to advise the cancellation of future services this year.
"With regret, we formally announce that carols will not be taking place on Wednesday 13th and 20th December on Columbia Road this year," the Rev. Heather Atkinson, vicar of St. Peter's Bethnal Green, said in a statement.
"The crowds of over 7,000 present last week were of such volume on the road that there was a danger to public safety. We are grateful to God and to those working at the event that there were no serious injuries."
Despite the cancellation of the carol services, Atkinson hoped that the Columbia Road Christmas market would remain open to the public.
The Christmas market in Columbia Road was visited by a large crowd back in 2022, the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the singalong that year broadcast on the BBC.
The Columbia Road Christmas market would remain open every Wednesday before late-night shopping from 17:00 to 21:00 UTC.
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