The Brighton Marathon appears to be facing some headwinds, following a statement issued by the event organiser Grounded Events. The popular event on England’s South Coast, scheduled for the weekend of March 31 to April 2, 2023, has been experiencing a ‘hangover from Covid-19’.
Following the issue of the statement, there has been a mixed reaction to the event team on social media. Some runners have been supportive, while there has also been criticism of the event via the marathon’s Facebook page. The official statement from Grounded Events notes that the marathon owes money, although there is a commitment to honouring payments at the earliest opportunity…
Dear Brighton Marathon Weekend followers,
Since 2010 the Brighton Marathon Weekend has become a flagship event in the region’s sporting and cultural calendar. Led by a small, dedicated organising team and supported by many passionate volunteers, the event generates millions for charity and supports local businesses by attracting visitors and participants from around the globe.
Over the past two years the running events industry has been blighted by the hangover from Covid-19. Brighton Marathon Weekend was hit hard by the pandemic, and we were forced to postpone our 2020 and 2021 events – resulting in a significant drop in revenue. Unlike other sectors, we did not qualify for government support and since restrictions have been lifted participant numbers have still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
As we recover and work towards a 2023 event, we are acutely aware of the payments we owe. We understand the frustrations of those impacted and would like to reiterate our sincere apologies.
Our leadership team is in contact with all impacted individuals to explain the context of this situation and to underline our commitment to honouring our payments at the earliest opportunity. The Brighton Marathon Weekend team is exploring all possible options to ensure payments are made as quickly as possible and will continue to issue updates as able in the coming weeks.
We would like to thank the community for their continued patience and support while we work through this challenging time.
Yours faithfully,
The Brighton Marathon team
www.brightonmarathonweekend.co.uk