Government will demand councils restart Parkrun events, says culture minister

Oliver Dowden promises action after shadow minister asks: ‘Why on earth can’t we run around outside?’

The government will write to local authorities and landowners to tell them that they must allow the restart of Parkrun events, the culture secretary has said.

Oliver Dowden said he was “frustrated” that many councils had blocked the return of the hugely popular health runs over coronavirus fears.

The minister made clear that Parkrun events across England have had legal permission to return since changes were made to the Covid restrictions on 29 March.

“It is something that I have discussed with [communities secretary Robert Jenrick] and he and I will shortly be sending a very clear message and signal in writing to local authorities about our expectation that those events should proceed,” Mr Dowden said on Thursday.

Parkrun organisers have decided to relaunch their programme of 5km circuit events on 5 June, but fear a widespread return could be delayed “indefinitely” due to a lack of permission from many council bosses.

Only 231 of Parkrun’s 589 events have got either full or partial go ahead from councils and landowners, organisers have said.

Calling for national recognition of the latest rules, Parkrun chief executive Nick Pearson said: “It’s impossible to have 600 conversations with local authorities and negotiate to get it back.”

Both London mayor Sadiq Khan and Lord Coe – who led the successful 2012 Olympic Games bid – have written open letters in support of Parkrun’s full return.

Lord Coe told BBC Breakfast on Thursday: “It does seem crazy that [Parkrun organisers] are being asked to do things that supermarket, theatres, cinemas, even sporting events … are not asking to do.”

The culture secretary’s intervention came in response to concerns raised by shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens in the House of Commons.

“There is completely inconsistent decision making across authorities and the situation is threatening Parkrun’s future,” the Labour MP stated.

“And as Great Britain Olympian Greg Rutherford has said, if we are all allowed to go and pile into restaurants again, why on earth can we not run around outside?”

Mr Dowden said he “completely shared [Ms Stevens’] frustration that this is not happening” – promising that he would make clear to councils and landowners that they should accept the nationally-approved guidelines.