Piazza Italia will not return to Horsham in 2020

In a statement today, Horsham District Council said the event, which has run every year since 2006 over the Easter weekend, will not be coming back to the town.

A spokeswoman added: “Unfortunately, many of the voluntary and commercial partners that made up so much of the content of this event are not now available.

“This has led to the event organisers taking the decision to terminate the event while it retains such a great reputation, allowing available resources to focus on a wider town programme with the many new events.”

She said the event peaked with Piazza Italia X in 2016, with displays of some 101 Ferraris, bandstand and balcony Romeo and Juliet performances, gladiators, Granny Tourismo antics, Italian Job Mini cavalcades and many top quality operatic arias along the way.