The Peppercorn Ceremony in St George’s next month was today cancelled.

A spokesman for the Corporation of St George said the decision was made because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ceremony, scheduled to take place on April 22, was designed for the Freemasons to pay its annual rent of a single peppercorn to the Governor for use of the Old State House.

The event dates back to 1816, when the capital of the island was moved from St George’s to Hamilton and is traditionally held on the Wednesday closest to St George’s Day, April 23.

The spokesman said that the Corporation was still maintaining the town — with social distancing a priority.

He added: “The CSG offices are closed to the public, however staff are working remotely to ensure business continuity.

“The CSG Council are continuing to meet utilising online platforms to ensure that the town’s business continues and to ensure seamless operations during these difficult times.”

He said: “Essential operations for the Corporation of St George are continuing to provide essential services to the town.”

The spokesman added that the Corporation had worked with private contractors to clear up trash after Government waste management workers downed tools last week.

He said: “The CSG along with Hunt’s Sanitation, Clinton Paynter and others worked to ensure that trash was collected in the wider St George’s community and St David’s areas.

“CSG would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts, Heroes, every one.”