SOME air displays have been cut from this year’s Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

Organisers have bowed to pressure from sailors who say restrictions on the river would have ruined the competition for them.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been cancelled, but crowds can still look forward to fly-pasts by the Red Arrows and the RAF Typhoon.

The changes announced this week mean there will now be free movement of people on the river and pubs and the Royal Dart Yacht Club at Kingswear will no longer be asked to clear their outside seating areas during the displays.

But the road at Hillhead is still expected to be closed for about 30 minutes during the fly-pasts.

Regatta chairman Ed Botterill said he hoped the arrangements would ‘keep the door open’ for the Red Arrows to return next year.

He said it had been decided to trim the air programme after the joint regatta sailing committee expressed concerns that to proceed with the displays would have meant it having to change its racing programme and prize-giving ceremony.

‘When asked if the sailors would change their plans to facilitate the air displays, the answer came back as no,’ he said.

‘But that’s fine because sailing and rowing are at the top of the pyramid and our overriding wish is not to alienate people. We want to put on a regatta for everyone.

‘And we still get to see the Red Arrows and hopefully draw in as many people as possible while inconveniencing as few people as possible.’

Mr Botterill said consultation over the proposed restrictions had brought positive support from many quarters, including Dart Harbour, the police and people in Kings­wear. But the response had been lukewarm elsewhere.

Tighter safety restrictions, prohibiting any large gatherings of people beneath aircraft during high-energy displays, have been brought in by the Civil Aviation Authority following last year’s Shoreham air disaster.

Mr Botterill said he was confident this year’s royal regatta would provide a variety of events and some new attractions, including gig rowing, that were mutually beneficial to all.

And he said planning and discussions were already underway for 2017 and the possibility of having the Red Arrows fly down the river.

‘Much of the preparation work has already been covered and if we can get them back with everyone’s agreement it would be fabulous,’ he said.

The regatta committee is still looking for volunteers to get involved in this year’s event. Details can be found on its website http://www.dartmouthregatta.co.uk/.