Serious doubt has been cast as to whether Richmond parkrun will be able to return any time soon.

This week parkrun said its hugely popular 5k runs could return at the end of October.

And yesterday saw a bombshell announcement of government plans to introduce a new cap of six people on gatherings to stem a rise in coronavirus cases.

Global chief operating officer Tom Williams tweeted: "Lots of people asking if this impacts @parkrunUK - as a sporting event we are exempt. Also worth noting end October is a way away."

But the biggest obstacle to the return of Richmond parkrun - which attracts 500-600 people on a weekly basis - appears to be the Royal Parks.

The charity told Richmond Nub News that they could not reinstate the parkrun events in its Royal parks "for the foreseeable future".

Parkrun has become a global phenomenon since it was founded by Paul Sinton-Hewitt at Bushy Park in October 2004 with more than 200,000 regular participants around the world.

A spokesperson for the Royal Parks said: "Bushy Park is the home of parkrun, hosting the very first event in 2004, and since then it has been an important fixture for the local community, bringing people together and boosting physical and mental wellbeing.

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"However, in recent months it has not been possible to hold the event, due to social distancing requirements and we are not yet able to reinstate this event in Richmond or Bushy Parks for the foreseeable future.

"We understand how disappointing this is for runners, but our priority is to support the national effort in coming out of this crisis, provide open space for the public and protect everyone's health."

The organisation said its statement related to parkrun events in all the royal parks, which also include Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James's Park and Regents Park.

Old Deer parkrun

Parkrun is also held in Old Deer Park which is run by Richmond Council.

A council spokesperson said: "The council is currently reviewing applications from local organisations for potential events in the borough.

"Each application is considered in light of the current pandemic, levels of Covid-19 and relevant safety measures.

"Therefore, events can only proceed if they are safe to do so and do not pose a risk to public health."

A whirlwind 48 hours

The initial reports of the return of parkrun have caused enormous excitement among the Richmond running community, including the famous names who regularly take part.

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Ben Shephard, a presenter on Good Morning Britain, who regularly takes part in the Richmond event, tweeted his support for the return saying "This is great news! We've missed you Parkrun".

Similarly, BBC Newsreader Sophie Raworth, another running enthusiast who regularly takes part in Richmond parkrun, tweeted "parkrun… the return" with a smiley face.

This enthusiasm stems from a statement made by global chief executive officer for parkrun, Nick Pearson, earlier this week, who said: "Following detailed conversations with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Sport England, and Public Health England, I am delighted to announce that we intend to reopen parkrun and junior parkrun events in England toward the end of October this year.

"Unfortunately, as things stand, and due to current restrictions across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, we are not able to commit to the same timeline across the other Home Nations."

He added: "Over the years, we've come to understand the significant health benefits of being physically active, together, in the great outdoors. It boosts our self-esteem and mood, increases sleep quality and energy, builds immunity, reduces the risk of developing many diseases, and promotes quality of life."

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