The 2026 edition of the Peckham Conker Club’s extreme conker championship has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns, organisers announced. The annual event, held in south-east London, has been a local fixture for eight years and draws a large crowd, with nearly 2,000 spectators attending last year’s competition.

Known for its “Battle Royale rules,” the tournament allows players to engage in aggressive and unconventional tactics. Contestants are permitted to wrestle opponents to the ground when their conkers become entwined, use their teeth to damage rival horse chestnuts, and employ “stompsies,” which involve attempting to crush an opponent’s conker with the feet. The competition also permits players to reinforce their conkers with glue, contributing to its reputation as a no-holds-barred, highly physical event.

Organisers said that the event would not proceed this year because local authorities “deemed that you’re too raucous and fun-loving for the current space,” referencing restrictions imposed by health and safety regulators. While there was a possibility to obtain approval, the organisers stated that compliance would necessitate abandoning the core elements of the competition’s unrestrained spirit, which they were unwilling to do.

The local brewery that hosts the event reportedly decided that accommodating the large crowd without involving external event management companies—which demanded additional safety protocols—was no longer viable. Consequently, 2026 has been declared a “fallow year” with plans to revive the contest in 2027 to mark its tenth anniversary.

Competitors face off one-on-one with three strikes each per turn, and the event’s ethos emphasizes winning over participation, offering an outlet to channel competitiveness and frustration. The prize, known as the “Golden Nut,” was claimed last year by a player who defeated the reigning champion through an intense physical encounter that allegedly included chipping the opponent’s tooth.

This cancellation is part of a broader trend of local events being curtailed or shelved amid tightening health and safety regulations. For instance, a village Christmas fair in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, was cancelled in 2024 in response to stringent requirements, including road closures aimed at preventing potential terrorist threats, which organisers described as insurmountable in terms of paperwork and logistics.

The Peckham Conker Club’s decision highlights ongoing tensions between maintaining traditional community events and adhering to increasingly rigorous safety standards. Organisers remain committed to returning next year with the event intact.