NI Road Racing -The End?

[Bigjawa]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern- ... 591498.amp


Not looking good.

[Mr Moofo]

Anyone know why insurance is a particular issue in Northern Ireland?

[Pirahna]

I posted this in the bickering forum, for those that don´t go to that dark place here´s a copy and paste

My local road racing will return this July. I apologise in advance for the Facebook link but it's the most up to date info although nothing on this years dates yet. It's in a place called Algueña which is a 40 minute drive from Alicante airport.

https://www.facebook.com/motoclubalguenya/

[tricol]

I'd say that's it dead and buried.

[Flux]

It was a toss up this year between mountain biking in France or going to watch NW200, we decided on France, I've been wanting to go to the Nw200 for years and never made it (too many things i want to do and not enough time/money), really hope I've not missed the boat.
Not great news for the TT boys either as the NW is great practice for them as well as being a cool event in it's own right.

[Lutin]

This is a big massive to Northern Ireland as it's a huge amount of income that the hospitality industry relies on. And given the straightened times that we are all living in, it is going to be even harder on hotels, B&B's and the like who will most likely have bookings made last year for this year's now cancelled events.

Grim news indeed.

[mangocrazy]

That is really quite scary news, and obviously a hammer blow for tourism in N.I. While I'm no great fan of Phil McCallen I think his point that there needs to be some kind of entry fee is the only way that road racing in N.I. will survive. I don't know how it would be administered - some kind of ferry 'tax' for the time period of the racing, with exemptions for competitors?

[westers151]

I posted this in the bickering forum, for those that don´t go to that dark place here´s a copy and paste

My local road racing will return this July. I apologise in advance for the Facebook link but it's the most up to date info although nothing on this years dates yet. It's in a place called Algueña which is a 40 minute drive from Alicante airport.

https://www.facebook.com/motoclubalguenya/

Ah, that's where those nuts races are. I've watched a lot of Youtube videos of them (but forgot what the place was called). I think the spectators are more crazy than the racers, judging by them sitting right in the firing line for fallen blikes

Good racing, but the road surface is shocking.

[Skub]

Let's hope there is some way forward for the sport. It's part of the scenery here and I'm kinda shell shocked.

[westers151]

That is really quite scary news, and obviously a hammer blow for tourism in N.I. While I'm no great fan of Phil McCallen I think his point that there needs to be some kind of entry fee is the only way that road racing in N.I. will survive. I don't know how it would be administered - some kind of ferry 'tax' for the time period of the racing, with exemptions for competitors?

Some sort of "tourism tax" on a select number of items purchased within the NW200 area would be better as it would capture those people living in Ireland who don't come by ferry. For example, beer, food from burger vans, etc, restaurant meals, or meals in pubs (breakfast/lunch/dinner), camping/accommodation.

It wouldn't need to be a massive amount added - if they reckon they get 197,000 people during the races at NW200, then that's £4 per head they would need to raise. Say 10% tourism tax on those products. And this is assuming the NW200 is the race that pays for the annual insurance cover for everything.

I think it's certain areas in France that use a tourism tax to raise funds for the local area, so not a new concept.

Charging for entry could also contribute, but that would probably keep people away due to "'the racing should be free 'cos it always has been" sentiment. Doing a tourism tax is stealthier, and a lot of people wouldn't be aware of it, or if they are would be happier about it 'cos they can choose to not buy anything if they felt really strongly about it.

[Yorick]

If enough people want it bad enough, a solution could be found.

[mangocrazy]

I do wonder if a solution will be found in time to save this year's races though. Getting legislation through to enable a targetted tourist tax will take time, and May is not all that far away.

[Bigjawa]

That is really quite scary news, and obviously a hammer blow for tourism in N.I. While I'm no great fan of Phil McCallen I think his point that there needs to be some kind of entry fee is the only way that road racing in N.I. will survive. I don't know how it would be administered - some kind of ferry 'tax' for the time period of the racing, with exemptions for competitors?

Some sort of "tourism tax" on a select number of items purchased within the NW200 area would be better as it would capture those people living in Ireland who don't come by ferry. For example, beer, food from burger vans, etc, restaurant meals, or meals in pubs (breakfast/lunch/dinner), camping/accommodation.

It wouldn't need to be a massive amount added - if they reckon they get 197,000 people during the races at NW200, then that's £4 per head they would need to raise. Say 10% tourism tax on those products. And this is assuming the NW200 is the race that pays for the annual insurance cover for everything.

I think it's certain areas in France that use a tourism tax to raise funds for the local area, so not a new concept.

Charging for entry could also contribute, but that would probably keep people away due to "'the racing should be free 'cos it always has been" sentiment. Doing a tourism tax is stealthier, and a lot of people wouldn't be aware of it, or if they are would be happier about it 'cos they can choose to not buy anything if they felt really strongly about it.

The tourism tax thing would create an uproar from areas outside the "Triangle" as they would be wanting it as well, so you'd get the folk from say Newcastle (Co. Down) kicking up holy hell about how they're not getting any of it. The locals whack the prices up for NW200 week anyway. And a lot of the visitors actually stay in Belfast or Ballymena and travel up on the day. Charging admission is never going to work because so much of the circuit adjoins open fields, they've tried that before and people just walk across the fields to bypass the chaps trying to charge them.

I know people locally who won't go to the NW200 any more as a load of the area that you used to be able to spectate from are suddenly "prohibited areas" or have massive fences blocking the view. I last went in 2019 and they were looking £90 for myself, the ex and 4 of the mini jawas to sit on a soaking wet railway embankment. We gave up and went to Barry's, the racing was pretty much washed out.

That's the main reason the UGP went bust, it was constantly rained off.p po

[westers151]

Hadn't thought about other areas wanting the tourist tax, but now you've mentioned it, yeah they would, wouldn't they. (You can tell I didn't think it through ).

However one of the local MPs is now saying that the NW200 might not be dead. Apparently they're still looking at options such as using the liability insurance for the local airshows, talking with Lloyds about how much it would cost to insure the NW200 only, and possible financial support from the FIM.

[Bigjawa]

Hadn't thought about other areas wanting the tourist tax, but now you've mentioned it, yeah they would, wouldn't they. (You can tell I didn't think it through ).

However one of the local MPs is now saying that the NW200 might not be dead. Apparently they're still looking at options such as using the liability insurance for the local airshows, talking with Lloyds about how much it would cost to insure the NW200 only, and possible financial support from the FIM.

Paisley Junior. Truly one of the biggest pillocks I have ever met, if he's backing it, it's fucked.

[westers151]

Hadn't thought about other areas wanting the tourist tax, but now you've mentioned it, yeah they would, wouldn't they. (You can tell I didn't think it through ).

However one of the local MPs is now saying that the NW200 might not be dead. Apparently they're still looking at options such as using the liability insurance for the local airshows, talking with Lloyds about how much it would cost to insure the NW200 only, and possible financial support from the FIM.

Paisley Junior. Truly one of the biggest pillocks I have ever met, if he's backing it, it's fucked.

[Lutin]

The organisers of the North West 200 are not giving up - North West 200: International road race could still run in 2023, say organisers

North West 200 organisers have said that the event could go ahead in May despite the Motorcycle Union of Ireland Ulster Centre indicating all their events for 2023 had been cancelled.

The sport's governing body released a statement late on Thursday night stating soaring insurance charges had led to the decision.

In a statement, NW200 organisers the Coleraine & District Motor Club said it "had not given up the fight".


Plans were already in place to welcome new competitors to the event during an induction day next Tuesday, 14 February. Both that event and the Meet the Stars race launch, scheduled for 15 February, will go ahead as planned and we will continue to keep everyone informed of our progress.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Dodgy69]

I hope this doesn't happen, the NW is one of the few bike racing events I follow. Why the cost of running the event keeps increasing, I'll never know. More insurance scamming probably.

Personally, I reckon the NW will go ahead but don't have much hope for the smaller Irish events. The TT will go the same way no doubt, in time.

[Bigjawa]

Local news tonight was interesting.

Basically it's uproar from people in Portrush and Portstewart crapping themselves because the one week they're guaranteed a windfall is on shaky ground. The problem is that there's simply no money for North Coast and Glens council to give the event and outside what was the old Coleraine council area bikes aren't really important to folk, since the DUP have collapsed the government so Westminster has started by taking 500 million quid away from NI, there's no money and no assembly to hand any out anyway.

I suspect the organisers are praying for a miracle from some of the bigger sponsors. The firm I drive a truck for sponsors Alistair Seeley so there's a very expensive 2 wheeled ornament sitting in the reception area with nothing for it to do this year.

[wull]

https://gofund.me/dcc92b5c