The much-anticipated Diamond Races motorcycle festival has been cancelled for the foreseeable future, Island Echo has been told.
The event was originally pencilled in for October this year but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic until 2022. Now it seems that the idea has been scrapped altogether.
Mixed reaction had been received from residents in the area along with ‘environmentally conscious’ Islanders after the high-octane race was first announced in 2020.
The Diamond Races Supporters Group, which was set up in response to those who were against the prospect of motorbike road racing coming to the Isle of Wight, announced the news yesterday evening (Monday).
In a post on the Facebook group, Ian Rollins said:
“It with with great sadness I must inform you all that Diamond Races will not be going ahead anytime soon.
“Covid and the impact of that globally has just made any plans virtually impossible to progress.
“I’m not saying it’ll never happen, but it isn’t in the foreseeable future.
Article continues below this advertisement “Thank you to everyone who contributed to this page and all the offers of help. Hopefully road racing will happen on the Island at some point.”
The cancellation has yet to be officially confirmed by the Diamond Races organisers, however, the event’s website has seemingly disappeared.
It is known that at least 1 member of the organising team behind Diamond Races is now involved in an alternative event – Isle of Wight Road Races – based out of Tapnell. Little is known about this proposed event other than it involves Rob Da Bank of Bestival fame.
Well there you go nimby’s, you got what you wanted.
Good, noisy, dangerous, and dull.
This is NOT the place for such, and will only encourage more idiots to copy and speed. We like it quiet here, go back to the mainland for noise and ‘excitment’ or keep it in the dreggy towns where most of you rightfully reside. We don’t want it or you here.
Good news -it was a crazy idea in the first place-glad to see common sense has prevailed
it would be great for the island
It’s people like you that will kill this island with your selfish attitude .
At last, a bit of good news.
Gutted. Soon we will have no events left on the island.
totally agree
This was not “an event “ it never happened. It was someone’s idea of a possible “event “ which has been deemed to be not a very good idea for an “event “. . So we are all up for “events “ but just not this one for a load of pretty obvious reasons!
Good, the Island already has to many speeders anyway. I guess this will get voted down, but then again I don’t care, at least it isn’t going ahead.
Yes, because fools like you are too narrow minded to see the great benefit an event like this would have brought to the island. Go hug another tree.
No doubt there will be plenty of “nimbys ” pleased to hear that!
‘Mr Angry’ of Brighstone will be very happy
Common sense prevails
NIMBY’s have won again. This would have been a big boost to the local economy but the retired generation that wants to push the island back to the 1970’s have stopped it. Well done you…….
It’s ok, no need for thanks, I’m only too happy to help.
Why thank you. How kind of you to say well done….
Yep,we like the 70’s, especially the mods and scooters,no greasers here thank you X
The old farts of the island and council who wernt able too skim money off it are too blame.festival and several other events are taking place
Never wanted it too happen lets be honest
Shame as festival annoyance and total disruption is ok!
Methinks you have toooo many oooos in your comment! Lol.
Not all the older generation thank you, and i am no old fart. many of the true bred islanders wanted it, it is older oveners who don’t.
Perhaps it is a shame it’ll never happen. Perhaps it’s a shame that all the recent screaming motorbikes along the Military Road have also contributed to it dying a death. Perhaps it was all just an ill conceived proposal in the first instance and the outcome was inevitable.
The few ruined it for the many…!! How sad.
What many are you talking about? Nobody I know wanted it,why not jog on to the isle of man, maybe there bagpipes will drown out the noise! X
As it’s turned out the few haven’t ruined it for the many!
Sad sad news – the races would be great for the island.
All we need now is to stop the lycras from using the island roads as their own personal racetrack.
Sad news <it would have been so good financially for the Island,still fingers crossed we will have motor cycle racing at some point on the island,Be better than trying to dodge the idiots on their push bikes ,riding out in the road and holding everyone up………
Why are so many of you assuming it is old people who did not want this? I am retired and would have loved to have seen this event happen. It is the “nimby’s” you should be unhappy with, the ones who do not want to see anybody other than themselves enjoy anything at all. They are narrow minded and stupid, too stupid to understand what a great benefit this would have been to the island – they are too selfish to care.