The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce is backing next year’s Diamond Races event as good for business and good for Island jobs.
At its recent board meeting, there was total support for the proposed new motorcycle time-trial event, which will be held on the Island in October 2021.
Organisers of the Diamond Races are expecting a crowd of between 25,000-45,000 which could provide the Island with a £12million cash boost. The famous TT Races and Festival of Motorcycling held each year on the Isle of Man generate 60% of all visitor income during the year in just a few short weeks.
Steven Holbrook, Chief Executive Officer of the IW Chamber says:
“Major events at this level can bring millions of pounds of investment to the Isle of Wight. Diamond Races will be held in October, which is perfect to extend the Island’s visitor economy outside of the normal summer season. There’s never been more focus on the need to support jobs in our tourism sector and this event will undoubtedly bring genuine new business at a time of the year when we need it the most.
“Whilst tourism businesses across the Island will certainly benefit, we’re equally excited about interest the event has generated in the technology and electric vehicle sectors. We understand that some businesses are already considering the Isle of Wight as a potential new production base as a direct result of the media publicity generated by the recent Diamond Races launch.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with the organisers over the coming months and to making sure our membership benefits directly from Diamond Races. I’ve been impressed by the quality of the team behind the event and feel confident that it will play a big part of building the Isle of Wight’s economic future.”
Paul Sandford, CEO, Diamond Races adds:
“This is an event which has been developed on the Isle of Wight with the joint aims of achieving a world-class sporting spectacle, whilst bringing more prosperity and sustaining local jobs. We welcome the Chamber’s support and thank Steven for rolling up his sleeves to work alongside us on this exciting project.”
More information about the Diamond Races can be found online at www.diamondraces.com.
As with the en masse building over of Ryde’s countryside, NOTHING else but money matters to these people.
Fine if we all made the sums they will, and could move away from the devastation such creates.
Then we too would be singing its praises, but all we will get is the noise, the traffic issues, and a deteriorating standard of life.
Perhaps one or two of the stalwart business leaders could then ‘afford’ to pay their staff ‘on the books’ in their private ‘concerns’ which trade will benefit greatly from increased tourist numbers.
Then again more ‘profit’ in avoiding taxes, N.I stamp duty, pensions, insurance, and paying far lower rates, and causing the employees to swindle the ‘state’ by still claiming benefits. This from bosses who ought, and do know better to gain at others expense but have become greedy and ‘think’ they are above the law.
Competing businesses playing a fair game know what is going on.
Tick, tock.
It’s ONE weekend for goodness sake! I live in Brighstone before you say “it’s not on your doorstep”.
Thin end of a large wedge though Deb’s.
Most people come here to live a peaceful life, not to live with the ‘Look at me’ crowd, leaving that to the towns folk, who have nothing else apart from the neighbours wall and thumping stereo to appreciate.
Most people come here to moan and aren’t even from here!
Its not just a retirement island for overners to get away from the city and then complain its getting too busy. Not even considering that they have compounded the problem themselves.
Good to have a bit of life going on on the island.
As with all these things, they stress the boost to the island economy, to tourism etc. What they never seem to mention is any offer of compensation to those directly affected by any such happening.
Easy to say that £12 million will be generated but I bet less than 5% of that will find it’s way to the pockets of island workers, and residents living near the event. Most of it will just make the rich minority a little richer.
No motorcross event but a time trialled event is ok, welcome to a corrupted little Island.
Why is there so many people on the island so quick to dismiss any idea that brings money to the island.
Don’t we put up with holiday makes every year, so what’s the difference. Some people just want the island to stay in the dark ages.
One reason Dave, is that most who just choose to ‘live’ here are not making any wealth from such events, YET have all the ills of road closures, noise, rubbish, more people, more traffic etc that will come with such.
Added to this is the worrying trend in such organisation and permission for such money making events. For now, certain top councillors personally gain from private ventures for any large tourist money making events. So many see permission for such too biased, and to open to fraud to feel comfortable with such decisions, as they do with planning now.
Whilst a conflict of interests may require a councillor standing out of a vote on such, all his best buds will, as we all would for a pal, vote the way he or she would ‘wish’ it to go.
So people are now naturally and rightly dubious of any event where the few gain greatly, and the masses pay the price in a detrimental way.
Was bad enough when it was just private enterprise doing so, but worrying when those in charge of public money are at the forefront of gaining greatly for events such as this when permission is granted for it is them who ‘grant’ such.
We all wish the Island businesses to prosper and gain, but some are too involved in local politics to make it comfortable now to witness.
Lot of miserable negative comments here. If you don’t like living here. Feel free to leave .
This will encourage more speeding both before and after the event, all those who say it won’t are living in cloud cuckoo land. The military road is well known for speeding, and thanks to government cut backs there are simply not enough police to go around on the island. Go race on a proper track, without having to remove cat eyes from the roads, only to be never put back, and moving telegraph poles to reduce danger to the riders is going to be expensive, if the poles were dangerously placed why not move them anyway for the “normal” road users. I hope there will be a petition to stop this dodgy event.
Very good points Karn. Many louts will steal bikes and rag them around the roads copying their hero’s. Others will take their own m/cs and push them to their limits.
Likely more deaths, injuries will come from this, but hey, some will make more money, so the rest of us can all pay for what most never wanted as we fund the NHS, the police, the road furniture alterations, and A&E to patch up, or bag up the accident victims.
A petition to ban this would be a winner.
That poor man at Brook Hill house has spent a kings ransom trying to gain peace and quite, and now this. Disgusted.
Great news … Where do I get my tickets?
Brilliant news. I’m looking forward to supporting Diamond Races. It will give us something to look forward to after the summer has gone.
I’m sure Wightlink and Red Funnel are delighted too!
Looking forward to the races. About time there was a decent attraction on the island that isn’t dated or slowly disappearing. Great exposure for the islands business, look at how well the hotels do on the Isle of man when the tt is on.
Well done the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce. A forward looking decision, best for the majority of the Island.
After nine hours, my comment is still waiting approval. Either something’s gone wrong or I’m on the naughty step.
The sway and pressure is not media adverse.
I shall try and pretend to myself that I understand what you’re saying but, in reality, I haven’t a clue what you are telling me.
Well of course island businesses agree with this event, it’s money, money, money….Never mind the race is being held in October when the roads are slippery, wet and the leaves are falling!!!! People liken this to the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race…. This is a joke, the race there is in the summer months, not Autumn!!!!