The Tour of Britain cycling race could come to the Isle of Wight in 2024, to make up for the lost leg of the race last year.
The final stage of 2022’s Tour of Britain was due to take place in September but was cancelled following the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
And last week it was announced the Isle of Wight was not being included in the 2023 event.
As a result of the sudden cancellation meant the Isle of Wight Council was left £350,000 out of pocket — having paid a £250,000 hosting fee and other expenses toting up to a further £100,000.
The council was entitled to a refund of the host venue fees after the real costs had been deducted from Tour of Britain organisers, SweetSpot, with SweetSpot insured to cover the fees.
However, the authority said it was made clear by SweetSpot that it would not be in a position to refund any of the money.
In response to the council’s comments, SweetSpot said contingency cover in the event of a senior Royal Family member’s death had been ‘prohibitively expensive and commercially unviable for some time’.
The crippling impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the events industry, which prevented it from running a race for nearly 700 days, had impacted its ability to afford the insurance.
Instead, negotiations have been ongoing since September to provide money towards a future cycling event on the Island.
SweetSpot said its first and preferred option is to host a future leg of the 2024 Tour of Britain on the Island to replace the one that could not take place in 2022.
The spokesperson said:
“Given the excitement around the stage and huge amount of work over the previous two years, it would be a real shame if a stage of the Tour of Britain could not now take place.
“Our hope is we are able to agree this with stakeholders following a long-scheduled meeting with them this week.”
If it is not agreeable, alternative options would be discussed with the council.
So the council get screwed by this firm and go back to them again,this is our money they are wasting and the islanders should have a say in whether or not they want it and what benefit would it bring us.
I don’t know about other people but if a company lets me down i go elsewhere.
This council constantly let taxpayers down. Sadly we can’t go elsewhere.
If it is not agreeable, alternative options would be discussed with the council
yes – preferably the council members responsible and the employees of sweet spot that agreed to put this on, whilst not having insurance be made personally liable for the losses – in other words, their homes, their personal cash savings, their cars etc to be sold/seized to recoup the losses.
Absolutely disgusting. When will the morons in the council learn that the vast majority of the island public do not want this event here. Not that the council ever consider public opinion, of course.
After this council lost hundreds of thousands over the last cancelled event. They should not throw any more of our money away on this, or other loss making ventures. The council tax is already far too high, covering there other bad decisions.
Presumably us the tax payers won’t be forking out another £2,500 to host this event which very few Islanders are interested in.
Oh ffs, give us break.
However, the authority said it was made clear by SweetSpot that it would not be in a position to refund any of the money.
Could that be because they do not have any!
Please do not waste any more of the Council Tax Payers funds on this event, that if it happens is going to cause massive disruption to the general public, delivery drivers etc going about their normal business.
Islanders rest assured the IWC will make the wrong decision.. they always do ..
Hope it does take place. I remember previous events which were very successful and brought lots of visitors to the island.
Message to ALL those who think this ‘event’ should go ahead. It reads “Put your own personal money where your mouth is. You will not be allowed to use tax payers money in any way”. Got it? Right, now let’s see you go ahead with the plans. Oh dear, what’s happened, where have you disappeared to?
Spot on, why should the masses pay for the few. We’ve already been conned out of 350k on their behalf.
As you say, you want it, you fund it!
OH IT’S ALL GONE QUITE OVERTHERE
Let’s hope it work’s out ok last year was just bad luck
Disgraceful, all the money lost previously due to an incompetent Council, and now the
idiots want to waste more of our money.