North West 200 races set to clash with VE Day events in 2025

At this month’s Commemoration and Celebration Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, members were presented with a draft VE programme for 2025.

The programme included plans for a range of activities throughout the Borough on May 8, culminating in the lighting of a beacon at the Diamond, Coleraine, at 9.30pm.

However, the report noted that May 8 is race day, so road closures will be in place which ‘may impact on planned activities for VE Day’. DUP Alderman Michelle Knight-McQuillan asked for confirmation on the times of the race, as it was her understanding that races took place during the day.

However, Director of Corporate Services, Moira Quinn, confirmed that on May 8 practice took place from 9am to 3pm, with evening racing from 4.45pm to 9pm.

DUP Councillor Dawn Huggins said the North West 200 shouldn’t “detract from VE Day, what it’s about and what we’re going to commemorate”.

She concluded: “If there’s a race in the evening, and the beacon lighting has got to be at 9.30pm, everything is coming into question because of the North West.”

“But not all roads into Coleraine aren’t going to be shut, are they? It’s only Portrush.

“So Coleraine is not going to be affected, not everybody goes to watch the North West 200.”