Ulster Grand Prix: Tourism NI says 'approval was in place' to offer funding pending 'clarification' on several issues

On Tuesday night, the Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club announced that the road race, due to have taken place from August 18-19, had been cancelled for a fourth straight year.

A statement from the club said the decision was taken after the event had been ‘undermined by two specific issues’.

These were identified as a failure to obtain a copy of the public liability insurance policy in place for NI motorcycle racing in 2023 from the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre), and ‘ongoing uncertainty around funding for the event from Tourism NI’ following an application to TNI ‘last December as required’.

On Wednesday, Tourism NI said it ‘regretted’ the club’s decision to call off the race, which was last held in 2019.

A statement said: ‘Tourism NI regrets the decision of the Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club to cancel the Ulster Grand Prix.

‘The Club was advised on 17 April 2023 by Tourism NI that a number of issues remained to be clarified, including insurance cover and financial viability.

‘On the basis that these issues were addressed satisfactorily, approval was in place within Tourism NI to offer funding to the Club for the staging of the UGP in 2023’.

The News Letter has approached MCUI (UC) chairman John Dillon for comment in relation to the Dundrod Club’s claim in its statement that several attempts to obtain a copy of the public liability insurance policy had proven fruitless.