Guernsey car rally cancelled by States due to costs

Organisers hope the rally can return in 2025

Guernsey's car rally has been called off next year after the States said it could not justify the administration costs involved.

The event is usually held in February, and first took place in 2018.

Organisers said they were "disappointed" but hoped the event could return in 2025.

President of the States Environment Committee Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez said in a letter "managing the rally absorbed a huge amount of time".

The letter said the States had been "reviewing all non-core services" amid the challenges of "meeting the costs of an ageing population", "high inflation" and "significant pressure to provide more housing".

"Following the Island Games, the committee has decided that, for the remainder of this year and next year, it will not accept applications for major events that require a significant amount of administration time to organise and require multiple road closures", it said.

'Event fills hotels'

Ms de Sausmarez said it took 200 hours of staff time to manage the rally, "predominantly considering complaints from members of the public".

"Therefore, we need to find a new way of working together on these major events".

Guernsey Rally chairman Karl Marshall said: "It was a little bit surprising as the rally fills up hotels in the very quiet months and as we all know tourism is struggling.

"That was £70,000 that the rally brought into the island and that ain't coming next year. Unfortunately to run a rally you have got to close multiple roads."

He added fans "will now miss the sport they love - to do this sport elsewhere you have got to spend a lot of money".

Secretary Caren Vidamour said she hopes the event can return in 2025.

"It has taken us a long time to build up where we are and to make it as popular as it is, and it would be a bit of a travesty if it is just wiped clean, and it doesn't happen again."

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