The right to charge admission on public property

gsxr1

Press Statement from Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club, Promoters of The Ulster Grand Prix


ULSTER GRAND PRIX 2011'S ADMISSION CHARGE TO INCREASE TO £25

The Dundrod and District Motorcycle Club, took over the running of the Ulster Grand Prix (UGP) in 2002. In the past 10 years we have spent some £500k on safety around the course with the assistance of some funding from Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and 2 & 4 wheels.

Without a doubt UGP 2010 produced some of the best racing ever seen around Dundrod and the coverage by Greenlight/BBC on the two large screens was absolutely superb and created a fantastic atmosphere.

The event was a huge success in terms of racing and riders, but even with the added financial support from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Lisburn City Council, the financial reality was that the 2010 event cost the club £409k.

As a result, we have suffered a serious financial shortfall, which we are struggling with but will overcome. The issue is that many spectators avoided paying the £15 admission charge, in fact, there were more paying spectators in 2007 and 2009.

It could be said that the world of road racing will always have an issue with funding; the Club would like to change that.

We now believe if the event is to break even then the admission charge has to increase. This is not a decision that we have arrived at lightly and we hope that true road racing fans will understand the reasons for this decision and continue to support us.

Detailed planning is well underway for the Ulster Grand Prix 2011 and in order to have another year's great racing we must invest heavily in the best riders.

The admission charge will now be £25 (including vat) which will allow access to all areas all week, except the grandstands and the pit lane.

Programmes will remain at £5 and the Joey Dunlop Grandstand seats, at the start/finish, will remain at £25.

The Club asks for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at Dundrod in August 2011.
__________________

Does this club have the right to charge the public to enter the spectatoer area or the perimeter of the track?

I know they have to draw funds but what gives them the right to demand it?

As a citizen I cant see how they stop me from walking down any road .
The same applies to Irish road circuits.

It used to be free for all

Victor

In Ireland, a road can be de-designated as public road for a race (and possibly other events) under the road traffic acts. I think the council and the Garda need to approve it and charges apply to the promoter. I don't know if the council will let the promoter charge admission though.

Not sure about Northern Ireland.

gsxr1

Victor wrote: »

In Ireland, a road can be de-designated as public road for a race (and possibly other events) under the road traffic acts. I think the council and the Garda need to approve it and charges apply to the promoter. I don't know if the council will let the promoter charge admission though.

Not sure about Northern Ireland.

So. say I pass and ignore the lad charging me 500m before the circuit.


What authority legally would they have to remove me. Or the police for that matter .

Im only asking because I think increasing charges by 50% is upsetting in the present climate and would like to draw customers attentions to their rights

MagicSean

Public order act gives the gardai the right to erect barriers around an event and refuse entry to anyone not in possession of a ticket.

Robbo

£25 notes for the entire week? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Not being familiar with the circuit layout for the UGP, but I'd imagine that the perimeter is all private lands, fields etc. The organisers would have entered into an arrangement with the landowners and arranged public liability insurance. As Victor pointed out, the ownership of the roads themselves temporarily vests in the organising club for the duration of the event, if you want to enter without license, that would be trespass. Not to mention absolutely stupid if the circuit was live. Likewise to enter the private lands adjoining.

It may have been free before but unfortunately, insurance costs a fortune these days, due in some part to spectators who wander into daft locations. Then you have the cost of the safety kit, the ambulances, looking after the marshals etc.

MrPudding

Even if it was public land, it is not as if it is the first time people have been charged to enter on occasion. There have been concerts in Belfast in the Botanical Gardens. Similarly there have been gigs in Pheonix Park. In each of these cases the promoter charged people to enter a public park that was previously free to enter.

I am not sure of the exact legal instrument being used, but I would imagine at this stage it is fairly common. Not only that, but it seems like quite a reasonable charge for what you get, and I am sure you don't expect them to run at a loss year anfer year.

MrP

Del2005

gsxr1 wrote: »

So. say I pass and ignore the lad charging me 500m before the circuit.


What authority legally would they have to remove me. Or the police for that matter .

The roads are closed for the event so they aren't public roads any more. I've been to many races where they've had to cancel the last few races as they've over ran the road closing order, shame it's usually always the big race they cancel and yet they let the classics out.

There's also the fact that the PSNI carry guns and take no sh!t.:D

Don't they do something similar in Slane/Naas when gigs are on? They close the local roads and there's no chance of getting past them unless resident.

Robbo wrote: »

£25 notes for the entire week? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Not if you can only make it up for the day.

Victor

Del2005 wrote: »

Don't they do something similar in Slane/Naas when gigs are on? They close the local roads and there's no chance of getting past them unless resident.

That is more a public order / event legislation issue than a road traffic one. It that case the roads remain public, just you aren't allowed within X distance without a ticket or residents permit.

pieface_ie

Pay the fee. Its the same deal with the NW200 people who dont have to buy a program wont.

Theres is a huge cost associated with insurance. All the hay bails and air bales have to be paid for and transported to the location. The majority of the competitors are paying to put on a show for you, in fee's, fuel, tyres, medical helicopter etc.

Im sure its one of the only sports in the world that the competitor is paying to put the show on for the crowd.

The cost of competing far out weights the £25 you are been asked to pay

( i raced for a few years so know the astronomical costs involved)

monkeypants

Wasn't there always a small fee for spectators? It wasn't compulsory, but it was seen as "good form" to pay it. We used to park near Irelands and I believe there was a small tag for the car window.

Del2005 wrote:

The roads are closed for the event so they aren't public roads any more. I've been to many races where they've had to cancel the last few races as they've over ran the road closing order, shame it's usually always the big race they cancel and yet they let the classics out.

I know what you mean, but I've seen plenty of races where the classics end up with no lap/race. Either way, a paying competitor loses out.

Del2005

pieface_ie wrote: »

Pay the fee. Its the same deal with the NW200 people who dont have to buy a program wont.

Theres is a huge cost associated with insurance. All the hay bails and air bales have to be paid for and transported to the location. The majority of the competitors are paying to put on a show for you, in fee's, fuel, tyres, medical helicopter etc.

Im sure its one of the only sports in the world that the competitor is paying to put the show on for the crowd.

The cost of competing far out weights the £25 you are been asked to pay

( i raced for a few years so know the astronomical costs involved)

The NW200 is different in that you can buy a program if you want but the OP is saying that you now have to pay £25 just to watch UGP and the £5 for a program. But then you get charged to watch from any decent view point.

I know the competitors are paying to race, it's embarrassing looking at the prize money for some races which won't even cover fuel, but all motor sport is expensive and no one goes road racing for profit. £25 is a lot of money to stand at the side of a road.

I think the problem the UGP has is they lost so much money from the 2 washed out events that they have had to push the price up.

The issue is that many spectators avoided paying the £15 admission charge, in fact, there were more paying spectators in 2007 and 2009.

This is the bit that confuses me. If people are avoiding paying £15 what makes them think that they will pay £25? If they dropped to price to £10 they'd get more people paying in.

MrPudding

Del2005 wrote: »

This is the bit that confuses me. If people are avoiding paying £15 what makes them think that they will pay £25? If they dropped to price to £10 they'd get more people paying in.

Possibly not... They are probably basing their figures on the assumption that the people that will not pay £15 will continue to not pay it. By increasing the amount that the people that do pay hand over they should increase the takings. It is unfair that the people that do pay subsidise everyone else, and will do so even more so, but if there is a core that is willing to pay then that is where the money needs to come form.

If people won't pay £15 then I would not be overly optimistic that they would pay £10 either.

MrP

Del2005

MrPudding wrote: »

Possibly not... They are probably basing their figures on the assumption that the people that will not pay £15 will continue to not pay it. By increasing the amount that the people that do pay hand over they should increase the takings. It is unfair that the people that do pay subsidise everyone else, and will do so even more so, but if there is a core that is willing to pay then that is where the money needs to come form.

If people won't pay £15 then I would not be overly optimistic that they would pay £10 either.

MrP

It's a physiological thing. £15 is a decent amount of money while £10 isn't and £25 is a lot, same way shops price items.

I used to go to loads of road races both Northern and Southern. But I've stopped going to most as it's just too expensive now. I've never been able get to the UGP and was thinking of heading up next year, but at £25 there's no chance now.