This is one of the saddest and most enraging situations we have had to report. The Committee of the 2300 Club, which has run the celebrated Tour of Mull Rally for 40 years, decided unanimously at a meeting on 4th March, that the Tour of Mull will not take place in October 2010. They say unequivocally that the decision will not be re-considered.
The Club 2300 statement
‘At a meeting on 4th March, Committee members of the 2300 Club decided unanimously that the Tour of Mull will not take place in October 2010. The decision will not be re-considered.
‘Enthusiasm in the Club has been hugely reduced by the serious and potentially life-threatening problems that were encountered before, during and after the 2009 event.
‘There exist unresolved safety issues that expose both competitors and organisers: the competitors to risks beyond the natural hazards of Mull; and the organisers to possible litigation, which seems to be the way of the world these days in the face of the most innocent of intentions.
‘Furthermore, the organisers have grown weary of the increasing number of negative and critical comments about their running of the event. Recent publicity has elicited huge support for the Rally, and that support is acknowledged and the Committee is very grateful for it.
‘Sadly, it has at the same time given voice to our detractors and those who think they know better how to run the Tour of Mull.
‘Each member of the Committee is an unpaid volunteer, pursuing a hobby at huge cost in both time and money. The organisers make, and have always made, a massive effort to put on the very best event of which they are capable. They are proud of the fact that The Tour of Mull is very highly regarded as a motorsport and social event.
‘There have always been problems and criticisms of one sort or another. Now the Committee’s overwhelming feeling is that the growing difficulties and increasingly bitter, often personal, confrontations have eclipsed the pleasure gained from running the Rally.
‘Tunnock’s, who have sponsored the Rally since 2005, fully support the Committee’s decision. As well as providing financial backing for the rally, each year they have provided the Island’s school children with items useful for their safety and comfort in addition to packs of their famous Caramel Wafers.
‘We will be reviewing our options for 2011 over the coming months. We will continue to present and fund the John Easson Award’.
The benefit, the nay-sayers and the events of 2009
Right. Let’s look at the facts.
This event brings to Mull very significant economic benefit, doubling the population of the island for the duration and, held annually in October, giving the visitor season a massive after-boost.
The widespread publicity for the magnificent event promotes the island to a degree it could not pay to secure.
It brings excitement – and a challenging sport for its relatively isolated young people to immerse themselves in rather than soak in Buckfast.
There were several entries from Mull last year – there always are – and the 2009 Tour of Mull, the 40th event, was won by Calum and Iain Duffy from Dervaig on the island – in a two-wheel drive Ford Escort. That says something for their skill. What are they going to do with that skill this year?
But some Mulleachs felt miffed by the event. There are, inevitably, some road closures – although disruption has always been kept to a minimum by holding almost all of the stages through the night – the event’s signature feature.
But you can’t imagine how darned inconvenient it is, for a few hours once a year, to have to do your shopping a bit earlier or a bit later, or think before you decide to take a run in the car on a particular road.
And besides, they may have been running the event for 40 years but the 2300 Club really doesn’t know what it’s doing.
Tellingly, the only comment posted on our article about the problems the event hit this year was one complaining that this year there were too many ‘do-gooding’ marshalls and that he had been going to watch the rally for years and didn’t need to be told where to walk and where to stand. So he had this information emblazoned on his forehead?
What happened this year was literally criminal. The Rally and the island were unbelievably fortunate to get away without fatalities.
One of the few disaffected ones, a farmer whose land bounds on the road used for one of the stages of the tour – whether by omission or commission (and in this case, either is knowingly potentially homicidal) – failed to secure his livestock, which were wandering the road in the darkness.
Drivers in a rally perform on the very edge of what’s possible. This is skill, competitiveness and risk beyond anything the manipulated F1 produces. There is no latitude for error or misadventure. Just imagine driving under such conditions, at night – and finding cattle on the road?
Of course there were accidents and one rally participant had to be airlifted to hospital in Glasgow.
With another stage due to cover the same stretch of road on the following night, the Rally organisers consulted Mr McFadyen, the farmer in question, to discuss the securing of the animals. They were informed that he would be making exactly the same arrangements to secure his stock as he had done on the previous night.
Since these arrangements had not proved secure first time around, the Rally officials could not take the risk of serious accidents should the animals stray for a second time – and the stage had to be cancelled.
It is worth noting that the 2300 Club created a fund to compensate farmers for the time they spend in moving livestock away from the roads involved in the various stages.
Set against this act of criminal irresponsibility and lack of care for the lives of the participants and the livestock, the people of Tobermory had responded with enthusiasm to a revived feature of the Rally. This was the reintroduction in 2009 of the long-absent Tobermory stage – held on the opening night of this 40th anniversary rally. The organisers consulted the town thoroughly and well in advance. There was not a single objection.
So what has happened?
The vast majority of people on Mull want this event – need this event – and, individually, many have made that support clear. But communally they have been complacent, failing to deliver the collective formal support that was obviously required to persuade the volunteer organisers to run the event on the island again.
Worse. They may have failed to protect the organisers themselves. There are events only hinted at in the Press Release – it speaks of: ‘... serious and potentially life-threatening problems that were encountered before, during and after the 2009 event’.
There is a Community Council meeting on the island on Tuesday (9th March). It was made public that Club 2300 was being invited to come to talk to the meeting about the Tour of Mull Rally. But, as of yesterday – Friday 5th March, no invitation had been received by the Club.
These guys cannot beam themselves on to the island just-like-that. They have pre-existing commitments and they have travel arrangements to make. This level of complacency, combined with its embedded lack of respect, is insulting beyond belief and has proved the last straw for the Committee.
We understand that at the Club’s Committee meeting on Thursday night (4th March), at which this decision was taken, every person present was left defeated and spiritless by the way these events have unrolled. Not one had the will to gear up, regardless, for another Tour.
These people, as they point out themselves, are all unpaid volunteers. Their Chairman spends his own money on the event. They do it for love – of a high-risk, highly skilled and thrilling sport. And they do it for Mull.
To be frank, Mull has not got off its backside to save the event – to save it for themselves, which is why this article is headlined: ‘Mull does self-mutiliation’.
Who knows if the event will now ever happen again? Will the organisers have the stomach to bring it back to Mull? Can it be saved for Argyll for 2011 at another venue? Who knows? But it would be good to see enterprising parts of Argyll getting stuck in to early bidding for a possible 2011 event – and learning from Mull’s mistakes.
As things stand, a group of people who have worked selflessly for a sport and an island are left deflated, empty and without any will to carry on.
This was entirely avoidable – in every single respect. When you have people who come annually for 40 years and deliver something so very special and so hugely contributing to the local economy, you cherish them and you support them.
The event is very well run – its website is a model of information about an event so well organised that – now ironically – its date schedule is published up to 2015.
Is there any other single annual event on Mull that comes close to bringing in these numbers – 3,000 people a night watch the stages?
In this situation, Mull has displayed all of the symptoms of the Argyll disease – no sense of urgency; no awareness that there is a moment to be grasped now and that if it is not grasped now, it will not be recoverable.
Tomorrow or next week will not do. Mull and Argyll need to develop a close relationship with now-ness.
And now there is no Tour of Mull for 2010.
Neil Molyneaux told us that when he pressed the ‘Send’ button on the Press Release to the Club’s webmaster, he cried.
And so should Mull. How could it have been so stupid?
What a sad day, with the amount of public (grant) money the farmers recieve on the island, maybe they don’t see any direct bonus from the rally, so now the whole island has to suffer?? public money for these folk should be reduced to the tune of what the rally brings to the island economy, then it might not be so difficult to bring livestock in for three nights a year!
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where are the all powerful National Farmers Union of Scotland on this issue ? too busy back-slapping one another ?
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I think that had ALL the people of Mull been informed of what has been going on then there might have been a chance to do something about preventing this coming to such a devastating outcome. 2300 club have done a fantastic job over the years and they must be congratulated on the success the event has had. Why did they not feel the need for a meeting on the Island where there could be honest, open discussion to put a stop to rumour mongering and hearsay which only escalates already fragile situations. I dont agree with parts of your article because the lack of awareness has been created because events have been kept hidden from the public. How can the people of Mull get “off its backside to save the event” if they are not told what is going on and are actually encouraged to not say anything and let the 2300 club deal with the issues themselves. I am fully behind the 2300 club running the Tour of Mull and pray that the issues can be resolved as it is a travesty that the situation has come to this. Until a statement of FACT comes from the 2300 club detailing the extent of the issues they have faced then I still feel left in the dark and rumours are going to grow legs and make matters worse.
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I was always proud to be from Mull, but this makes people look silly. Weird things are said here. Where exactly is the money that was put aside for the farmers? Has anyone ever seen it?
Despite the best efforts of a farmer, cows will not always do what they want. Why do some struggle to understand that? A farmer is being cast as the villain and its unhelpful. Shit happens and that’s why there are marshals to flag problems. The Rally guys do a fantastic job, a huge amount of work, many volunteers, an incredible effort for 40 years. What has changed here – support or apathy for the rally is the same as ever. Talk of some big anti – rally thing can only be due to the handling of this incident which would have been solved in previous years. I’m neutral on the rally, but see others enjoying it so enjoy that. I suspect other reasons – lack of funds and fatigue has started this blame thing – which on reflection nobody should be proud of. I believe, the announcement on the 2300 club web site is ill-considered, emotional and unhelpful. What should be heared is the passion and frustration they are feeling.
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I think the guy who caused this disruption will be extremely unpopular with his Mull neighbours. He probably laughed to himself when he allowed his cows to wander onto the rally stage. If I was the driver who was injured I would be looking at any and every possibilty of suing him.
When you Mull business owners are experiencing empty shops, pubs, petrol stations, hotels and guest houses at the end of future Octobers (possibly when its also windy and raining) and remembering how good business used to be at that time of the year, don’t forget to go and see the farmer who wrecked your trade and let him know exactly what you think of him.
He should be run off the island.
Nobody has gained anything by this narrow minded and childish act of stupidity, and many have lost an awful lot.
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I am not a Car Rally enthusiast – I am not even a car enthusiast -but it is not difficult to see and be aware of the fact that the Mull Rally has been a tremendous attraction and benefit to the economy of Mull over many years. Oban residents see the Rally cars in transit and are aware of the buzz that the participants and spectators take to the island. Ferry operators, shops and accommodation providers must surely all benefit when the large numbers of visitors check in the Rally weekend.
Such events inevitably cause a level of local disruption but the community benefit normally far outweighs that. Anyone who has witnessed a stage of the Tour de France and its impact on the areas that it visits will see that. TT races on the Isle of Man mean that their roads are closed but few Manxmen would welcome the loss of such an event.I would like to know much more about the circumstances that have led to this cancelation before making any hasty judgements but would hope that strenuous efforts will be made to restore this unique event to the West Highland calendar with as little delay as is possible.
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As Vice-Chairman of Mull Community Council (MCC), I feel it my duty to respond to the inference that it was ourselves who are responsible for not inviting Neil Molyneux to the next meeting. I have contacted our secretary who has it in black and white in his notes of the last meeting that the member from the Mull Car Club (I will not name names at this stage) who attended, was asked to contact both Neil and John Clayton and invite them to the meeting. As we are so close to the meeting, I am extremely surprised and annoyed to find that this invitation has not been sent. So please, don’t blame the MCC. I am awaiting a response from the person charged with inviting Neil to ascertain if there are any circumstances which meant the invitation wasn’t proffered.
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I like others am disappointed that it has come to this. I have for some time been anticipating that matters could be resolved as the majority of people here wish(-ed) to preserve the rally. I have myself tried to help overcome issues on a case-by-case basis each year since I was elected, and was until this morning sure that again any outstanding matters could be dealt with.
There are some matters in your article which have to be addressed straight away however. First and foremost, I repeat, and the organisers acknowledge,the depth of support that exists for their efforts. If they feel slighted by the fact that the Mull Community Council did not formally invite them, this could have been flagged up to me or any one of a number of local people who could have ensured that proper good manners and courtesy could have prevailed and the case “for” could have been put forward. Sadly this will not now happen, and it is true to say that the negative comments will fill the void thus left. This is to be regretted as there is no doubt that the unfamiliar reader will inevitably get am unbalanced impression of the situation. Peter and pa75 have presented a very fair picture of what I perceive the majority view to be.
Your own comment “Mull does self-mutilation” is both unhelpful and inflammatory. Who at the end of the day do you mean by “Mull”? Is it the incomer who dislikes the once-a-year disruption, or the one who came here as a rally supporter and ended up settling here? Is it the local who sees the enthusiasm of the kids for the big event coming to their door, or the one who dislikes seeing their home over-run by noisy petrol-heads?
The fingers are already pointing in a number of directions, and when the blame-game finishes, one thing will be true; the island, it’s residents and visitors, and its reputation will be the poorer for events of the last few weeks.
I would finish by stressing that in the statement from the 2300 club the attitude of the (minority) detractors is very much given second or third place to financial and safety considerations, and this should not be forgotten going forward.
I will of course be in touch with the 2300 club, more in hope than expectation. I would ask meantime for a little more balance in your editorial content.
Thank you,
Gordon Chalmers,
Cllr Ward 4 Oban South and Isles
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Firstly I would like to commend Peds article which I whole heartedy agree with. With reference to “the only article posted etc” well I am sorry but I, as I am sure many others have not heard of this website before today. But if you were to look on such sites as the British Rally Forums and Facebook’s “Save the Tour of Mull group” There has indeed been a lot of support for the rally from the local’s. I just hope everyone who has been against the rally before can now realise what a detrimental effect it will have. Including shortening the summer season drastictly and will Calmac continue to stretch the Summer TT to the end of october in future, could you imagine winter sailings right from early September.
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“The vast majority of people on Mull want this event – need this event …”
Perhaps the first thing to do would be to prove this statement, and then all islanders will have a chance to have a say in the matter.
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There are two core points here:
What happened during the 2009 rally was about as serious as it gets. It wasn’t a bit of fun and everyone knows it wasn’t quite accidental. No one organising an already high-risk event can contemplate continuing in a context subject to this sort of rogue action, unless they can be reliably reassured that it won’t be.
And as Gordon Chalmers and others have said with feeling – of course there is a great deal of support for the event on Mull – the 2300 Club itself is keenly aware of that – but this support didn’t mobilise itself in active and collective support of the event at and after its point of greatest threat in the events of last year – some of which remain no more than hinted at.
The hard fact is that the event is lost – and had everyone done what they might have done in good time, it would not have been.
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This is tragic for Mull. Once the rally has gone it’ll be much harder to bring it back in future years.
A victory for a small number of NIMBYs over the rest of the island’s residents.
The effects of losing the rally on the island’s economy will be far-reaching.
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Can’t believe Mull hadn’t clocked this website – unless it’s really in a time warp. It should be making sure it’s never off these pages. That would make its critics sit up and take notice.
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Agree with Peter Maccrones post.
A sad day for the Island ,and indeed disappointing that so many opportunities to sit down and resolve the issues and problems from last years event, have been missed.
As has been said ,’facts’ and a clearer picture of the difficulties and issues which have led to the current situation ,would maybe help the majority of us both understand the organisers feelings,and also ,help us all to find a solution to the future running of the event.
Some clarity would also hopefully stop the ‘blame’ game in its tracks ,and put a stop to things being said out of hand,accusations being made ,or worse.
Not good for the island and does`t help the current problems ,or smooth the waters for future events.
Heres to 2011.
Yes?
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For Andrew Macfarlane:
You make the crucial and constructive point that there is nothing so useless and time wasting as the blame game. Mull should not take that route.
Everyone has something to learn and they should be given the space to learn it privately and act accordingly.
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RIP Tour of Mull.
I totally agree with newsroom, the problems that were caused last year we NOT an accident and were INTENTIONAL. The island have lost an amazing income, atmosphere and tourists.
The island is going to suffer so so much.
As a timekeeper on the event for the last few years, I’m disgusted that a farmer would release cattle intentionally to attempt to ruin the rally. Not only does this display pure stupidity but how could the farmer live with the guilt of potentionally killing one or more rally crews.
On the other hand, most islanders are a great support to the rally, its such a shame we have idiots in the world that wreck the only good things we have!
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“newsroom ” It wasn’t a bit of fun and everyone knows it wasn’t accidental” Unhelpful, inflammatory piffle.
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Sitting 4500 miles away and listening to all the harping-on and flannel wringing there’s one thing I dont understand . Please elucidate …
If there are hundreds of volunteers who are willing to close off roads , wave flashlights and be nice to the local police , WHY wont those same folks give this farmer a hand to properly put up his cows for three nights ?? I have a small herd of semi-tame ones here in Tennessee but there’s NO WAY I can effectively herd them by myself . If there’s money set aside to ‘compensate farmers’ while the rally is on , why not $pend $ome of it on a few bags of cowfeed and buckets . Then the hearty volunteers can pretend they’re the Pied Piper by leading the whole herd to their barn .
That’s an easier way to ‘skin a cow’ than using a rally car and the cows and farmer would be a whole lot happier too . The organisers would know ‘fer-sure’ that there were no rampant bovine herds footloose on course , so would the drivers -who could then concentrate harder on scaring only themselves ?
A pound of cowfeed is better than a ton of sticky plasters on a cow .
If the organisers are so omnipotent and expert after 40 yrs how come it took a herd of moos to shatter their complacency and evidently faulty failure analysis? I would wager a weeks pension that there is NO stage run without a car sweeping beforehand for things like downed trees , risen water runoffs etc . WHY, in a land of open grazing was the possibility of a moving hazard like a cow (or sheep ?) not given credence ??
Sounds like faulty planning to me.
In all the ‘town and gown ‘ meetings held between organising volunteers and locals did no-one ever give a thought BEFOREHAND to positively removing that hazard in a co-ordinated and planned way ??
If a group of feed-bucket wielding volunteers plus the local gendarme showed up at the recalcitrant farmers place with a “We’re here to help you ” attitude maybe things would be different ?
Bill Proud , retiree, Tennessee , whee !!
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As it is a requirement that everyone provide there name to leave a reply, perhaps the person who wrote this article should have the courage of there convictions.
Peter, a fantastic response, lets hope everyone can remain positive and objective to be able to find a resolution and go forward to see the event return.
Thanks to the organisers for the last 40 years, it is a great event regarded as “The Best Rally In The World”, hopefully it will be again. Kindest regards to you all.
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Subject: Re: 2300 Club / No Tour of Mull to be Held in 2010
In light of this announcement, I think the 2300 will lose the support that
they have enjoyed over the years, by leaving this decision so late in order
that no one else can have a go at taking over the organisation, they are
behaving like children throwing toys out of a pram and so far as I am
concerned, the Tour of Mull is an institution far larger that even the egos
of the individuals concerned. It appears that as soon as there is any
criticism they are not prepared to carry out the discussions to required to
gain a consensus, which in my opinion would not have been particularly
difficult, but might have required, heaven forbid, the officials to admit
that they did not handle last years incidents in an adult manner.
Personally, I think the Mull residents and competitors, will never forgive
the 2300 Club for this vandalism, and I hope that a more suitable, more
local organisation may be prepared to take on the challenge. I for one would
definitely be supportive of that option.
Andy Knight
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The wheels are now in motion and are looking fairly promising. Will know more by midweek in preparation for the meeting on Monday 15th. Its all dependant on timescales for road closures and who holds the rights to them any advice will be appreciated !
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I’m not a petrol head or know much about rallying but I love the TOM and will really miss the buzz that Mull has when the rally is in town. All of you make this event very special to me and my family, but Jessiibby’s comments have made me so angry and upset. Nobody on Mull would ever intentionally cause an accident, we still feel Susan Cameron’s death and silently think of her every year. So may I suggest you refrain from commenting further.
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Quote..
“Personally, I think the Mull residents and competitors, will never forgive
the 2300 Club for this vandalism”
Well there you go. Spinned like a pro.
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Peter MacCrone very well said. Steve our vice chairman on the Mull Comunity Council are you happy now.
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It is a sad time that I will not have my annual trip to Mull, I have been coming to the island since 1992! I love the place and I love the people that I have come to know over the years. I am the Stage Commander on the Mishnish Lochs stage of the “Tour” and have been involved in organising events, the 2300 Club do an excellent job for this event and don’t get paid!!
I do not have access to the details behind their decision, but please bear in mind that the organisers have put their efforts in because they want to, they have a passion for the sport, as I have! Over the years the Organisers have faced many “challenges” while the event has run. Many of which have been resloved with the help of the locals of Mull. I and the rest of my team will miss not being on the island this year and hope that the people of the 2300 club will run the event in 2011.
Grahame Douglas
Stage Commander Mishnish Lochs
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Can someone help me because I am feel a little foolish. I cannot seem to find where the name of the author of this article is on this page. Perhaps someone at foragyll could help. Thanks.
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a sorry time. just like to say thank’s to all the residents and the island of mull for many years support on what was was one of the best rally’s on the calendar.
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Ok, its been 24 hours since the posting on the 2300 club website and the strange thing ive noticed is that there hasnt been any one who doesnt want the rally. Facebook ‘save the tour’ has 1400 members. From the above post’s, the Mull Council want the rally. People of Oban want the rally. Im sure the owners of the b&b’s, hotels, food oulets and Calmac all want the rally. And by the sounds of things, the majority of the Mull people want the rally.
I, as a competitor want the rally. Lets look at this objectively, this is the only over subscribed rally in Britian that i’m aware of. The rally has been very well run for the last 40 years by the 2300 club. Now, weither its politics, finances, a single farmer or ego’s thats preventing the running of the rally a solution needs to be found to get this rally on, this year.
I apologise to the 2300 club for this comment but…the late announcement of the cancelling this years rally is rather unfair. Remember, people have paid accomodation deposits and made travel arrangements already and I for one will loose over £400. The statement that the 2011 will be looked at later in the year is unhelpful. With accomodation at a premium and booked up years in advance should we book for next year and hope you will put on the rally?
I live on the Isle of Man. Every year roads are closed for the T.T, Manx Grand Prix and at least four rally’s. Yes, there are issues with the odd person and yes there have been issues with live stock. Indeed, one year a rider died after hitting a horse which had bolted due to the noise of the Air Ambulance landing near by. I, along with probably the majority of people posting, don’t actually know what went on with the farmer and the stray cow. What I am sure of is that issue’s like this are fixable. One my island, when a road is closed, the Police will arrest and fine any one found on the closed road. Once a road is closed it is a Policing issue rather than an organisers issue. The road closing order is upheld by the Police and the marshalls, in signing on have the same powers as a special constable. Im not suggesting ‘big brother’ style policing on rally’s, just pointing out when there is a very serious issue, they should have been the one’s helping out.
If its finance’s causing the issue, how about Calmac levey a £2.50 surcharge per person coming to Mull. Put that towards the running cost. With the new Health & Safety remits required to run rally’s these days every penny counts.
Whilst I wish Neil at the 2300 Club would get everyone together, bang a few heads and sort this out or risk loosing such a great event, maybe, if the 2300 Club have really had enough of organising, why not have another club do it. I look forward to the outcome of the meeting mentioned by Donald Brown. This rally needs to be run, by which ever club or all the dam hard work put in by organisers past and present will have been in vane.
Is it possible to put politics, bruised ego’s, empty wallets and sleepless nights aside and lets go rallying!!….that is why we are here after all!!
Apologies for the poor grammer and spelling but I havnt had my second cup of carless this morning.
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Sitting here at my computer in New Zealand it’s obvious I can do bugger all except express my disappointment at the non-running of this year’s rally. Even overseas Muilleachs like myself look forward to the rally thanks to the excellent web coverage of the last few years. We wonder what the real issues are, and read every comment looking for answers but they’re not apparent. The rally has run 40 times and that doesn’t happen without a massive amount of work by organisers, co-operation from locals and local authorities etc. What has changed? Has the good will built over 40+ years suddenly gone? Can one disgruntled Mull farmer put an end to the event as is implied? Is there more to it than that? Do a few heads need to be banged together?
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I hadnt heard of this rally before, but my brother and I used to do some marshalling back in the 60s in the Fife area, events which were enjoyed by one and all.
Surely there is an onus on the farmer to keep his stock off the road if/as/when they are causing a hazzard?
Perhaps the SNFU should be consulted on this, as well as having a “quiet word”!
Would it be helpful to place an article in The Scottish Farmer?
Having trawled for prawns out of Bunessan for a few years, I got to know quite a few folk in the local area, and we were always welcome at the local hotel and the ceilidhs, not to mention the Mull Music Weekend!!
Sad this should reflect so badly on the nice folk of Mull!
Mike.
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Having read all the above posts it is quite obvious that maybe the 40th was a grt opportunity for a “Get out clause” which is quite sad really.I know for a fact the Cow issue was resolved for this year so come on 2300 club & come clean to what the real problem is?
In true West coast style we should now move on ,pull together as one & make this happen for Mull as a whole.
Please support the meeting in Craignure Hall on Monday 15th March
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The TOM has been great for Mull as a community. The 2300 club have done a fantastic job in organising the event for 40 years. What I can’t understand is why they have decided not to run this year’s rally and have cited the cow incident as the reason. Why wasnt that stage closed at the moment they knew there were livestock on the stage? What’s the ulterior motive? A wee bit of backbiting by some locals? I would have thought the 2300 club were made of sterner stuff. If they are as good as they think they are then a small amount of opposition from a small number of people should not be a valid reason to give up something which they profess to love, and which gives so much enjoyment to so many. The decision at this late stage to cancel the event seems to be calculated to cause as much damage to local business and to rally followers’ enjoyment of the weekend as possible, a type of pettyness I wouldn’t have thought possible from an organisation that is supposed to pride itself on it’s professionalism. Nor does it reflect any respect for the vast number of people who make this a yearly pilgrimage, whether as competitors, spectators, or indeed contributors. Is it any wonder that support for them has waned?
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I share the general mood of disappointment that the rally will not be running this year. However, years of attending the rally have given me confidence in the 2300 club and their professionalism has always impressed me. I believe that it is this professionalism and experience that has prevented them from completely venting all the details about the threats to the rally – perhaps they are concerned that doing so would cause more damage than good. I trust that this is most likely the case and we should stop speculating and bitching about issues which remain better left to the organisers.
Negative comments are beginning to be made and this just highlights one of the points the club raised in their press release – they constantly have come up against resistance from people with their own agendas and who think they know how to do things better (and who do not).
The current talk about an alternative event from October seems to ignore the fact the the club have encountered difficulties in running the event (safety and financial) and feel they cannot do so this year. I’m confident they would love to do so again in 2011, and I suggest it would be important to allow the club the room to sort out the problems as necessary, give them the support they need, rather than ignore them and organise something else. I feel we run the risk of losing this wonderful event forever if we do not respect and engage the 2300 club now.
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Re Iain M’s comment:
Other factors that would support this proposition, based on respect for professionalism and experience, are that however able and energetic a locally-based attempt to run such an event would undoubtedly be, Mull does not own the brand and does not have the long embedded contacts at the heart of the sport, born from 40 years experience.
These are crucial assets that would be absent from any local portfolio assembled to have a go.
They are also assets to which sponsors attach great value.
Is there a value in a partnership where a Mull-based community team would deliver agreed specific foundation work to the enterprise which Club 2300 might be persuaded to continue to organise and front from 2011?
This would develop community ‘ownership’ of the event and perhaps take the heat of some of the more intractable local issues off Club 2300.
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Rather than Inviting the leaders of the 2300 Car Club to the next Community Council Meeting, I think the next Community Council Meeting should be held at the headquarters of the 2300 Car Club
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“David Gaunt Says:
I think the guy who caused this disruption will be extremely unpopular with his Mull neighbours. He probably laughed to himself when he allowed his cows to wander onto the rally stage.”
And so the rumour mill turns.
That is a completelty rediculous and irresposible statement. Be ashamed of yourself.
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Newsroom-there are plenty of locals with wide ranging contacts in the Rally world. Likewise there are other car clubs in Scotland who could take this on. Your comments only contribute to the inflammatory nature of your rather poorly constructed article.
To the person who seems to think that local farmers are coining it in at Rally time, I know a few of them and they have had no payments from the 2300 club for at least the last 4-5 years, but they still manage keep their livestock out of harm’s way.
There appears to be more wide ranging issues involved here than simply one man’s failure to keep his livestock out of the way, on one stage of the rally, ONCE in 40 years. So let’s not make him a scapegoat, eh?
The people of Mull have done a fantastic job in welcoming all these visitors over the years and many friendships have been made. There are faults on all sides, locals, visitors, and dare I say it, the 2300 club. None of us are perfect.
The whole argument should be put to bed, and a new start made, if such a thing is possible. So come on everybody involved, get around the table and start thinking about solutions to these problems, whatever they are, and let’s run the rally again.
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The statement at the start of all this strikes me as decicedly patronising assuming that eveyone must condemn this cancellation.Personally I regard myself as neutral and in common with the majority of non enthusiasts just grit my teeth and wait for it all to go away.Regarding the “bonanza” of cash which is now allegedly lost this is nonsense since as person engaged in the tourist business I lost money at the rally time every year for some years now as ordinary tourists were driven away.The season is now extending and turnover at this time of year will now probably increase.I was not aware that the youth if Mull were soaked in buckfast which statement I find particularlt patronising and even insulting.
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I am absolutely gutted by this decision and the inhabitants of Mull will be the losers!
How many folk come up to compete, spectate, stay in cottages, hotels, b& bs, shop on the island, eat out there…the list could go on! Folk come up for 2 week breaks, they come up earlier in the year to get their pace notes sorted, we have even had families staying in our holiday house the following year ,due to having come up for the rally the previous year, then fallen in love with the island.
The 2300 Club have organised a fantastic event for all those years, completely voluntarily. Why folk just can’t cut them some slack and give them the credit they are due, is beyond me.
As someone has already said to me…if they don’t like the rally, the ferries go both ways!
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I heard from inside sources a year ago that 2009 was to be the last Rally. Ever.
Why is the 2300 Club committee citing incidents that happened last year, and making Mull farmers and residents scapegoats for a decision that was make long ago?
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I have only lived here 6 years and I love mull, Ifeel sad to think a few of our local rally lads can not hold a meeting a get to the truth of this as there is so many different views on why there is no rally, can you imagine how this will be for all of us that live here and the lack of money, also these lovely people of the rally who come all this way to spend all there hard earned monies .a public meeting should also be set up so we can find out how many hands go up for not wanting the rally.I just hope the rally people come back.
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Ch Mac… that is a ridiculous thing to say, you clearly know nothing about the organisers or the history of the rally.
Please don’t just speculate and add to the problem. We need a bit of calm and good sense if we are to save the rally.
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Georgie, why is there not a bed to be had on Mull for Rally Week ?
If your guest’s were driven away by the rally, you must surely have filled your B+B with “rally folk” instead. Maybe you have even had “secret” rally folk staying throughout the season at some point – heaven forbid !
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http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_81.htm
Perhaps those involved should have a quick read of this.
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I fail to understand Eddie O’Donnell’s comment asking if I’m happy now over all this. I stand to gain or lose nothing if the rally is run or not but I do believe that James MacGillivary has hit the nail on the head when he asks what is the REAL reason behind the 2300′s decision to pull out. The situation looks like Hiroshima about 1 minute after the bomb fell – the truth is hidden somewhere in that giant mushroom cloud and everyone is making wild assumptions – some of them quite libelous. Maybe we’ll never know the real reason but what is most upsetting and difficult to stomach is the use of scapegoats and name-calling to justify this decision. It is now a time for calm and reasoned thinking to prevail and if the big boys have run off with the ball, never to return, then the people of Mull must show that we are above this and think “outside the box” and devise an alternative event to attract the crowds and to fill the tills of those businesses who stand to lose from the loss of the rally.
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For sure, the rally has run for forty years but the current organising team aren’t the ones that had the initial idea and ran it for so many years, related by blood in some cases maybe but certainly not the same personalities. We must never forget the work that the original team from the 2300 Club put in to make this event what it is but this is a defining moment for the Tour of Mull. As Andy Knight said, the rally is bigger than the 2300 Club and if the community of Mull care enough to grab this opportunity and are prepared to put in the hard work required to put on the event, I’m sure we’ll all look back on this as time when things changed for the better.
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Think you’ve hit the nail right on the head there, Old Friend. Well said!
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I think Neil (Molyneux) it’s time to tell us marshals THE TRUTH, THE REAL REASON, because your statement REALLY SAYS NOTHING. We’ve supported you and 2300 club for many years, now you support us. We too are volunteers and put ourselves out to attend, and like us (the expenses you grant us) you will get expenses too.
Think how ‘that great supporter in the sky who looks down on you each October’ would have tacked the problem. He wouldn’t have taken his bat and ball home, would he? Shame on you – so rise to the occasion!
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steve it is Eddie O’Donnell jnr. I thought you being anti Rally this would suit you but judging by your last comment you seem to have come on to the right side .
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“The vast majority of people on Mull want this event – need this event – and, individually, many have made that support clear. But communally they have been complacent, failing to deliver the collective formal support that was obviously required to persuade the volunteer organisers to run the event on the island again.”
Obviously the results of a carefully executed survey, designed to take in a representative sample of the island’s 3500+ population and carried out by a disinterested third party.
Or more like an enthusiastic supporter calling for a witch hunt against the minority ‘anti-rally’ brigade.
I seem to remember many, many moons ago that the rally was genuinely an exciting event. An amateur, anyone-can-have-a-go community get-together that gave bored Muilleachs something to talk about for the grim winter months ahead. It succeeded on goodwill alone, with no road closure orders.
Then I remember the indignity of being ‘taped in’ for the first time. Trapped behind a flimsy red-and-white line that legally cut me off from the only road running past the house.
“or think before you decide to take a run in the car on a particular road” – for many people you mean the only road – Mull doesn’t have much choice in terms of detours, unless you are behind the wheel of a well-equipped 4×4 with winches and flotation tyres.
Antipathy towards the rally came about (tell me if I’m wrong) from the lordish attitudes of the latter-day organisers.
A rally on Mull is a great idea. It’s a fantastic idea. It’s great for anyone who can put up a B&B sign outside their door and it can be fun to watch. But sadly, the insular Mull microcommunity runs a funny kind of democracy, where if you’re not in the majority you’re a damned nuisance; a wrecker and a threat to the Establishment.
Mull’s twisting single-lane roads certainly make for some difficult driving at speed, but in a modern, professionally-equipped rally car hired specially for the event it becomes an entirely different game from what it was in years gone by.
How about a race around Tobermory? A hill climb up the Back Brae? A sprint along the Main Street? Anyone who lets their children/cats/dogs/anything they are responsible for out onto the road can be sued for homicidal negligence.
Or how about a forestry race? Much more fun as a spectator sport. It’s far more interesting to watch a MKII Escort drifting round gravel turns than a Mitsubishi EVO 6 (or whatever the latest is) twitching and twittering at light speed along tarmac.
I was fortunate enough to leave the warm and cuddly embrace of Mull’s community over ten years ago. But late of an evening when I look for Mull event dates, it warms the sherbet in the bottom of my overseas heart to find a site filled with the same bickering and divisiveness that I remember from many moons ago.
Sorry Mull, you’re prehistoric. Times change, things move. Surely the ToM is not the only way to attract paying visitors to your windswept shores? Interestingly, I wonder how the benefit/inconvenience ratio looks – most likely super-urban Tobermory gets most of the income with the least inconvenience? I’m probably wrong for saying that.
Back to the prehistoric notion – the dinosaurs died out (allegedly, though I think a few are still alive on Mull and have even evolved to use the Internet) because they were unable to adapt to a changing environment.
Mull has (or had, I’m not up to speed) the rally, the Music Festival (the one weekend where the thought of a night out in one of Tobermory’s normally dismal pubs actually seems like a reasonable idea), Balamory (how I laughed at the thought of Mull’s worthies being immortalised as BBC charicatures), egg stealing and… what else?
People of my homeland, here’s a crazy idea… why not think of something to REPLACE the darned rally with, instead of bellyaching and mourning for the lost testosterone and B&B income?
The rally is (was) a once-a-year event. Now it’s gone, so Muilleachs and their economy will roll over and die. Hmm… where I live now, I tell everyone how we are a resourceful, resilient, never-say-die people that tries at least twice before giving up and going for a drink.
The loss of the Mull rally is not just a tragedy, it’s a catastrophe way above the level of the Wall Street Crash – by October this year it will doubtlessly overshadow the much-maligned global recession.
But what about putting heads together and coming up with something that is less dangerous, less controversial less potentially destructive for life and property and not likely to become a monopoly?
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“narked says…..”
……far too much in far too longwinded a way – “Dinosaurs died out..” I think most people will have lost the will to live halfway through your diatribe.
Be concise..but since you are ‘lucky’ enough not to live here anymore, better still, go away and allow people here to deal with the issue. Methinks there is some bitterness in your tone. Maybe it’s time YOU moved on (mentally) and stopped trawling the internet for articles about Mull you can comment on with your absent and superior (some may say ‘lordish’) attitude
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Verbose piffle.
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pa75 Says:
March 8th, 2010 at 12:02 am
“Verbose piffle.”
Concise twaddle.
“Maybe it’s time YOU moved on (mentally) and stopped trawling the internet for articles about Mull you can comment on with your absent and superior (some may say ‘lordish’) attitude”
Or trawling the Internet for articles that can show Mull as an interesting place with things to do and visit and nice people to meet. And finding that it isn’t.
‘Methinks’ there is some bitterness in everyone’s tone here…
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First of all I have never been lucky enough to get time off for THE rally; BUT that was what lured me to visit the magical Isle of Mull in the beginning.Without the lure of driving those roads(awfully slowly) I would never have come originally. Now I love the place.The peace and quiet of early summer, the friendly people, the sheer Mullness of the island.Why ,oh why are you throwing away one your best attractions?I suspect that the main source of income is now tourism,so why throw it away
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narked
the island is better of with out your type it is a pitty others with the same attitude
would not follow you .
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The people of Mull ARE NOT throwing away anything. It is the 2300 club who are refusing to disclose their reasons for discontinuing the TOM. Let’s stop trying to blame the poor folk of the island, the vast majority of whom enjoy the rally and know how important it is to their economy, and get onto the reasons why 2300 want to stop. Is it that they just can’t deal with it anymore? Is the organisation of such an event just too much to cope with? I can’t believe that a few gripes from a couple of disgruntled people are enough to upset them this much! Oh, and let’s not mention the cow incident, suffice to say that Marshalls who should have been in the area knew there were animals on the stage the first night. Why wasn’t the rally stage stopped at that point? There was a definite onus on them to do something, and it simply wasn’t done.
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Once the cattle cen be kept off the road, how will the deer be dealt with? The cow incident seems to be a ‘blind’. Like many others, it would be very helpful and ‘a need to know’ as to what the real reasons are behind this decision.
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“Re: narked says…….”
It’s obvious from your pathetic & quite disturbing comments it’s you who’s the sad,bored (so called) Muilleach & thats why you left 10 years ago!
…………………………………………………………….
I was totally shocked when I heard of Neil Molyneux’s statement on the 2300 club website just last week & couldn’t believe what I was reading when I seen it myself.
I heard nothing of any rally troubles apart from the potentially fatal cows on the stage carry on during the weekend. How could the people of Mull help in any way if they didn’t know there was other problems or did I miss something?
While Neil cried pressing that send button for his statement I wonder if he spared a thought for the many others that would shed a tear while reading all this?
Thousands of rally fans home & away love the Tour of Mull with a passion! Lets stop this silly F1 style politics,get these guys n girls back in there machines & let them show us there truly awesome talent!
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Why is there a need to hide behind a user name on some of these comments being left ?
p.s Narked – that flimsy red and white tape is a better way to try and get across that the road IS CLOSED BY LAW than putting a padlock on your driveway gate, thus enabling you access back onto the road when “Open” again as soon as possible for the least discomfort to yourself (in the past) and all other residents, Self caterers, Hotel guests and B+B’ers.
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Help Usa Save The Rally
by attending a public meeting on Monday March 15th in Craignure Village Hall at 7.30pm
Whether you are a rally participant, have helped to organise the event in any way, an accommodation provider or a local business who benefits, we need you all. The only way we can put on any sort of event is if we all pull together.
Please come along and give your support.
For more information call – 07912 949073
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narked: “Mull has (or had, I’m not up to speed) the rally, the Music Festival (the one weekend where the thought of a night out in one of Tobermory’s normally dismal pubs actually seems like a reasonable idea), Balamory (how I laughed at the thought of Mull’s worthies being immortalised as BBC charicatures), egg stealing and… what else?”
“Or trawling the Internet for articles that can show Mull as an interesting place with things to do and visit and nice people to meet. And finding that it isn’t.
‘Methinks’ there is some bitterness in everyone’s tone here…”
You obvoiusly have little love for any aspect of Mull, and even less respect for it’s working population.
Ofcourse there are petty discussions and rivalries, bickering and arguing, tell me a community anywhere that this isnt the case. Perhaps you are one of those who moved here expecting some kind of island nirvana and found that actually people have to work here to live!
The population of Mull is very diverse, there are people from many different backgrounds each with their own ideas, politics and goals.
On the whole though, people have Mull’s best intrests at heart and for many people who need the rally in their calendar this is a difficult time.
Not only have local businesses lost a percentage of their annual trade, travelling spectators and competitors have lost deposits etc.
Apart from responding to that ignorant posting, I hope for the island that something can be sorted out for 2011.
James is correct in what he said further up that the problem is bigger than the unfortunate ‘cow-gate’ (pun intended) incident. A clean slate is required from all concerned parties. It is also a fair suggestion that some representation from Mull is made to the next 2300 meeting, I think that would be a positive gesture.
Can independant bodies like the MSA mediate?
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surely this is the time for showing support to the 2300 club, who after all have brought the best rally in the world to the shores of mull for the past 40 years and provided magic personal memories over the years from waiting in anticipation of our mini sport rally bags at primary school to collecting autographs at the glenaros junction, watching Ron Beecroft sliding his Mk2 through lettermore forest and to the epic battles of recent times between Calum and Neil. every year the island sparks into life at the start of the long winter and the excitement of all, young and old, involved, or not can be clearly felt. This event has become part of the lives of so many people and has forged so many life long freindships that we cannot through short sightedness lose the event in to the history books. Thank you to the 2300 club for all your hard work and, hopefully, heres to the future.
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Derek says:
Help Usa Save The Rally
surely they would just blow the place up when they dicovered theres no oil,security at glenforsa would need to be tightened up a bit too incase Bin Laden fancied his chances at taking out the aros hall
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Statement re Mr Ron Cowan:
Yesterday afternoon we were telephoned by this gentleman who was in some distress.
We understand from him that he is Safety Officer for the Tour of Mull Rally and that rumours are currently rife on the island that he was the source – or a source – for our breaking story that Mull had lost the 2010 Tour of Mull Rally.
We would like to be unequivocally clear that, until this telehone call we had never heard of Ron Cowan, nor he of us until the story broke; that we have had no previous contact of any kind with him or from him; and that it is impossible that he could even have been a secondary source of our story via a third party.
We regret that we have now met an obviously interesting man through these unhappy circumstances.
It’s disappointing if some prevailing energies on this important island are focused on primitive witch-hunting rather than on honest reflection and on coming together to resolve the situation.
BTW – as you’ll have noticed from a note on our front page at forargyll.com, the size of our audience has made it necessary for us to move to a new server host – a process we started yesterday afternoon. Inevitably – the site has 500MBs of material – this was not a trouble free operation. As the transfer was taking place, the statement above was published as a Comment last night with another following and unrelated comment – which, to the best of our memory, may have been posted by an ‘S Ingram’. Both were lost in the transfer. For speed, given Mr Cowan’s concerns, we have rewritten and republished this one of our own now. We should be able to recover the other affected comment later from the old database. If anyone notices that a comment of theirs from last night has gone missing, please accept our sincere apologies and please either do as we’ve done here ourselves and contribute it again – or wait for us to relocate it. There are some transfer consequences we’re still working on so please bear with us if anything on the site is temporarily unresponsive. When it’s all straightened out we’ll be future-proofed for some considerable time – and you should already find site access much faster.
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I am writing as a former competitor and someone who visits Mull for the rally every year. Of course it is very sad that the 2010 event has been cancelled, but reading the comments on this forum is even more sad, when I see so many people trying to assign blame, or avoid blame, for the current situation. If the vast majority of the islanders, organisers, competitors, spectators and all those with a general love of Mull want this event to continue, we should all be focussing on how to make it happen in 2011, and the only way to do this is to stop all the blaming and back-biting, get everyone together and discuss the way FORWARD, not backward, without fear of recriminations and with egos left outside the room. I would suggest the Tobermory Distillery as the venue as perhaps some of their excellent produce might help things along.
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My comment went missing yesterday so I will say again.
I went around Tobermory and spoke to various people. Most were not so concerned with the money issue, it was the possible loss of friend made over many years that concerned them.
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For pa75:
Our huge apologies for your comment getting lost in our server transfer and thank you for reposting it.
We remember your comment which, we think, was originally more detailed. It powerfully underlines the fundamental human values that prevail on Mull.
If our memory is right, you talked about people you knew who welcomed, as guests to their homes, rally visitors they had got to know over the years. You spoke of the distress at the thought of the loss or dilution of these friendships, annually renewed and born from this galvanic event.
We found the point you made inspirational – that, while economic development is crucial to ensure the survival of remote communities, it is the human values that go way beyond that and express the essential goodness of humanity.
The Molyneaux family, the 2300 Club, the competitors, the teams, the marshalls and the fans are honorary Mulleachs and, like any family row, this can and must be healed,
The primary hit of the current situation is on these fundamentally important connections The knock to the local economy is what military buffs call ‘collateral damage’ – which is far from diminishing its importance.
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Newsroom – presumably the source of the breaking news was the 2300 Club Website on 5/6 March together with the emails the club issued to its registered website users and that it is of no relevance where it came from since it is true? Or am I missing something.
Well said Bill Honeywell and others of a similar sentiment.
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For hmr62:
No. The source of our story was not the 2300 Club website although we did, of course, receive and publish as part of our coverage, the Press Release that was published first on that website.
And just in case giving this reply fuels even more destructive time wasting and witch hunting, we will be making no further comment on this matter.
We absolutely echo your support for Mr Honeywell’s comment and have said earlier in these exchanges that nothing is so fruitless as the blame game.
Yesterday is toast. We all make mistakes and most of us regret them. That can be taken for granted and left there. The mature action is to accept that and start looking forwards together.
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nop, my comment was short and sweet but I am pleased to find it inspires such generous thoughts in you, which, compared to your article on self mutilation which started……let us move on.
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No Tour of Mull 2010 – Gutted
No Belachroy Inn between stages – Gutted
No getting the craic with ‘Complimentary John McCrone & co. – Gutted
No 24hr Cafe – Gutted
No more whispers & rumours – Wishful Thinking!
Having loved coming to Mull every year for the last few, I can only feel deep sadness at the news it will not take part.
*Narked* – narked by name, nark by nature…You really grind my gears. Your comments I feel were a bit insensitive and dare I say ill-informed.
I may not be a ‘Muileach’ (appologies for spelling if wrong) but for one weekend in the year I feel as damn as near to it and that’s thanks to the locals who in true Highland hospitable style welcome you in.
It’s another reason for making the Tour of Mull such a fantastic event and a great advert for Scottish Motorsport.
As a suggestion, as there is no rally it would appear that maybe some of the local drivers may contemplate maybe doing a ‘Rally School’ day with a chance for folk to get taken round a track or a ‘Rally themed’ weekend where maybe we can still stand in awe at the immense skill, bravery and awesomness of these drivers.
Maybe I’ll just have to dust down my Guitar and come to the Music Festival weekend instead.
All I know is I’m really gonna miss the Tour of Mull – I just hope Mull and it’s people can maybe get their heads together and find some way of getting this event back on the ‘single track road’
Good luck Muileachs.
As for the small minority living on the Island who ‘object’ to the cash injection at the end of the Summer season – well done, you clearly made your money elsewhere and decided to settle on the island (perhaps) and don’t care about the people trying to make a living.
Long live the Tour.
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It seems the initial shock of the whole situation has now turned to commen sense. I think Bill Honeywell’s comments hit the nail on the head. Time to look forward, not back.
My worry about not running the rally this year is two fold. Firstly, when the ball stops rolling it takes a bigger effort to get it going again. There’s possibly a chance people who normally help out and turn up in whatever capacity will find something else to do. I want the 2300 club to run the rally as much as anybody, they’ve done it well for the last 40 years, though ultimately, and I write this begrudginly, I personally think the rally needs to run this year who ever organises it. The 2300 club websites future rally dates cast doubt about any future involvment. It would be great to say miss this year, if next year was certain to be on.
Secondly, and as mentioned above in my earlier post, alot of people stand to loose a lot of money in terms of deposits paid for accomodation for this year. Selfish, i know, but I’m not wealthy and every penny is worked hard for to get to Mull to play in the rally car.
I heard an ananolgy this morning, too many Chiefs and not enough indians. I dont mind being an indian if it helps gets the rally put on.
I hope it gets sorted. I love Mull and its people, just not the whisky, prefer a good pint of Boddingtons lad!
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We have today published a list of Questions and Answers on the website, which hopefully addresses some of the comments made above. This can be found at:
Please link to: http://www.2300club.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=541
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Newsroom I think my comment was lost, so will to remember it.
In reply to “narked”
What a shame you feel the need to put Mull people down.
Your comment regarding a forestry race, have you not heard of Mull Forest Stages? you must have missed those dates when looking at events held on Mull.
Also I have never heard of safety being regarded as an indignity before.
PA75 thanks for bringing up your comment.
This rally (at least for me) means far more than revenue.
There are long friendships, marriages and children that wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the ToM & 2300 club, bringing together people from north and south of the border that would have had no other reason to cross paths, thats partly what makes it so special.
Many people have extended an arm of hospitality to have rally enthusiasts stay as guests because of friendship, a want to be involved and show support not for £’s.
Mull will feel the impact but it won’t all be about the money.
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For S Ingram:
At least we remembered your name accurately even if our transfer operation lost your comment. We’re sorry about this and are grateful to you for re-publishing it. Apologies for the nuisance.
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Rallying was a big part,indeed motivator for many years of my life with the Tour the focal point of the year for me. I no longer compete due to my own personal “credit crunch” and other reasons,however i would just like to have my say on the loss of an outstanding event that gave me a reason to go to work for so long.Over the years i made a lot of friends in the sport and meeting up with most of them for a week or so in october to indulge in motorsports most demanding event then an even more demanding bender was bloody good. Rallying is a SPORT,there seems to be a lot of talk about the commercial spin offs,in fact a lot more so than the real reason the rally is held,and that is Rallying on a iconic event which is the Tour of Mull. Why is the rally oversubscribed every year? from a competitors point of view its the one to do,the benchmark. I have to agree with Peter and James posts on this,i would like to hear more about the threats made to the organisers and behind the scene`s activity`s, this is a situation that requires washing some dirty linen in a very public manor or the rumours and bullshit will only continue to mound up.
ps, `Narked`,dont know or care where you moved to pal,please ensure you stay there.
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2300 Club Webmaster. Mark G. if it’s still you who is the webmaster – I’ve read the Q and A’s and there is a lot of good stuff which none of us has had any idea about in forumlating your decision.
There’s refererence of accusations but the Q and A’s are not coming out and saying enough about them, ie who said what, and to who. I know the club is in an unfortunate position but the Q and A’s continually state ’2300 club members’, or as we say in business ‘the corporate message’.
We marshals (and competitors) need you to be a bit more specific please. As I said in my previous post you need to be more upfront with us.
Perhaps if we can have more info then everyone can understand your position much better than we are doing. We all want to support you, AND MOST OF ALL WE ALL WANT TO BE BACK ON MULL IN 2011, IF NOT THIS YEAR.
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2300 Club Webmaster.
It would have been helpful if some of the issues revealed in the Q&A’s had been publicly flagged prior to the cancellation so people understood the issues. Perhaps you thought you were flagging things and we were not listening? Some, like me, are a little deaf at times but I feel as if I have been outside a bubble with no idea what is going on inside. Thanks for posting these, its helpful.
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Thanks to the 2300 club for their release of tonight’s information. It clears a few points for me at least. I think it’s especially good of them to offer their support to any club who wish to stage an event this year, and proves their goodwill for future events. Given that they have made such a loss on the 2009 event-entry fees will have to be increased, in line with other events. It’s only fair-why should they, together with sponsors,have to absorb such losses?
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why is so much blame being placed on poor Iain macFadyens shoulders?
he kept his stock off the road for 39 years then one incident happens and he gets branded as the man who ended the Mull.
get real!
the incident did not even harm anybody except Chris who sustained a broken ankle, there have been far worse incidents than that over the years.
what about all the deer roaming around the islands roads with no regard for competitors, look at youtube for the stag in the oggs in car video 2008.etc.
no farmer can GAURENTEE to keep stock in, they can only do their best.
and no organiser can gaurentee that ALL the hazards have been anticipated.
2300 club have done a fantastic job, its now up to somebody else to match it
everybody with the slightest interest in rallying should be at that meeting and all future meetings and don’t spend all day talking either, just DO it!
Mull needs that event, it’s what put on the map.
tourism is a fickle industry, look at us down here in Kintyre, we used to have huge number of summer tourists then it all stopped for some reason.
last month a derilect, 5 story hotel was sold for £54,000, thats what can happen if you don’t look after an event like the Mull
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Hi Sandy-Dunc says have you checked the Q&A section on the 2300 club website yet-very interesting, gives their view on a few things.
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Brian and Taff must be revving in their graves like Duffy’s BDG
The Tour of Mull has weathered a few storms in the past 40 years, mostly resolved by a bit of quiet diplomacy and a splash of amber liquid lubrication, but I fear this one will not go away quite as easily.
I’ve been following the contributions on this and other sites, including the 2300 Club’s, for a couple of days now and it seems to me that when the dummy was chucked out of the pram, 40 years of goodwill and support from the Island, marshals and competitors went with it.
And the organisers are reviewing their options for 2011…who are they kidding, apart from themselves?
Do you remember the year the rally didn’t run because the Act wasn’t passed in time, but we all came anyway because that’s why there’s a second weekend in October? What is the likelihood of that happening again?
The Club’s Q&A webpage seems to leave many questions still unanswered, and why the major gripe about the response to the competitor’s questionnaire? The majority of competitors, I am sure, respond to the questionnaire in an attempt to impart genuine constructive comment after the event, not to conduct some kind of personal attack on the egos of those involved.. if you don’t like the answers, why ask the questions?
The 2300 Club has, for 40 years, run a superb rally in an idyllic, challenging location with a degree of support and loyalty from the local population, marshals and competitors alike which earned it a reputation second to none and the envy of motor clubs throughout the country. It has been responsible for the creation of so many lasting friendships and relationships and for so many of us a profound love for the Isle of Mull…not so much a Rally, more a way of life!
What a shame it has come to this…and I was really looking forward to dusting off my helmet for the 50th!
RIP the Tour of Mull…once upon a time “The Best Rally in the World”
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why in the first comment on this page. Does someone have a go at the farmers on the island they are paid to keep there animals/livestock away from the roads. YES we understand that But….. what happend with the livestock on the road was a simple enough mistake to make. The only way they could have been there is that if they had walked either beside the road or on the road as you can clearly see in the in car footage there are fences on either side of the road meening the cow/s could not get off beeing near the road and also if they are on the road surely one of the spectators or marshals should have seen this ??????
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My first T of Mull was in 1988 the year of the change over, We only came to Marshal, but ended up setting out and running the Rossal Farm stage, even after spending the weekend in gales and torrential rain, I fell in love with the Island.
For the first ten years of the new format I assisted my late father Ray, stage commanding the Lock Tuath stages. Not only did he come over for the Rally but he and my mother also spent many summer holidays on the Island. Ray died in 2005 closely followed by the death of my mother. In conversation before he died, he always used to say that he wanted his ashes scattered from the bridge of Eas Fors, a place he loved. In May 2006 the family came to the island to do just that. Both of my parents’ ashes were scattered together on the Island they loved and the stage he commanded.
I have continued to come to the Island, now with my two adult sons. Unfortunately last year was only the second year in that time that I was unable to attend. I know, like others, I have only heard pieces of what went on based on the 2300 web page and speaking to friends on the Island.
Regardless of whether there is an event or not, I am still intending to come to Mull for the week.
Perhaps everyone needs a bit of time to reflect, take stock, and to talk to one another. If then both, the 2300 club and the Islanders still genuinely want the Tour of Mull, re-launch in 2011 with every one having a fresh start and dare I say it, pulling together.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I live down in Cambrideshire, I would be at the Craignure meeting on the 15th March.
The Tour of Mull was much more than “The Best Rally In the World” to 3500 people it has became almost an annual pilgrimage, and a time to renew friendships with others they only meet up with there.
My thoughts will be with you all on the 15th
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Shame on you Mull folk.!!!!!!!! Clearly this event is a god send with regards local business and economic growth.. As a volunteer two yrs ago at the Lombard rally, I’ve seen first hand how an event such as these can bring money to the area..
I, like so many others, am bitterly dissappointed at this news.. As I Said, Shame On you Mull Folk !!!!!!!!!! ( You know who you are )
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Two further things, firstly sorry for the spelling error should have been Loch ( not lock) Tuath.
secondly, more importantly,
Don’t let The Tour of Mull Rally die.
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Steve,
For me, I would need to be a psychic to feel ashamed.
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“# tempres Says:
March 10th, 2010 at 12:59 am
Hi Sandy-Dunc says have you checked the Q&A section on the 2300 club website yet-very interesting, gives their view on a few things.”
yes tempres I read all that first before reading all the posts on this site, thats what prompted me to post here, there is a lot of silly posts on here doing the blame thing, forget it!
we need everybody to look forward to getting 2010 set up and running and maybe 2011 and more.
Suas Muile!
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As an outsider, I can’t comment on the politicking because I don’t know the facts.
I will however comment on the warm welcome I’ve received from islanders on every occasion I’ve visited – off and on, since 1992.
As a holidaymaker/spectator I’m gutted that the ToM will not take place this year.
Last year was among the best ever with the Tobermory stage resurrected.
The best rally in the world cannot be a thing of the past. It’s the only holiday I get!!
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“THIS POST IS NOT DIRECTED AT THE MAJORITY OF GENUINE/ FRIENDLY MULL RESIDENTS”
I have read a lot of the posts at the beginning of this thread (too many to read them all, but get the jist all the same). I have attended this fantastic event for many years.
A sad day for all concerned. Its should be a win, win IMO.
1. A supreme motorsport event for all who participate and spectate.
2. Unique Scottish motorsport event.
3. Keeps Scottish tourism alive outwith the “Summer Season”.
4. Mull economy SURELY MUST benefit!!!
5. ALL THE ABOVE AND THEN SOME……!!
I understand this event may not be everyones “cup of tea”, but what MAJOR harm does it bring to the island??? For 2 days ffs…..Get a grip people!!
The following statement maybe sound childish to those opposed to this event, but HEY HO..
When i was a kid, my family holidayed [sp.] on the “west” coast highlands and islands.
You were happy to take our money then, when it suited, but not now!!! WHY??
Small minded MINORITY scared of change i reckon.
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Sending good vibes all the way from Jamaica for the continuation of the Rally. I will be sad If I make it back home someday and there is no Rally! and besides, I’ve still never had a chance to compete!
James said it, “pull together as one and make it happen”
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To the last few contributors, blaming the folk of Mull for the cancellation, especially Steve from Lochgilphead-read the Q&A section on 2300 Club website before spouting your ill informed drivel. You’re contributing to the blame game yourselves, even if you don’t realise it. Whatever your opinion,it is the people of Mull who are trying to re-instate the rally for this year, so get a grip and offer them any services you can, if you purport to be so fond of the ToM.
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I’ve been competing on the event for 15 years now, having first come to the island as a visitor in 1989, when I fell in love with this magical place and its charming people.
I am going to say something now that some people will probably not like, but it’s being said within the rallying community, so I think it’s only fair that you know.
We are now aware that money is an issue for whoever runs the event, and I actually completely agree with the idea that the entry fee should be more in line with the likes of the Jim Clark Memorial Rally or the Manx National, such is the quality of the stages.
However, I think that one of the reasons the organisers have been retiscent to increase the entry fee has been that they are aware of the additional costs to the crews in terms of ferry prices and accommodation prices. Having competed on both the Manx and Jim Clark rallies, I can tell you that the prices of ferry and accommodation at the times of the rally don’t actually go through the roof like they do on Mull – in fact on the Manx there are special deals to be had for crews with car and trailer crossings and hotel packages.
I’m guessing this is because the area recognises the revenue that the rally is bringing.
On Mull the price of accommodation goes through the roof at rally week. It is more than mid-Summer prices, and even more than Christmas and New Year. I’ve just had a look at one of the properties on one of the self catering accommodation websites, and it goes from £300 for a week to £600 for rally week, and £500 for Christmas or New Year weeks.
While I appreciate that people have a living to make, I personally feel that I’m being ripped off by it. I come up with my crew, we eat out, we buy supplies, we buy fuel etc for the week before the event – we then provide entertainment for the hundreds of people who are also paying these prices, who wouldn’t be there otherwise.
Please don’t misunderstand me – I love going this rally, it’s great, I see lots of friends, I have a ball. But at the same time I feel like I’m being taken the piss out of. It’s my choice to do the rally, but surely there’s a middle ground?
I have also heard that the organisers have got fed up with the fact that they work for nothing, take holidays from their paid work, bring all this revenue to the island, get grief from every Tom, Dick or Harry – and pay the islanders through the nose for the privilege.
I think this is something that people need to have a think about……
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Many locals will have no idea about prices for rental as its not something we need to watch. Perhaps prices for accommodation don’t go up for the Manx TT, I have no idea. Re the ferry costs, we understand that cost for us every trip we make. I am sure residents would like cheaper boat tickets rather than only have Rally folk get special treatment.
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I thought the locals were able to buy books of tickets which made them cheaper, but perhaps that’s a while back.
I do take your point that probably some if not most of the rental properties are not owned by islanders…..
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Hi 15years, yep we get books of tickets but the ferry puts our living costs up on almost everything plus the odd B&B in Oban at times because of weather etc. Food shopping in Oban compared to the Co-op in Tobermory for example, why such a difference in price for us all year? We accept that price because we have no choice.Those books of ferry tickets dont protect us from the extra cost but its better to have the Co-op than not.
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Not wanting to get into a debate on costs because at the end of the day you have the choice on weither you go or not, though to give you an idea on relative costs I thought i’d post this.
For myself, my van and trailor to get to Mull when I priced it up a couple of weeks ago worked out at £176.
For the ferry to get me and the same kit off the Isle of Man worked out at £370.
Quite a difference.
I think the Mull ferry is superb. Really helpfull, always willing to get you on if there’s room.
As for accommodation during the TT. Simple, all the hotels have been knocked down and turned into appartments, save for a handfull of the bigger hotels (Hilton etc.) These hotels hike up the rate for TT. Most people who come over either pay to stay in peoples houses (Homestay Scheme) which works really well, or alot bring one big van with mattresses in the back and sleep next to their bikes….mad!!!
I guess its all supply and demand. Thats life really.
Looking forward to the outcome of the meeting. Sorry carn’t be there but its a long old way to travel.
Thanks 2300club for issuing the statement. Answered alot of my questions anyway.
Fingers still crossed it runs this year.
Just a quick question to all who read this, will there be an offical website giving out any information on the outcome of the meeting? It would be really handy to have a source of information. Thanks.
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If you read my message I was referring to the costs going to the Manx National rally, not the TT. I agree that it’s supply and demand, but what I’m getting at is that the reason the entry fee hasn’t gone up in line with other comparable events is that the organisers are aware of the extra costs people have to pay on the island. I pay £300 for a place that sleeps 6 for the Jim Clark. A similar place for Mull you’d be looking at £800+
The risk if it’s not taken account of, I think, is that some people are going to start deciding it’s too expensive, and then all the advantages to the island of the extra revenue stream will be lost, which would be a shame. If everyone knocked things back to, say, high summer prices instead of making it THE most expensive time of year, it may pay dividends in the long run.
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Hi PA75 – take your point completely.
Hope you take mine, too, though….
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Hi 15yers. Truth is I would probably hope to get a better rate than you on the ferry – selfish perhaps, but we are not responsible for these price. I understand that all residents of Mull are all being blamed, perhaps for being ignorant of issues unknown to most of us.
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Hi 15years. Sorry, wasnt having a go at anybody and if you read my post with regards to the TT it was trying to answer PA75′s post which mentioned it…again, not having a go.
I do take your point as too the entry fee’s versus other costs. I guess its all part of the things that will be looked at and it shows the 2300club were trying to look after the competitors at the end of the day.
Hopefully see you up there in October to buy you a pint!
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Copy of e-mail sent to 2300 club.
Hi All
As someone who only knew about the rally as the result of my old man taking part I have come into this as an outsider. However I would just like to tell you how well you run the rally and what a pleasure it is to come to watch and see the professional way that you run it. I know from reading forums and websites you can become down on the reaction you get to running the rally but try and remember that a lot of people that post to these sites are not the vast majority. The majority of people will look at the comments shake their heads but not post a comment to defend. Although since your decision to not run the 2010 rally lots of people have started to come out in support.
From speaking to my dad who has run some very low key rally’s the organisation that is required to run this type of event is massive and would be very difficult to reproduce in a format that would equal the 2300 club version. Which I don’t think people realise yet although they may do in time!!
Look I don’t quite know what to say as I know this has probably cut deep into a lot of your committee members hearts and was a last resort. All I can tell you is that if you didn’t produce a good rally my dad wouldn’t have dragged all us family to Mull for a holiday (which we loved!!) and then I wouldn’t have come with my brother to watch the rally and loved it ever since.
I really do hope you can solve the problems that have caused this decision and hope you will be back on Mull in the future running the ‘Best Rally in the World’. Sorry couldn’t resist!!
Regards
Dave
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I first went up to the island in 1991 and fell in love with it straight away,so much so i’ve had summer hols aswell as rally weeks.I hope for the sake of islanders,competitors,organisers,spectators and old friends,that it can all be resolved,and save the event that is MULL.
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I am currently living in portugal and have read with interest all of the above comments. Rallying is a big interest over here and we look forward to it every year. It brings in much monies every year and we would miss it very much.I have read the comments made and feel that the only way this can be sorted out if for everyone invloved to sit down and talk it through. It would be a shame for your community to loose such a valuable asset. may be one day I will be able to come and watch this “best rally in the world” Good luck with it all
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I agree with secondhandmexicanbandit – the island itself will suffer the biggest hit.
I suggest that all those who would normally attend the rally still visit Mull at the same time to show their support. Let’s keep the atmosphere going and the spirits high (higher than normal on Sunday night
)
The one thing we don’t want is for the businesses to suffer and not be around if the the rally starts up again.
As mentioned before, this is the only time of year you see everyone again so let’s make it a reunion to remember!
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Have to give up on this site for personal reasons, but wish all concerned trying to run ToM the best of luck, The best rally in the world deserves to run for many years yet. Liz.
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A word of warning we have made before: The brand embedded in the name ‘Tour of Mull Rally’ and in the strapline ‘the best rally in the world’ is the property of the 2300 Club.
Neither of these terms may properly be used in association with an event not run by the Club and could only be used in any formally presented information – as with a website, leaflets, brochures and media advertising – with the express permission of the Club.
Think the ‘identity theft’ we all dread these days and you’re in the right mindset.
The Club built up the brand over a forty year period of voluntary effort. It has significant value and they would be bound to make very careful considerations before they permitted its use by any other organisation.
If they gave such permission, it would be a clear indication that the Club has no intention of coming back to run the event in Mull.
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“The Mull Rally: probably the best rally in the world”…..perhaps a drinks company mght consider……
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I first visited Mull 22 years ago because I knew of the rally.
I have Officiated at the last 16 years of the rally, plus every sprint/rally that Mull CC has run recently plus at least 10 other visits on holiday, plus three dive related visits that didnt need to stop in Tob, but did because I wanted a drink in the Mish.
Our team has helped/run the stage in Bunessan and eaten in the Argyll or the Keel row each time, we have sponsored birds at Wings over Mull, We have bought Mull Rugby club stickers and T shirts, we deliberatly wait till we get on the Island to buy our case of Tobermory Whisky, etc etc etc.
I have not totted up the total I have put into the Mull economy over the years, never mind what our marshalling team has, but no one should be in any doubt whatsoever the loss it would be to Mulls economy if the Rally is allowed to slip away.
This is just the economic value of the rally, George Pobgee does a much better job than I could, a few posts above, of putting into words the friends and experiences we have gained and experienced on Mull, and the image we carry and tell people about. That loss would truly be incalcuable.
I will not comment on the whys and wherefores 2300 clubs descision, I think the rally needs to still run this year and then looked at with the 2300 club for 2011 and beyond
So, to anyone attending the meeting on Monday, please unite and keep the rally going this year. I wish I could be there, however I am willing to keep running our, or any other stage, but only with the approval of the people of Mull.
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What a sad day to find out that the TOM has cascaded into an abyss. As an old man who saw Andy Knight win in the Nova, i last visited Mull last summer with my family and relived the time that i was there for the rally, Please whatever the issues sort them, you have a wonderful event regardless of the polotics that have obviously swamped it, otherwise i will only have those memories of a little White Nova screaming around the island. I hope that common sense prevails. Someone has to show leadership whether it be 2300 Club or the MCC or the heritage built up over forty years will be lost. Such a shame.
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R.I.P. “tour of Mull”, long live “the Mull
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Thought i would try and put a positive note on the mull rally issues after a public meeting last night it has been been by unanimous decision to run an event in october there were proposals put forward .Im sure whoever runs the event would like all the support to make it run smoothly and efficiently
stewart macdougall
mull community council
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To all the good people who have posted with support….you can help get the rally on in a really easy way. Go to http://www.mullcarclub.co.uk , spend a tenner and join the club. One thing the club is going to need is cash flow and i’m sure every penny will help….and you get to be a member of the M.C.C…..every one wins!!! I’ll be posting my form tomorrow.
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Am delighted to hear that an event will be run in October and that this had unaminous support at the public meeting on Monday. Is there anywhere online that those of us that could not attend can get more info on what was said, any details of the event planned, what next etc?
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The issue that an event of sorts is going to run in October is not enough. Let the full minuites of the meeting be published and then all the issues that were discussed be known, only then can the picture be clarified. The Tour of Mull needs to run as it always has done with hopefully a positive evolution, not the negatives that seem to be gaining prominence.Wake up you nimbys. The last time i was on the island-last summer- i spoke to a lady that worked in a cafe in Tobermory who had come from Leeds 15 years ago. I asked her what life was like on the island and quote “As long as you do not want to change things and want to fit in things are great”, she loved it. Well i envied her, so as the rally has been part of the islands heritage for the last 40 years don’t water it down to suit nimbys. As they say when in Rome do as the Romans do! Long live The Tour Of Mull.
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Your contributors comment “why is so much blame being placed on poor Iain macFadyens shoulders?” Would be looked at in a completely different light had a competitor been killed by what can only be described as his potentially fatal actions.
I don’t know the man, however he must have been pretty cheesed off to take such drastic actions. As a competitor of 10 years 2009 was memorable for the hostility shown buy non rally folk when we were doing our recce. The behaviour of some crews was on a par with the farmer. They know who they are and should stay away.
It appears to me that all interested parties need to declare there problems with the rally and solutions need to be found before anyone gets seriously hurt.
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Thanks for your website and all your support for the Tour of Mull.
I’ve looked on your site, 2300club’s, and Mull Car Club’s, and can find no link to your webpage reporting the result of the Craignure meeting and the associated posts. I was there 2 days ago, but don’t have access to that PC now.
It may just be me … can you help, please?
Keep up the good work
Chris Baron
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For Chris Baron: Here you are:
http://forargyll.com/2010/03/jim-mather-welcomes-outcome-of-mull-meeting-on-loss-of-2010-tour-of-mull-rally/
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I was unfortunate to go to Mull last year on holiday and it was ruined by the Rally and we had to leave early. Believe it or note we had never heard of the damn Rally or we would have went elsewhere that week. The only people who benefit are the shops and hotels and guest houses. The ordinary people of Mull make absolutely nothing out of it.
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well lily thats what keeps shops,hotels and guest houses on the island!
helping the ordinary people of Mull, who fully support THE EVENT that puts the place on the map,creating work for them in shops, hotels and guest houses!
if you had never heard of the rally then I’m sorry for your lack of knowledge
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RS cosworth:well I dont think Iain macFadyen did anything on purpose, as far as I know he is a strong SUPPORTER of the event and is active in the new organising commitee!
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Pingback: Argyll News: Mull to reflect on cancellation of 2010 Tour of Mull Rally :Argyll,Mull,motorsport,2300 Cluc, | For Argyll
Pingback: Argyll News: Public meeting on loss of Tour of Mull Rally :Argyll,Argyll Bujte,Mull,motorsport, | For Argyll
I am sadened to here of this news, i come up to mull on a yearly basis, normally to do a spot of fishing however with work i have been unable to come up for the rally since being a child. This year was the year that i was going to be able to come up and now i am devistated for myself and for the island. It was an extremelly good event, with the mull roads being difficult roads to drive round a normal day. Hopefully people will realise what this event meant to the island and the incoming visitors such as myself.
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hi,
let’s hope there are enough marshalls and other officials to run the event safely.
the rally website is aslking for help – isn’t it a pity that people who have marshalled previously and are on the 2300 mailing list haven’t been contacted. Please don’t let anyone cite data protection because “data can only be used for the purpose for which it was collected”
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Quite obviously the 2300 club do not realise that the locals from island, along with many others are currently enjoying the 41st Tour of Mull Rally, with success as far as I can see it. And for all these untrue and harsh comments from people about this famer do not realise that he had moved the cows … they came back. Lets hope the Mull rally continues with organising from local folk, and as far as i can work it out it will be more enjoyable for the people of this island not having it taken over by people who come here and think they know everything about mull.
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Just a quick follow up to say that the 1st Tunnocks Mull Rally held on the weekend of 9th of October 2010, was a massive success.
The sun was shining, we had record temperatures, and the event was one of the most exciting for years, with only 33 seconds between 1st and 2nd place going into the Saturday night stages.
Callum and Dell Duffy were fitting winners of the 1st Tunnocks Mull Rally, and the general opinion was that this was the best rally ever.
To demonstrate how the locals can pull together and manage a first class event, the rally steering group included a certain Mull farmer, who despite the comments seen in this and other forums, thought enough of the rally to get stuck in work for its success.
A huge thanks to Steve Davis, Mary Jean Devon, The Mull Car Club, The Rally Steering group and many many others for their hard work and Tunnocks for sticking with the people of Mull.
To all the loyal rally fans from all over the UK……See you all at the start line on October 7th 2011.
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For Mike Story: We underwrite every word you say. Mull may have made its own problems on this but it came together magnificently under challenge, healing divisions with imagination and goodwill, being open and inclusive, and running a memorable event dominated by breathtaking performaces by Mull and other Argyll-based drivers.
As we reported at the time and afterwards, the Duffy brothers were masters of the universe all the way through the event. This sort of absolute command of skill and circumstance in dealing with the unpredictable, the frankly unsafe and the blindsided, is what makes rally driving today so much potent that the stage managed synthetic F1 track racing has been allowed – richly – to become.
We have the utmost respect and admiration for the way the island, the Mull Car Club and the steering group stepped up on this, turning negative to marked positive and showing what can come from an engaged relationship with an elected local representative. Councillor Mary Jean Devon has been the doughtiest of champions for this effort since, hoping to shock the community into a sharp awareness of just what it had done and into swift action to repair it, we lit the blue touchpaper on the madness out of which this Phoenix has been built to fly.
The warmest of congratulations are due to the community and the steering group who have brought home this achievement.
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A plague on all your houses! Go live somewhere civilized and get proper interest. The racing of motor cars is now similar to smoking; a waste of valuable environmental assets and a minority polluting and forcing their habit on the majority. VS
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