A MAJOR rally due to take place in the region this spring has been cancelled.
The highly-anticipated inaugural Coast2Coast Rally, organised by Machars Car Club, was poised to see scores of racers descend on Stranraer over the weekend of May 7 and take the wheel on three temporarily closed roads in the town.
Organisers, already sceptical over whether it could go ahead as planned, said they were waiting until the new year to announce its official decision.
And after holding a full committee meeting last week, Machars Car Club confirmed the news on Tuesday, issuing a statement which said they were “faced with no option but to cancel” due to the ongoing pandemic.
The club thanked all those involved with the event’s meticulous planning — which entailed an application to Dumfries and Galloway Council for a Motor Race Order and a request to Motorsport UK for a permit to run the rally.
Furthermore, they expressed gratitude for the help provided by local organisations such as Stranraer Development Trust, Police Scotland and local community councils.
Rally manager Roy Campbell said: “Of course we knew last month this would be the likely outcome, but decided to wait and see what might happen in the New Year.
“Despite the promise of new vaccines and treatments, we are only too well aware that this sad nationwide situation will not be resolved any time soon.”
