Borough bids for Tour repeat

SCARBOROURGH Council has confirmed it will put the borough forward as a start or finish location for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire cycle race.
The cyclists ride to the finish at Scarborough's North Bay during the Tour de Yorkshire 2015.
Picture: Richard PonterThe cyclists ride to the finish at Scarborough's North Bay during the Tour de Yorkshire 2015.
Picture: Richard Ponter
The cyclists ride to the finish at Scarborough's North Bay during the Tour de Yorkshire 2015. Picture: Richard Ponter

The town’s Marine Drive was the finish line for stage one of the inaugural race in May, when an estimated 10,000 people flocked to the town to see riders including Sir Bradley Wiggins race through the streets.

Following a vote on Tuesday, the authority has officially expressed an interest to organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and committed a possible £140,000 in funds if it is then chosen.

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The move follows a announcement by Sheffield Council, reported in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post, that the city had withdrawn its application to host the event, as it falls on the same weekend as the World Snooker Championships, which takes place in Sheffield. A series of locations, including Settle and Harrogate are currently considering bids to host the Tour, which will be held over the first weekend of May.

This year’s event also took place in Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay in the Scarborough Council area, and speaking at the full council meeting yesterday, leader Coun Derek Bastiman said the race “benefited the entire borough”.

Coun Bill Chatt said: “The sight of the children and their families lining the streets, gasping as the helicopter went overhead, then cheering on the riders was amazing and something I will always remember. We would be a fool to turn this opportunity away.”

However, there was not unanimous support for the race.

Filey’s UKIP councillor Colin Haddington said bidding for the race would benefit “Scarborough the town, not Scarborough the borough” and said the money could be better spent improving leisure facilities in the south of the borough.