Organisers slam brakes on annual island rally

The car rally has given the island a huge economic boost – believed to be worth several million pounds in recent years – every October for the past four decades.

The 2300 Club, whose volunteers run the rally, had earlier revealed last year's event had made "a very large loss".

Now, after safety concerns emerged on the rally route and a small faction of islanders criticised the running of the event, organisers have cancelled this year's race.

Tour of Mull Rally chairman Neil Molyneux said he was aware of the enormous support the event – which brought 3,000 to 5,000 people to the island each year – had attracted.

But in a statement issued on behalf of the club he said the committee members' unanimous decision to cancel the rally would not be re-considered.

"There have always been problems 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.

"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.

"Furthermore, the organisers have grown weary of the increasing number of negative and critical comments about their running of the event."

Councillor Gordon Chalmers said there had always been islanders who supported the rally and those who were against it. But he added that the organisers had been particularly disheartened because some of their critics included islanders who were pro-rallying, but unsupportive of the club's efforts.

Mr Chalmers said: "It's a big event coming to the island, it adds colour and it's going to be missed."

At last year's rally, safety issues were raised after a competitor's car crashed into a ditch when the driver swerved to avoid a cow that had strayed on to a road on the rally course, at Gribun.

The driver was unhurt but islander Chris Baker, 64, of Dervaig, who was driving the rally car behind, broke his ankle as his vehicle crashed when he came across a boulder left on the road after the first accident.

Mr Molyneux said: "

Another problem we face is a financial one. We faced some one-off costs for the 40th rally and the underlying trend is that our costs are increasing much faster than our income. The 2009 event will make a very large loss."

Mull businessman Sandy Brunton, president of Mull and Iona Chamber of Commerce, said: "Some people move to Mull to have a quiet life and rally week is not quiet, but the rally has had a huge impact on the economy of Mull in the shoulder months."