UNFORTUNATELY, the coronavirus pandemic has taken another victim - this time it’s an off-road festival in Drumlanrig, which was originally scheduled to be held between the 19th & 21st of June 2021.
The Daily Record report that Galloway Motorcycle Club Ltd was forced to make the difficult decision well ahead of time, referencing growing concerns around the uncertainty of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
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Fraser Dykes, Club Chairman, was quoted saying:
“After lengthy discussions with Buccleuch Estate Management, it is with regret that the decision has been made to pull the 2021 event at Drumlanrig Castle.”
“This is solely due to the uncertainty around the Covid-19 situation, the safety of all involved, and the financial support the event relies on from an already well-stretched business community.”
Whilst off-road fans in the Dumfries and Galloway areas (and beyond) will be disappointed to be missing out on the event, which was first launched in 2020, there is still hope for a smaller-scale event to take place on the same weekend at an alternative site:
“All is not lost though as it is our intention to run a smaller event at our home venue, Cumstone Farm, Lockerbie on the same weekend of June 19-20, 2021.”
This is not to say the event will remain cancelled, however. Galloway MCC have noted that they intend to bring the off-road festival back to Drumlanrig Castle in 2022, even bigger and better than before.
“It is the Galloway Motorcycle Club Ltd’s intention, with full support of the Drumlanrig Estate, to run the event bigger and better in 2022.”
So all in all it’s a shame we won’t see the 2021 festival held at the Drumlanrig Castle as anticipated, but it’s for the right reasons with an alternative version held in the meantime. Can’t complain with that!
Image credit: Bobby Geddes
