Should the island keep up with the times and think about scrapping the TT grid girls?

Following the announcements of darts walk-on girls and Formula One grid girls being axed, the Examiner took to the streets to find out whether residents think this should happen for motorbike racing too.

’They’re not doing any harm. It’s not like they’re being draped across something or showing anything,’ said Karen Bernard, 56, who has helped with the time keeping during the TT.

’It’s a seasonal job for them and part of a contract. They get flown around the country and sometimes the world.

’I think there’s a lot of ignorance of what they do or how they get there.

’They serve an important job holding up those umbrellas, which keep the engines from overheating in the sun.

’Katie Price, Kelly Brooke and Jodie Marsh all started as pit girls and look at where it’s got them,’ added the Douglas resident.

Peter Barnett, 35, from Widnes, said: ’I think it’s political correctness gone too far.

’I may be seeing this from a male perspective, but I don’t ogle at the women. I’m more interested in watching the sport.

’At the end of the day, they are doing their job and I don’t see anything wrong with it.’

Douglas resident Kevin Quirk said: ’The world’s gone crazy. The grid girls enjoy what they are doing and I don’t see any problem in it.

’Most people are interested in the motorbikes.’

When asked for his thoughts on how people might react if the grid girls were removed, he said: ’It probably wouldn’t make much of a difference if they were there or not.’

Tuula Canavan, 22, from Douglas said: ’It’s an outdated thing.

’As much as I want to support a job, it’s sad that they have show their body off through a job.

’Plenty of girls my age and from my high school classes were grid girls. Maybe there should be an age limit?

’It could be seen as an empowering thing to do, but I wouldn’t like to do it myself. That’s my opinion.

’We need to be politically correct, especially in the Isle of Man,’ she added.

Luke Ridgway, a 26-year-old who also lives in Douglas, said: ’When there’s entertainment on I do look at the grid girls.

’But I think men should also be allowed to do what the grid girls are doing too.’

Laxey resident Tom White, 20, said: ’I think it’s quite derogatory, but if they want to do it, it’s up to them.’

Friends from Ramsey, Rachelle Doherty, 19, Kira Corfeild, 18, and Hannah McHugh, 19, believe the grid girls at TT should stay.

Rachelle said: ’No one’s had a big problem with it, that I know of. As long as the grid girls are comfortable with it, it’s fine. You either like it or lump it.’

Hannah agreed: ’They shouldn’t get rid of them because they are fit! The grid girls have chosen to do it themselves, so let them.’

Kira said: ’If they are comfortable and happy enough to do it, then it’s not a problem. The women who are doing it have an opinion themselves, so maybe we should hear what they have to say about this.’

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