The continued presence of the remnants of TT in Noble’s Park has been criticised by Douglas Council.

Council leader David Christian criticised the fact that the VIP venue and Heron and Brearley’s ’Trackside’ bar remained in the park from TT through the Festival of Motorcycling.

With the first day of practice at this year’s TT held on Saturday, May 26, and the last event of this year’s FoM due for Friday, August 31, the venues sit in Noble’s Park for a minimum of 97 days, with only 28 days usage during the two events.

Mr Christian made the comments as councillors voted to oppose a retrospective planning application for the H&B facility to remain in place during the summer between the two race fortnights.

He said: ’I don’t agree with it being up until the FoM. The majority of the executive committee opposed the application and H&B were informed we wanted it to be taken down.

’I think we made a rod for our own backs with the VIP tent. It sits there, empty in a public space that is for people to enjoy.’

Mr Christian added that people had asked why the VIP tent couldn’t be used for events but that was a matter for the government’s Department of Enterprise.

He also criticised the way the Grandstand was left between TT and the FoM, with bare advertising boards left in place.

He called the area ’scruffy’ and said he felt more should be done to improve the sight for tourists to the island who visit the Grandstand and take pictures.

Mr Christian said the issue was not confined to Douglas, noting how crowd barriers were left stacked around the course, crash pads were left on walls and looked dirty. He said the island’s residents ’shouldn’t have to live with it’.

Despite the council vote, Councillor Debbie Pitts said it was unlikely the venues in Noble’s Park would be removed in time before they would be due to re-open for the FoM.

The council agreed unanimously to not support the retrospective application from H&B on the grounds that it would have an impact on residential properties.

And that it would impact on a public open space in terms of the protection of mature tress and that the application was contrary to the original application.