I darent even try to go....for the last 3 years weve been, not seen anyone atall, at this point if i mention it to my mates ill never hear the last of it...
@comfysofa - I'm sorry you didn't find it last time, its just past the beach so not completely obvious unless you have been before. From the picture you sent, I think you were outside the old cafe (now a house) near the bus shelters (now a paddle board company) - If you keep going past the Bay Hotel Pub and La Gusto Pizza (through the one lane / traffic lights) you will pass the pier on your RHS You cant miss it once you get that far - Foraging Vintners is a large Bar & Winery above the old fisherman sheds. There are large terraces overlooking the bay, with seating for 100 - 120 people and huge pink doors into the winery itself. We had reserved parking for 150 bikes last year and ran out.. (we have now organised more) If you make it this year, I'll buy you a Manx Beer or Cider
About 5 years back the whole front [where im parked] was packed....there were hundreds...so a much smaller affair now?
Yeah.. sadly you could say that about the TT in general - when I was a kid the whole of Port Erin was full of bikes for 2 weeks.. All the locals and shops say the same in most villages on the Island.
It's a tough one running these events too, it costs me personally a few hundred pounds to put it on. I have to take days of work to meet with commissioners / government to organise permissions etc, and to get everything setup. I don't earn anything from the event, if we sell a couple of T-shirts that helps but really we only make the merch for people to take home a memento of the night. And.. if the weather doesn't work out, there can be racing on the day of the event or.. it can be rainy etc so not fun for anyone. The previous organisers lost interest a few years ago, so I decided to take it over and try and revive it back to the great night it used to be (as you witnessed). It's the 2nd year I am doing it now, and very happy to hear suggestions for improvement. Luckily we now have a great venue in Forging Vintners - the owners love bikes (the previous venue was the golf club and not great frankly). I am also lucky I have a few good friends who volunteer to help out etc too. We installed a big screen at Foraging Vintners so we can show all the TT action, plus FV even had some Italian beer commissioned for last year. The website is updated quite regularly and we have a google maps link. After the trouble you had finding it last year @comfysofa we are thinking to do a little video. This will show riding into the village and past the beach to Foraging Vintners. As ever any ideas welcomed!
Seconded on that - I help out with Distinguished Gentleman's ride, we are finishing at FV on the 17th May - and FV could not have been more enthusiastic or helpful !!
Thats good for me....maybe something on X or FB to spread the word.... hats off to the effort, for that ill be there again (in the right place!) and take the stick from the lads...
I've been, to both the TT and the mgp event. Good turn out for both, it's worth a look. Plenty come and go.
Only reason I didn't go last year was that our homestay is in Douglas and it was that bloody cold I didn't fancy the ride. Hope to get there this year.
