Leading figures in the island’s hospitality industry have praised plans to take the Manx Grand Prix (MGP) back to a two-week schedule.

This week, the government’s Department for Enterprise (DfE’s) announced that the August motorsport spectacle will run in tandem with a revived Classic TT event, last staged in 2019, from next year.

According to race bosses, the changes, which will run for at least three years from 2025, are designed to bring more bike fans to the island and help the Grand Prix overcome the ‘operational challenges’ that it has faced in the past.

But one Manx haulage firm says deliveries of supplies and goods may be significantly disrupted if the new schedule doesn’t go to plan - as witnessed earlier this year.

However, Andy Saunders, a member of the Licensed Victuallers Association and owner of Quids Inn on Douglas Promenade, said he was delighted with the decision.

Mr Saunders said the extended schedule is a welcome move for local businesses reliant on visiting fans and that it addresses key issued raised by the hospitality sector and the wider community.

‘It’s going to be really good. I’m really happy that they’ve listened to the public, mainly the visiting public, which is exactly what we need to do’, said Mr Saunders.

‘We need to make sure that we are catering for exactly what the people who come here want first and foremost.’

The announcement over the revamped schedule comes after this year’s MGP was described as one of the worst in its 101-year history.

Unseasonable storms brough strong winds and heavy rain, causing widespread disruptions to qualifiers and races.

Organisers attempted to condense the event into fewer days, but the weather wreaked havoc, leading to delays, cancellations and even a sewer burst on the course.

Reflecting on this, Mr Saunders highlighted that a longer schedule would give attendees more breathing space and allow businesses to plan better.

He said: ‘I was always hopeful they [government] would listen.

‘The Classic TT was a big part of the festival, and I’m delighted to see it back.

‘The older generation want to see these great old bikes, and having a two-week window means we can offer entertainment during the downtime.’

DfE’s plan now involves running the Classic TT alongside the MGP over a two-week period.

Six days of practice sessions will kick off on August 17, 2025, followed by five MGP races over the late August Bank Holiday weekend.

Classic TT races will then take place from August 27 to August 29, including the Forumla 1, Lightweight and Historic Junior TT Races, with the festival concluding on August 29 with the prestigious Historic Senior and Senior Classic TT Races.

According to DfE, the aim is to re-establish the MGP as a feeder event for the TT, providing a platform for emerging talent while preserving its traditional roots.

That’s despite organisers defending the decision at this year’s event to implement a shorter schedule, saying ‘it wasn’t possible’ to put on a second week of racing due to lack of marshal and medical cover.

However, while the hospitality sector has praised the change, not everyone is on board.

Manx haulier Trans Mann express concerns over the impact on their operations.

A spokesperson for the firm said: ‘We didn’t know they were doing that.

‘This year, they defended having it over a shorter period and now they’re going to change it again.

‘If it all goes to schedule we can work with it, but with the MGP, they tend to close the roads earlier than the TT, which makes it very difficult to get all our deliveries out.’

The spokesperson pointed out that the unpredictable weather during the MGP season often leads to last-minute changes in road closures, which complicates logistics for businesses such as Trans Mann.

‘The TT is worth it as it’s great for the island, but the MGP - I don’t see the point, to be honest’.

While the longer schedule aims to restore confidence among visitors and hospitality businesses in the event, logistical challenges persist for those attempting to operate businesses within the road closure areas. But for now, the changes have brought a glimmer of hope to hospitality businesses still reeling from the fallout of a difficult 2024 event.

As Mr Saunders puts it, ‘the main thing is they've listened.

‘Enterprise has listened, and they’re now helping the Manx Motorcycle Club, who do a wonderful job, and needed this support.’

Whether the extended festival will achieve its goal of revitalising the MGP and Classic TT remains to be seen, but for many in the island, the move will be seen as a step in the right direction.