Isle of Man TT: Plans to expand pop-up village near grandstand

Plans to expand a pop-up accommodation village near to the Isle of Man TT grandstand have been driven by "strong interest", the firm involved has said.

Duke Marketing has applied to erect 168 cabins at the former prison site on Victoria Road for the two-week festival, which begins on 28 May.

The company ran a 100-bed facility on the plot in 2019, but plans for 2020 were hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief executive Peter Duke said its location was a draw for visiting fans.

A planning application for the temporary village has been submitted by the Department of Enterprise on behalf of the firm.

The company is also behind similar plans to build temporary beach hut accommodation in Peel.

According to the firm, the smaller pop-up village in 2019 had 61% occupancy but had seen an increase in bookings for the following year's event, which was subsequently cancelled as a result of the island's Covid-19 border restrictions.

Mr Duke described the race-themed cabins as "a bit more than just glamping", with each room featuring bathroom facilities, beds, heating and wireless internet access.

The proposed village would also help fill a shortage of "business class beds" in the island's tourist accommodation sector, he said.

The government-owned land sits "right by the grandstand", meaning the hotel "ticks a lot of boxes" for those booking a visit for the TT races, he added.

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