Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report

1.1       To consider a request of the City Hall function rooms and grounds for the Belfast City Marathon Expo and Pack Collection in April 2020 and 2021.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is recommended to

·        approve the application by Belfast City Marathon.

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       The Belfast City Marathon has been organised since 1982 by an organising committee involving Belfast City Council, Athletics Northern Ireland and other partners and sponsors. The event traditionally took place on the first bank holiday Monday in May.

3.2       The Committee, at its meeting on 27th June, 2018, agreed that, from 2019 onwards, the Belfast City Marathon would be held on a Sunday and approved a revised route for the event.

3.3       The Committee, at its meeting on 13th February, had approved a rolling reduction in the Council’s financial commitment to the Marathon, from £26,000 in 2019 to zero support by 2025/26.

3.4       Belfast City Marathon previously held the Pack Collection and Expo at the City Hall in the days prior to the main event. This event was very successful in City Hall, receiving plenty of support from both participants, spectators and Belfast City Council staff. Marathon organisers have received numerous requests for the Expo and Park Collection to return to City Hall.

3.5       In recent years organisers moved the Pack Collection and Expo to other locations including Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and Mary Peters Track, however the space available was too small and organisers received complaints that sites were too far away from the city centre. Investigating private locations puts a strain on Belfast City Marathon financially as space needs to be booked in bulk.

            Key Issues

3.6       Benefits for Belfast City Marathon if approval is granted for Pack Collection and Expo to be located back in City Hall for 2020 and 2021.

3.7       With the change of day (Monday to Sunday) and route, the organisers believe the number of participants will increase enabling more international athletes to take part. In 2019 total    participant numbers increased 20% on 2018 as follows;

·        Marathon 4803 (65% increase)

·        Team Relay 12,055 (11% increase)

·        Walk 967 (8% increase)

·        911 (4% increase)

3.8       In 2019 total economic value to the City through our event was over £2million. Organisers believe that the event in 2020-2021 will continue to increase and having the Expo and Pack Collection at the City Hall would certainly assist with these numbers.

3.9       City Hall is an iconic landmark for the City and features heavily on marathon promotional material. The Marathon no longer starts at the City Hall, thus pack collection and expo provides an opportunity for participants to visit this landmark city centre venue. At other major  European marathons, the Expo and Pack Collection takes place at an important landmark of their City to promote the City’s tourism.

3.10      City Hall’s central location is more accessible for all participants encouraging use of public and city centre parking. Consequently people can benefit from shopping, eating and other experiences which Belfast City Centre has to offer for that weekend.

3.11      City Hall functions rooms and grounds will enable organisers to plan for additional activities that benefits the attendees but also local traders and businesses.

3.12      Belfast City Marathon have requested the use of the three functions rooms and grounds for Pack Collection and Expo on 30 April to 3 May 2020 and 29 April to 2 May 2021.

3.13      If the Committee is minded to approve the application, then there would be no charge applied for the use of the functions rooms due to the Not for Profit nature of the organisation.

3.14      Financial & Resource Implications

            There will be no cost to the Council in approving this request.

3.15      Equality or Good Relations Implications

            There are no direct good relations or equality implications arising from this report.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations and agreed that discussions be undertaken with the event organisers in relation to single-use plastic bottles.