Monster trucks take Albany off the tour

A national monster trucks promoter says his tour will never return to Albany after being forced to cancel a show this month due to a lack of suitable venue.

Monster Truck Promotions Australia this week began refunding almost 2500 tickets sold to the Extreme Monster and Freestyle Motocross Legends Unleashed Tour planned for the Harold Reid Paceway later this month.

Promoter Clive Featherby said his insurers had advised him following their inspection of the venue two weeks ago he would have been in breach of safety standards if his company proceeded with the show.

He said the club had been accommodating, but the money it would have cost to hire additional safety barriers, seating and better lighting made the show too costly to proceed.

“This will be the last time we come to Albany,” he said. “The money it would have cost us to hire that gear … there is a limit where you can and can’t afford to do something — we have never had an accident in 27 years.

“You just don’t have a venue which is a joke; even smaller towns have a venue.”

Mr Featherby said it would cost his company up to $60,000 to cancel the show before full refunds were issued to punters.

As of Tuesday, around 1200 ticket holders had been given refunds.

Mr Featherby said extreme sport fans were missing out as a result of a lack of a suitable venue in the city.

He said he was hopeful Albany Speedway Club would cater for the show at the last-minute, but the club decided on Tuesday night to not host the event.