Tayside’s biggest wrestling event is set to go-ahead this summer, despite its organisers still grappling with Dundee council licensing chiefs.
Much to the relief of wrestling fans, Hell for Lycra, which attracts more than 1000 fanatics into the Caird Hall, has been given the green light for later this summer.
The event has welcomed some of the world’s most famous former WWE stars such as Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Tatanka, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
It had been feared the event would have to be cancelled as organiser David Low, who runs Scottish Wrestling Entertainment (SWE), had been unable to obtain a licence to put on one of his similar but smaller events at the city’s Ardler Complex.
The council said “previous incidents at similar events” had raised safety concerns meaning paramedics and specialist insurance would be needed —bringing extra costs which Mr Low said were “unaffordable”.
Branding the new rules “absurd”, Mr Low also said this essentially meant the local authority was defining wrestling as a sport.
Although the flagship event will go ahead on August 18 as originally planned, the local authority has so far refused to budge on its stance on the organisation’s other events.
Mr Low said he was pleased Hell for Lycra is going ahead but added the smaller shows are “crucial” to raise funds for the year’s biggest event.
Mr Low said: “I’ve been told the Caird Hall event is all fine. It doesn’t make much sense.
“They have given me no reason whatsoever for why it’s fine to have the big event at the Caird Hall but not the others at the Ardler Complex.
“Why is it different now when it has always been the same for the past however many years?
“Because we haven’t been able to put on an event at the Ardler, we’ve lost about £5,000.
“We need this money to pay for the big names to come.
“It’s also affecting our ability to give support to charities across the area such as Cash for Kids, the Boomerang Project, and Dundee International Women’s Centre — which we have done for years.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “We are in discussions with Mr Low.”
