THE organisers of a Wineathlon 10k that was cancelled in Glasgow amid controversy have pledged to return next year with a race promoting pies.
The 6.2mile event is now being held in Stirlingshire on September 24 after the organisers were advised by a number of local authorities including Glasgow that they would require a licence.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it would oppose any application to stage the run in the city saying it contradicted "public health messages".
Four charities have now withdrawn their support for the Scottish event.
However, Forestry Commision Scotland has given permission for the fun run to take place in the Carron Valley Forest in Stirlingshire, where participants will be offered a 20ml sample of wine at two of the rest stops as well as water. However, bottles of wine will not be sold after the race as originally planned.
A spokeswoman for Stirling Council said the area the event is being held in is not under their jursidiction. It is unclear if the organisers are breaching any licensing laws. The company has not applied for permission to host the event in any local authority area.
Wane Law, managing director of event organisers Team OA, believes the event was unfairly targeted in Scotland. He said the company had been running five other Wineathlon events in England for some years without problems.
He said the Wineathlon would not be held in Scotland next year but instead pledged to hold a 6k Pieathalon, where entrants are offered a piece of pie at every 2k stop.
He said: "We feel as if we are being portrayed as some English company that has come up to destroy Glasgow.
"The alcohol laws in Scotland are so different. In hindsight, looking back....Glasgow has such a problem with alcohol and we weren't aware of that at the time.
"We won't be bringing the Wineathalon back to Scotland. However, we will be bringing the Chocolaton and Pieathalon.
"Our aim was to host a fun event and raise money for charity. The original plan was to have it in a Glasgow park.
"We originally had six locations in mind in the central belt but five of them have pulled out.
"It's not the event we had planned but it's going ahead.
"Four charities have also pulled out so we are desperately trying to secure a charity for the event.
"We are just trying to put the fun into running.
"We run five of these events across the UK. We've just held the first one in Wales which was a great success.
"Our Huddersfield Event attracts around 1000 people every year.
"The event is now going to be held in the Carron Valley Forrest. The park is absolutely beautiful, they have a re-constructed medieval village.
"We are looking at about 300 participants and we are happy with that.
"There are eight stations with optional wine samples at two of the stations. We are not selling wine, we aren't allowed to do that."
Mr Law said entrants had been offered refunds as soon as a decision was taken to host the event outwith Glasgow.
A spokesman for Forestry Commission Scotland said: "We advised the organisers that they would have to contact the relevant local authorities to sort out any licensing issues that there might be.
"We also understand that the organisers have also made it clear to participants that there is no parking at the site and that they have also laid on shuttle transport from the nearest station."
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