Petrolheads set to flock to the seaside towns of Portrush and Portstewart on Easter Sunday for an annual car cruise have left locals ‘scared’ amid reports of antisocial behaviour – but car enthusiasts insist they mean no harm.
The neighbouring seaside towns have long been a popular location for car enthusiasts to gather at weekends and on Easter Sunday for the annual car cruise.
Social media profiles, including the Port Car Scene group, have been promoting the return of Port Sundays and the Easter Sunday cruise with TikTok videos showing modified and classic cars in the area gaining tens of thousands of views.
Councillor Richard Stewart told The Irish News that locals are scared ahead of the event amid reporting of abuse and egging by some participants among other antisocial behaviour.
“Portrush is a small peninsula town. It’s always going to be busy over Easter, and there’s always going to be traffic,” he said.
“It’s difficult to stop because it’s not an official event.
“But this isn’t just an Easter problem – it happens every Sunday from around St Patrick’s Day until mid-September, especially when the weather’s good.
“Some businesses now close early on Sundays because they’re not getting the same footfall.
“We always say everyone is welcome – but we ask that people are respectful when they visit.”
Speaking about the issues surrounding the event, he said that the antisocial element is in part down to a lack of police resources on the ground.
“The backfiring cars are frightening people,” he said.
“We’ve had incidents of eggs being thrown from cars, passers-by being sprayed with water pistols, and people shouting abuse out of windows.
“Look, I get it – I was 19 or 20 once, driving around in my wee done-up car. But back then there was more respect – for the place and for people. And there was a much stronger police presence. Now, you’re lucky to see a police car at all.
“The police just don’t have the resources anymore.
“We’re not telling people not to come – but we are asking them to be respectful of residents and the local community.
“We say we’re welcoming people to our town – but a lot of people here are scared.”
In recent weeks, police have issued warnings they will seize cars in Portstewart and Portrush with checks set up to flout anyone breaking the law.
When asked about the reports of anti-social behaviour, Rhys Lockhart of Port Car Scene told The Irish News that he acknowledged there had been some problems.
“Of course, there’s always going to be a few who spoil it for everyone else,” he said.
“We actually get a lot of support from local businesses – chip vans and food spots. I know some people feel we’re a nuisance because of the traffic, but there are definitely businesses that benefit from the cruise.
“We always stress the importance of respecting the area and the people who live here.
“The Easter cruise has been running for over 30 years, we don’t claim to be the owners of it, it is just something that was happening before, and we have been promoting through our page.”
Mr Lockhart went on to say that while it was too late to organise in time for next Sunday – he hoped that the group could work with the local council in order to make it an event for all next year.
“We want to make it an event everyone can enjoy.
“We’d love to work with the council to organise things properly and make it something everyone’s happy with.”
While many have criticised the car cruising scene for anti-social elements, Mr Lockhart instead said that the cruises were a positive outlet for many youngsters.
“We’ve people coming from England, Poland, Germany – the Irish car scene is known all over the world,” he said.
“For many, the car scene is an escape, it is their hobby.
“You’ll see people in the scene who pour their heart and soul into their cars and they are spending their money on that rather than spending it on drugs or drink.
“Sometimes you’ll get younger lads who’ve just passed their test and want a car that makes a lot of noise. But we see ourselves as genuine car enthusiasts. We take pride in our vehicles – we’re really passionate and look after them.”
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