While I'll give the club points for trying, they should have piggy backed Hartwell or Preston, the way BEARS do at SMSP for the first go at PI, until a much better date came along.
While the late inclusion of this event prevents me from going, (I have to plan these things a year in advance) I don't think I would have entered anyway, given the 2.5k+ costs and the very high chance of riding on a wet, cold and windy track.
I do understand the committee find it just as hard as the riders to get time off work to attend these away meets, let alone organise them, hence the attraction to a long weekend meet.