balderdash&piffle

It shows the seriousness in the decline of speedway in the UK in general. The powers that be, have hindered the product rather than improved it, again this year they have tinkered around the edges, rather than taking " the bull by the horns" and drastically changing the product. Sarah I admire your unstinting support for your team, but fans will no longer blindly follow their local team for the sake of it. Speedway is a relatively ex;pensive sport especially for a family, more so in a cash strapped area in which Berwick Bandits rely on, Berwick & The Borders. So, unless the product is massively improved I fear the worst for speedway in general, and more so for a club that is cash strapped. AS you know, for the first time in over 20 years I missed a lot of meetings last season, in large very much to do with the level of entertainment on track, which apart from just a few meetings was poor. The Promotion must do a lot better than 2018 as I fear the demise will be even greater. Nobody wants to lose speedway in Berwick, but unless the product drastically improves, I fear for it's demise.

I follow what you say, but there is no automatic entitlement, it is down to each club to what they allow. All of the areas you mention, all should be aware of the financial pressures on the clubs, and the more these groups abuse their position, the greater to damage is done to the individual clubs. As said at the end of the day it is up to the management of each club to manage the club in a way that does not damage the financial position of each club.

As you say "to be fair", most of those who get into the pits area free, do contribute some physically some financially, some quite considerably . As Topsoil said it is up to the management. My points are twofold, 1) those who enter free are fully aware of the strains financially on the club, so just on a moral ground should enter by the turnstiles paying to support the club 40 fans times £17 equals £680 20 meetings £13600 . 2) The pits area, 14 riders 14 mechanics 2 team managers track staff first aiders, THATS IT. Even if someone gets in free , not in the pits area, IN THE STAND or hospitality.

Everyone should pay at the gate, that's how you keep speedway profitable, with the exceptions of track staff ,YES I MEAN EVERYONE, if you don't you are just a freeloader

We do the hard pressed tax payer, where do you think you get your Social from

The individual has a choice, they can take advantage of the generosity of the club, or they can take a moral stand to support the club financially by paying through the gate. Peter always offered me free entry, I always declined and paid my share at the gate.

Irrespective of how much you do for the club, whether it is sponsorship or in kind, with the exception of track staff. The way to support the club is pay at the gate. While the meeting is on nobody expect riders, mechanics, team managers, promoters ???? and track staff should be in the pits area.

Are the rides free on the Cornhill Roundabout, or are you a concession

Out of order Dick

What a useless Bl**dy thread

You will not be disappointed in Leon Flint, I have sponsored him since he was 10 years old. He will give you 100%, but it probably will not be enough for him, never stops learning. TAFFY

One heat in one meeting, after watching hundreds of out the gate and strung out races, due in main to only one racing line. When Nick was with us a well prepared racing track, this season it reverted back to one line

Some people will go to speedway no matter how good or bad, Chris is one of those guys. I was one as well put up with the crap until this year when enough is enough I now choose which meetings may be good

on a serious note, a bankers retirement age for state pension is the same as anyone else, if they retire early. because of their pension plans they are taking early retirement. It maybe that Colin is in early retirement from The Village Bank of Cornhill

Apart from the Police and firemen and teachers, who gets their pension at 60, unless you take early retirement,

Pensioners 65, £13 kids £1 uo to 15 Anybody on social £17 get a job

The problem with no adult, is they run around all over the place making a pest of themselves

Simple answer is kids go free but accompanied by a paying adult, based on 1 adult 1 or 2 children

Calm down Julie, you are beginning to sound like those BREXTREMISTS

Julie I remember when speedway fans just liked speedway and were friends with any fan who liked the same. i also remember when speedway was fun between the fans and the riders and the opposition. Seems to have all gone so tribal nowadays

Bit of a conspiracy theorism perhaps

Did not say Berwick were doing anything, or even any suggestion they were Dick. The question was simple, would you or would you pay £20 entry fee at Berwick. The question was asked as a few clubs are contemplating that figure, in saying that the emphasis is simply CONTEMPLATING not actually doing it

I always have a business head on, wouldn't it be nice if everyone who purchased a watch from my shop, decided to give me a donation because they think I need to boost my profit. Not a great lover of trusts unless they have a say on the decisions being made. The profit is made at the gate and not by charitable donations. Provide good entertainment the product will become e viable.

I know you said it in jest Dave, but saviour. This a man that perpetuates zero hours contracts and the minimum range, or as our Government call it 'The New Living wage', the lowest of the lowest followed closely by Amazon and most of our Supermarkets. By the way the living wage is £10.35 and £11.25 in London

It's a question, would a fan pay £20 to help speedway survive, it could be £17, £18, £19. My thought is £15 is too steep for the level of entertainment. As for a meeting at 5.00 on a Sunday at the B&G , I will be working, but I am pretty sure my absence will not be missed.