Save Weymouth Speedway Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Taken from the Weymouth Echo http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/speedway/8826812.Harold_s_SOS_for_Wildcats/#commentsList Harold's SOS for Wildcats 8:44am Wednesday 2nd February 2011 By Adam Summers » HAROLD Doonan is staging a ‘Save Our Speedway’ rally at his yard in Lynch Lane, Weymouth on Saturday (10.30am) in a last-ditch bid to keep the popular sport in the town. The builders’ merchant is part of a consortium interested in saving the Weymouth Wildcats but so far the group has been unable to nail down a lease for the Wessex Raceway at Radipole Lane with landlords Wessex Delivery Partnership still refusing to answer their calls. With the constitution of the National League having already been confirmed for the forthcoming campaign, Doonan has admitted time is running out for the club but he still harbours hopes of a last-minute revival. He told Echosport: “I am trying my damndest to try and help keep speedway in the town and although we are probably flogging a dead horse already, we will keep fighting to the bitter end. “That is why we have arranged an open meeting at my yard on Saturday where some guys from Poole will present a selection of vintage speedway bikes for fans to take a look at. “We are hoping it will attract around 100 people, which would then give a small indication of just how much interest there is out there to keep the Wildcats going. And who knows, it might just tip the balance with the landlords as well. “It may well be too late to get everything sorted to enter the league now but we have to at least try or Weymouth is going to lose a big amenity. “With the riders competing all over the country and fans organising their holidays around the sport, speedway does a lot in terms of attracting people to the town and I believe it is another thing the area cannot afford to just let go.” Doonan has even indicated that his consortium would be interested in relocating the Wildcats if a suitable location was found. He added: “There must be somewhere in the area where the council would allow us to do it but we cannot really start talking to people until the landowners of the Wessex Raceway give us a definitive answer, one way or the other. “I just wish they would pick up the phone and let us know where we stand. If they don’t want us there then just tell us, then we can start looking into other avenues.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagFan Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 I have fond memories of my 'southern tours' and wish Weymouth all the best in trying to save your speedway. Really hope your campaign succeeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonB Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 Good luck for your campaign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressed Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Brilliant turnout today with 177 people signing a petition! The mood was very good, there will be a story in next weeks Speedway Star and in The Dorset Echo www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/speedway/ and also a story on the Wildcats website www.weymouthwildcats.co.uk late tonight. On behalf of Harold and the consortium I would like to say a very grateful thank you to all who were able to turn up and show their support as well as the lads from Southern Classic Speedway Bikes www.classicspeedway.co.uk with a few machines on display, thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Excellent turnout on a bad day weatherwise, and an "out of the way" location. This year is looking bleak, but let's hope for 2012. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratewoman Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Couldn't make it today, but wish you all the best with your campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wessexboy Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Very good turn out and it was good to meet up with old friends again Days like yesterday shows how much interest there is in Weymouth Wildcats Speedway team A lot of people could not make yesterday and there was still nearly 200 people on a wet and windy saturday morning. Lets just hope that Weymouth Speedway has some luck for a change and Weymouth Speedway can come back better and stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stressed Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Lets just hope that Weymouth Speedway has some luck for a change and Weymouth Speedway can come back better and stronger. Spot on Wessexboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wessex Wanderer Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Despite the circumstances this was a positive meeting/rally. Really good attendance despite the weather, timing and unavoidable short notice ( I could name at least 20 regulars who couldn't make it due to work and other commitments.) At the very least it dispels claims that Weymouth Speedway is not viable. Properly run there is no reason why it should not flourish. These are very hard and frustrating times for Weymouth Speedway but hopefully we can eventually emerge stronger than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Seems to me guys if "Wessex Delivery Partnership" wont answer the phone, then you need to park yourselves outside their offices, and get a some answers from them, when they go into work. Best of luck with this guys, it seems to me if Weymouth can do the right promotion of speedway, it will at least break even, just needs to get "Wessex Delivery Partnership" onside for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSS Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 I couldn't be there due to work commitments, however my son & his Mum were. Screw Curtis, here's hoping to find an new site and build a better club, without the sound problems etc, like Somerset did. Good luck Harold and the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMGracing Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 (edited) Brilliant turnout today with 177 people signing a petition! The mood was very good, there will be a story in next weeks Speedway Star and in The Dorset Echo www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/speedway/ and also a story on the Wildcats website www.weymouthwildcats.co.uk late tonight. On behalf of Harold and the consortium I would like to say a very grateful thank you to all who were able to turn up and show their support as well as the lads from Southern Classic Speedway Bikes www.classicspeedway.co.uk with a few machines on display, thank you all. Good luck to you guys over in Weymouth. Ive enjoyed the races that we had the past few years.Let me know if there anything USA U21 can do to help out. Gary Edited February 6, 2011 by TMGracing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Whilst every effort must be made to try and revive The Wildcats for 2011, as per Mildenhalls 12th hour reprieve, finding an alternative site must be a close second option. Are Weymouth FC the owners of the land the Track is on ?? if so surely it must be possible to contact a Director on Match days at the Football Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wessex Wanderer Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) Owners are a property company who bought the footy club which included all the site then hived off the club (minus the surrounding land). Footy club is now pretty much landlocked by the car parks and track etc which it previously owned! None too clever of the footy club over the years as it continuously "mortgaged" itself for short term cash investments in efforts to "push on" to better things. Now they are a couple of levels below where they used to be and are in yet another financial crisis. I feel sorry for their fans and workers who are still dedicated to them despite having their future jeopordised by unbelievable mismanagement (sound familiar?). So as far as the Wildcats are concerned we are an object lesson in how one or two people can destroy a community of about 400 for their own ends (whatever those "ends" might turnout to be). Its does not look good GreyhoundP. Such a shame after Brian White's initiative in bringing Speedway back to Weymouth and the consortium's fight to get permanent planning permission. Edited February 8, 2011 by Wessex Wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Save Weymouth Speedway Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 A letter is being sent to the Directors of Morgan Sindall (Wessex Delivery Partnership is a part of this multimillion pound company) who effectively own the land. I think we have really only been left with one option and thats to make a song and dance about the whole situation and get as much media coverage as possible, which we intend to do. Morgan Sindall are building a fire station, ironically just up the road from the stadium, and are part of the "Considerate Constructors Scheme" according to the signs on the fence outside of the Fire Station so we are hoping that they consider our little club too. If this fails to extract an answer from the company then we shall be calling on our fans again to show how much this club means to the town, but hopefully we wont have to. It's a bit David and Goliath but we aren't giving up without a fight!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old JAP Lover Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Not able to be with you all on Saturday. Pleased that the meeting was a success, (177 people in the middle of Winter - what a nucleus to have on your side) Best of luck to Harold & Co - I want to be able to come and cheer on the lads (whoever they are) when we come "back home" to Dorset Regards to all the old crowd - especially the "old" consortium Old JAP Lover Edited February 9, 2011 by Old JAP Lover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 good luck to you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted February 12, 2011 Report Share Posted February 12, 2011 Not looking good for the Wildcats. http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/8848770.Council_and_WDP_blow_for_Cats/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Not looking good for the Wildcats. http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/8848770.Council_and_WDP_blow_for_Cats/ What an interesting read - and some of the comments accompanying the article are well worth reading. From them one tends to get a different perspective on the Weymouth scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Is there no area on Portland that would be suitable to develop as a Speedway Track, or a local Football/Rugby Team lower down in the league structures who have some unused land that would be suitable, those are the areas that i would begin my site search, i fully realise finding land, then obtaining the needed planning permission is a difficult task, but good luck weymouth in your quest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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