SteveLyric2 Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 I'm sure it is only co-incidence but with the recent announcements of several schemes or potential moves relating to a number of our 'senior' speedway stadia, what do people really think? Is it the beginning of the end or can we realistically look forward to some better, modern facilities? Coventry - stadium to be sold Swindon - final(?) season at Blunsdon with new development about to start. Poole - serious moves to bring back the football club to the stadium - redevelop or possible move away? Belle Vue - ongoing National Speedway Stadium issues. Mildenhall - Noise issues. IOW - temporarily suspended. I'm sure - and saddened - that there are others!? Comments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 (edited) Speedway is a sport that has seen many stadiums open and close over they years since it started at High Beech in February 1928. The excellent site details the history of those that have closed nationwide. http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/A%20to%20Z.htm And this is details of the tracks in the London area - of those named only Lakeside (aka Arena Essex) and Rye House are still active. http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/board/44/london-tracks-1928 Edited February 27, 2014 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelb Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 just out of curiosity when was the last time stadia UK actually followed up with promise of a new stadium - with speedway - and built it? not bitter at all about Reading! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 just out of curiosity when was the last time stadia UK actually followed up with promise of a new stadium - with speedway - and built it? not bitter at all about Reading! And Clarke Osbourne has come out with more c**ap in today`s Star about they are still interested in building a stadium in Reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 just out of curiosity when was the last time stadia UK actually followed up with promise of a new stadium - with speedway - and built it? not bitter at all about Reading! If it goes ahead in Poole, Stadia UK are unlikely to be building it - at least not on their own!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattK Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 The problem with speedway stadiums can be seen by looking at a map. They take up a massive amount of space. If you overlay the plans to build houses on the existing Swindon stadium and car park, there is room for about 200 homes. Assuming a "profit" of £100,000 per home that is £20m. How long would it take to earn £20m running a speedway/greyhound stadium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catabracadabra Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Interestingly it may well be the start of a new era, may that be good or bad for speedway. I do fear that it could be the road to the end. It certainly isn't the start. If you stand back and just look at the past 20 years, how many teams have come and gone. Some new, but many few. The losses out number the gains. These clubs and stadiums earlier mentioned and now casted in a shadow of doubt have been the main back bone for some time, at different levels. Times are changing and you look at each season one at a time, but if you seat back and compare the difference from this season to 10 year ago, or maybe 20 year ago, or even more so different, 60 year ago. The pattern is clear to see by everyone. It has always been about just surviving the coming season financial and supporter wise, no long term planned or structured way forward. These clubs have seen it all through all these good and bad times, we all Presume they will be here forever, we must not forgot speedway are just tenants at many of these stadiums, no long term security. Money talks and money gives power and the upper hand or importance over the alternative. Speedway is not very high on the agenda, and nor is it given the respect from certain people within councils, officialdom and various doors that if opened can easy the way for morden stadium. Yes to develop these mentioned stadiums would be great. They are old and run down if you compare to the modern day football stadium or modern day speedway stadium on the continent. These new modern stadiums are an asset to the town or city, they give the place pride. But could a stadium of the standard of torun's motoarena be built at Poole or Swindon or the new belle vue stadium? That's what we have to aim for as fans, to be able to seat on a clean seat under semi cover in a well lite stadium. But can we rely on the promises and ideas of some of these people in providing us with such modern stadiums? You don't have to look that long ago to realise promises and ideas have never been fulfilled for the fans of clubs where new stadiums have been on the drawing board and never delivered. That is why doubt enters into every fans mind when news about stadiums going and being developed is announced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickthemuppet Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 Interestingly it may well be the start of a new era, may that be good or bad for speedway. I do fear that it could be the road to the end. It certainly isn't the start. If you stand back and just look at the past 20 years, how many teams have come and gone. Some new, but many few. The losses out number the gains. These clubs and stadiums earlier mentioned and now casted in a shadow of doubt have been the main back bone for some time, at different levels. Times are changing and you look at each season one at a time, but if you seat back and compare the difference from this season to 10 year ago, or maybe 20 year ago, or even more so different, 60 year ago. The pattern is clear to see by everyone. It has always been about just surviving the coming season financial and supporter wise, no long term planned or structured way forward. These clubs have seen it all through all these good and bad times, we all Presume they will be here forever, we must not forgot speedway are just tenants at many of these stadiums, no long term security. Money talks and money gives power and the upper hand or importance over the alternative. Speedway is not very high on the agenda, and nor is it given the respect from certain people within councils, officialdom and various doors that if opened can easy the way for morden stadium. Yes to develop these mentioned stadiums would be great. They are old and run down if you compare to the modern day football stadium or modern day speedway stadium on the continent. These new modern stadiums are an asset to the town or city, they give the place pride. But could a stadium of the standard of torun's motoarena be built at Poole or Swindon or the new belle vue stadium? That's what we have to aim for as fans, to be able to seat on a clean seat under semi cover in a well lite stadium. But can we rely on the promises and ideas of some of these people in providing us with such modern stadiums? You don't have to look that long ago to realise promises and ideas have never been fulfilled for the fans of clubs where new stadiums have been on the drawing board and never delivered. That is why doubt enters into every fans mind when news about stadiums going and being developed is announced.There are many more stadiums that have opened in the UK than ever been closed. The reason they are having new stadiums abroad is they are being paid for by the local authorities. All the top stadiums in Sweden are owned by the local councils compared to the UK. Do any local authorities own a Speedway Stadium in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted February 27, 2014 Report Share Posted February 27, 2014 There are many more stadiums that have opened in the UK than ever been closed. The reason they are having new stadiums abroad is they are being paid for by the local authorities. All the top stadiums in Sweden are owned by the local councils compared to the UK. Do any local authorities own a Speedway Stadium in the UK? Poole is owned by the council. AFAIK thats it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 i'm not sure recent events show a pattern i think its just the same old same old - firefighting and scrabbling round for new venues I think it will always be like this to be honest but take heart from Somerset, Redcar, Scunthorpe, etc etc - if the will and cash is there you can succeed in opening new venues but i think city centre venues will become the exception - might not be a bad thing Silencers are a bit of a nuisance aren't they but really this is an important area to develop to keep the nimbys quiet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur cross Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 Poole is owned by the council. AFAIK thats it. And Perry Barr is the only one of the Greyhound Racing Association's tracks that it doesn't own outright (unlike, past-or-present for speedway, Belle Vue, Wimbledon or Oxford). Instead, there's some sort of partnership deal between the GRA and Birmingham City Council which is why, a few months ago, bids were briefly invited for the individual sales of Belle Vue and the GRA's other Birmingham dog track at Hall Green (not that anything worthwhile seemed to emerge) but a similar invite didn't occur for Perry Barr as that would've also required the council's go-ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 All i will say about this http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/3158/poole-set-for-new-home is beware, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Reading, and now Poole, GI are only in this to top up their pensions, they have ZERO record for building new Stadia, they dont have the funds to do so,in fact the money they make from running Swindon and Poole would not even but the land, i would hazard a guess it barely covers the salaries of Clark Osborne, Bill Glass and Co, hence the need for continually selling off assetts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted March 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 All i will say about this http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/3158/poole-set-for-new-home is beware, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Reading, and now Poole, GI are only in this to top up their pensions, they have ZERO record for building new Stadia, they dont have the funds to do so,in fact the money they make from running Swindon and Poole would not even but the land, i would hazard a guess it barely covers the salaries of Clark Osborne, Bill Glass and Co, hence the need for continually selling off assetts. which is why they are looking at the possibilities/feasibilities with a third party developer!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 (edited) I'm sure it is only co-incidence but with the recent announcements of several schemes or potential moves relating to a number of our 'senior' speedway stadia, what do people really think? Is it the beginning of the end or can we realistically look forward to some better, modern facilities? Coventry - stadium to be sold Swindon - final(?) season at Blunsdon with new development about to start. Poole - serious moves to bring back the football club to the stadium - redevelop or possible move away? Belle Vue - ongoing National Speedway Stadium issues. Mildenhall - Noise issues. IOW - temporarily suspended. I'm sure - and saddened - that there are others!? Comments Mildenhall, noise issue brought about by, wait for it. 2, yes two people. Now if two people can get there way, then i would be worried for any club in this country. especially if any club shut up shop for a while for whatever reason, then tried to come back... 30 years ago, no problem, nowadays, big problem... Edited March 2, 2014 by Starman2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehone Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Mildenhall, noise issue brought about by, wait for it. 2, yes two people. Now if two people can get there way, then i would be worried for any club in this country. especially if any club shut up shop for a while for whatever reason, then tried to come back... 30 years ago, no problem, nowadays, big problem... Canterbury closed at the end of '87 because of ONE person!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Canterbury closed at the end of '87 because of ONE person!! There you go, says it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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