Derwent Park..update on Town RL forum

[jenga]

its taken a while to have some firm response from someone who has more say and is closer to the management . THJ has backed up all those comments/thoughts  and wants from the die hard fans .i personally now feel that we have had a response that everyone was wanting . (in the wrong kind of way ) . but i feel this chapter is now over for all . we will all have memories from years gone by , some good and as i have mentioned before ,some bad . if workington speedway was a bottle of fine wine . now would be the year to uncork it and have a few glasses in front of the fire . remembering all the great times and enjoy the craic with fellow supporters when they meet . 

its going to be darker and deeper for laura and co in the coming months/years . all we can do is wish them well for the future ..  i was happy to have this form of entertainment on fri/sat nights for a long time .even put money into it big time ! 

made loads of friends through it . riders and fellow fans from other tracks .  but memories and photos are still there to gaze at . 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Edited May 29, 2019 by jenga

[SteelShoe]

1 hour ago, TotallyHonestJohn said:

SS you're not wrong and everyone who is/was passionate about the Comets is hurting, however I am not sure any of the former promotion who quite rightly should be applauded for their success in 2018 will want to disclose their role in the demise of the club and its ultimate failure to come to the tapes in 2019 or to give any details on what has actually gone on with the track or stadium. I would also add to that (non-disclosure) list any discussions that went on with third parties; the council; or the other sporting clubs involved. What I can add is; that there was a genuine intention to run this year however finances dictated otherwise before the track/ground issues were even considered.

For me and as close as I was to the promotion they did try their best but the path they ultimately chose (or were led down) was not sustainable and unless you have a vibrant club (support wise) and in the Comets case that would have been around 750 adults paying around an average of £15:00 each per meeting the whole thing financially was not viable; then of course you could always look to a benefactor who has cash to spare and loves Speedway however KD a very competent businessman sank thousands into the spot before seeing the light and bailing out and of course we all know what has happened to LM and the position she now finds herself in with regards to losing her businesses and the club she loved dearly.

Also this isn't a new phenomena to the Comets as previous owners of the club Eddie Thornborrow and Ron Bagley went through similar pain in the early 80's though not dissimilar it was finances that were the main influence in folding the club. However this is all water under the bridge and everyone (including Jenga) has a view on what the real reason was then as to why the spot folded.

So you may only have some of the truth as to what has gone on and some sensible suggestions on here that are very near to the truth (and some a mile off) but I doubt you will get all of the real reasons, however it is hurting everyone who is/was passionate about their speedway in West Cumbria and those loyal fans who followed the team through thick and thin up and down the country let alone home meetings. The Supporters Trust and the Friends of Workington Speedway who in two seasons sank over £20k into the club setting up direct debits and paying in additional cash all to no avail; these people need answers for sure and no doubt if it ever came back these supporters again would be at the forefront of supporting the club. However I doubt it will ever come back now and I am normally a "pot half full" type of guy but in this case the pot is definitely half empty.

Regards
THJ

Oh!!! got called away from me desk and see you have been at it again so I will stick this one on here as well to respond to. (have you retired; are you on holiday or do you just have time on your hands?)

It would be nice to hear the "Clarion Call" and have something positive to look forward to but where will that come from? who will put up the cash or take the risk to run a business that has seen off Keith Denham and Laura Morgan in recent times and has (as pointed out above) a history of being a major financial risk and a gamble business wise over the years.

As you state "Something along the lines of this would be nice and something we could all get behind":

'Due to the fact that the Workington Comets have had to be displaced from their home at Derwent Park in order to facilitate construction of the new Community Stadium the Council is giving the club its full backing in developing a new home on the site of the training track at Northside. (They weren't displaced? the club run out of money and folded before the ground issues started? if they came back they would now not have a viable home granted; so I would suggest this request is made to the council as you have directed it toward them and see what they say as it is not in any promotions gift to give to the fans) Such a move would reduce the costs of running the sport whilst allowing the club to directly benefit from income generated through food and drink sales. (Why should/would the council be concerned with this (making a private individual money?) and I would suggest it would be a hard sell as the speedway in general does not generate a vast amount of jobs in the community or support any cause that the council can get behind for them (the council) to garner any kudos from the process) There will be great opportunity for local businesses to get involved in the creation of this exciting new facility which see the continuation of what is a great family sport that has been embedded in local sporting heritage and culture over the last 50 years'. (what benefit is there at present to any local business, we (my company) have supported Speedway for the last 10 years and not one job has been earned from this advertising, not one new client has banged on our door saying here is a contract mate as you support the Speedway; and we are not alone in this as speaking to Alan Hedley of Sapphire Engineering a few years back with regards to business opportunity and speedway advertising he said that even as a main sponsor of a club he had not reaped one benefit business wise in all the years he sponsored the Diamonds; not one return for all that investment; again another sensible businessman with no axe to grind being honest)

What the Comets needs first is a Promoter before there is any shouting about where a track can go, then the promoter will need to know what support the council will give him/her. Then a rational business decision will be made as to whether it is viable for the club to run, but again the big issue is support as 450 fans paying on average £15;00 per meeting does not pay for a championship team without secondary income, so where is all this money coming from? sponsorship? because again and what seems only prevalent in speedway is businesses would rather give money to the riders than the club! its crazy as surely no club; no riders! or am I missing something here? maybe the sponsors should pay the riders and save the clubs money that way!

Look at what is successful in the Championship; Glasgow Model: Joking apart we know how they survive; they are losing money hand over fist however they have the support of a very successful company (and family) who back (financially) the Tigers along with some very generous sponsorship, it isn't a problem and it is working for them at present and long may it last, however if this support was racked back then things could be different. Scunthorpe Model: Rob Godfrey has a great set up at Scunny but he will be the first to tell you Speedway costs him money but it is what he loves, Rob owns and runs his venue and has other revenue streams which subsidise the Speedway and Rob runs a tight ship financially and I believe this is the way to go but it is difficult; Redcar and the motor park set up would fit at Northside however Redcar have not been without their own financial problems; and not looking for an argument from any of the clubs mentioned but the woes of speedway in general have been well debated on here with some very pragmatic and sensible arguments (by the likes of mikebv; halifaxtiger; bruv and others) and have been well put and debated to the "nth degree" but will they ever influence the "Powers that be"? I very much doubt it

I hope I am wrong but I think it will be difficult for the sport to return to West Cumbria not withstanding the following

1. A Promoter willing to invest and run it as a business (a hobby or a charity)
2. A Promoter with the financial clout to front up all the costs required to join the BSPA
3. Support from the Council (land; infrastructure and financially)
4. A venue to run the sport from! as the DP option now I feel is dead 
5. Other revenue streams (Scunny Model at a Motor Park type venue)
6. A fan base that at least exceeds 750 people paying on average £15:00
7. A viable business plan
8. BSPA support (or 9. A mug like me to win the Euro Lottery)

I have just scratched the surface here and look forward to being picked apart by all and sundry but I think you had your response from the council with regard to the stadium some time back pre local elections; however what they have said and what they have done have been a total contradiction.

As Private James Frazer said on many an occasion "we're doomed! SS "we're doomed!

Apologies in advance

Regards
THJ

Good read as usual THJ full of brutal reality.  Can you not have a word with Sheik Khaleed see if he also wants to invest in a sport just as exciting as Premier League Footy but currently just lacking a big enough audience ?.

 In my opinion there has never been a more persuasive time to get Council support (land , infrastructure and financial ) than right now.  Keith Denham definitely has the resources to create a facility at Northside. The Thomas Armstrong Speedway Stadium sounds good to me.  Maybe I will have won the Lottery by then anyway !!!

 For those whose pot is half empty ( THJ)  'Hope is being able to see despite all of the darkness' !

Now where did I put those anti depressants .

[TotallyHonestJohn]

21 hours ago, SteelShoe said:

Good read as usual THJ full of brutal reality.  Can you not have a word with Sheik Khaleed see if he also wants to invest in a sport just as exciting as Premier League Footy but currently just lacking a big enough audience ?.

 In my opinion there has never been a more persuasive time to get Council support (land , infrastructure and financial ) than right now.  Keith Denham definitely has the resources to create a facility at Northside. The Thomas Armstrong Speedway Stadium sounds good to me.  Maybe I will have won the Lottery by then anyway !!!

 For those whose pot is half empty ( THJ)  'Hope is being able to see despite all of the darkness' !

Now where did I put those anti depressants .

More chance with Sheikh Ya-leg than Sheikh Khaled.

Unless the Comets can get a Promoter with the available funds and the vision; who can stir up a bit of passion and engage with the council then unfortunately it will never happen. Or the other option is you get someone to run an operation on a shoe string but then you do not attract the fans and it is a total "Catch 22" situation because the standards drop so low and the product is just something that no one wants to watch thus not attracting fans to fund your operation.

Money talks; But it don't sing and dance; And it don't walk " (that song will be in ya head all day now) but you need people in Jeans for that (blue ones apparently) and fans through the doors are a critical factor and I agree Keith Denham is the entrepreneurial type who could make a success of something like this but again its a big ask of someone who has been there and done it; but struggled with it; then ultimately walked away from it at the end of the day and for what thanks? Oh for Mr Denham now eh! all those Grumbletonians who slagged him off remorselessly!!! bitched about him at every opportunity even down to having a go at his family!!! Oh for KD back now eh!!! come home to roost that one like eh?

Again the Thomas Armstrong Motor Park and Xtreme Entertainment Speedway Stadium definitely has a ring to it, although may be not when you look at the acronym. The TAMPAXESS Arena doesn't sound a very nice place to be!!! Sorry!!! So we will go back to your suggestion eh? The Thomas Armstrong Speedway Stadium sounds good to me now!!! Doh!!! Going down the TASS to watch some Speedway!!! yep we will stick with that...

Joking apart what is there in it for a business like Thomas Armstrong, the first thing they will look at is "what's the return for our shareholders", also it isn't really one of their core business footprints either, they would be happy to build it but I think running it would be alien to them. Now the Malhotra Group PLC or a company of that ilk taking over the Northside Site and sticking on a Motor Park with a Hotel and putting on car showrooms and may be a care home utilising a multi occupancy and multi use site could do something like this however it has to get out there and the vision has to be sold to companies like this...

So Mr SS a small 4000 all seat covered in stadium costs about £6 million; regeneration of site; Hotel (Casino maybe) Several Car Show Rooms to Rent out Older Persons Village with Care Homes and Support another £4 Million; so you win somewhere round that on the Lottery and I will come in Develop; Build and Manage the whole set up for you and the combined returns will be colossal... and more importantly fund your hobby of having a Speedway team...

However there is an Aerosmith song that fits the bill here; bit depressing but the lyrics ring true

Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay

I know nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Half my life
Is books, written pages
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you

Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Dream on
Dream on
Dream on
Dream on until your dream come true

DREAM ON big boy because if we didn't have dreams then what would we have. (now I must get some work done; tea break is over and I must get back on my head)

Regards
THJ

 

Edited May 30, 2019 by TotallyHonestJohn
Spelling,

[SteelShoe]

2 hours ago, TotallyHonestJohn said:

More chance with Sheikh Ya-leg than Sheikh Khalid.

Unless the Comets can get a Promoter with the available funds and the vision; who can stir up a bit of passion and engage with the council then unfortunately it will never happen. Or the other option is you get someone to run an operation on a shoe string but then you do not attract the fans and it is a total "Catch 22" situation because the standards drop so low and the product is just something that no one wants to watch thus not attracting fans to fund your operation.

Money talks; But it don't sing and dance; And it don't walk " (that song will be in ya head all day now) but you need people in Jeans for that (blue ones apparently) and fans through the doors are a critical factor and I agree Keith Denham is the entrepreneurial type who could make a success of something like this but again its a big ask of someone who has been there and done it; but struggled with it; then ultimately walked away from it at the end of the day and for what thanks? Oh for Mr Denham now eh! all those Grumbletonians who slagged him off remorselessly!!! bitched about him at every opportunity even down to having a go at his family!!! Oh for KD back now eh!!! come home to roost that one like eh?

Again the Thomas Armstrong Motor Park and Xtreme Entertainment Speedway Stadium definitely has a ring to it, although may be not when you look at the acronym. The TAMPAXESS Arena doesn't sound a very nice place to be!!! Sorry!!! So we will go back to your suggestion eh? The Thomas Armstrong Speedway Stadium sounds good to me now!!! Doh!!! Going down the TASS to watch some Speedway!!! yep we will stick with that...

Joking apart what is there in it for a business like Thomas Armstrong, the first thing they will look at is "what's the return for our shareholders", also it isn't really one of their core business footprints either, they would be happy to build it but I think running it would be alien to them. Now the Malhotra Group PLC or a company of that ilk taking over the Northside Site and sticking on a Motor Park with a Hotel and putting on car showrooms and may be a care home utilising a multi occupancy and multi use site could do something like this however it has to get out there and the vision has to be sold to companies like this...

So Mr SS a small 4000 all seat covered in stadium costs about £6 million; regeneration of site; Hotel (Casino maybe) Several Car Show Rooms to Rent out Older Persons Village with Care Homes and Support another £4 Million; so you win somewhere round that on the Lottery and I will come in Develop; Build and Manage the whole set up for you and the combined returns will be colossal... and more importantly fund your hobby of having a Speedway team...

However there is an Aerosmith song that fits the bill here; bit depressing but the lyrics ring true

Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay

I know nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Half my life
Is books, written pages
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you

Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Dream on
Dream on
Dream on
Dream on until your dream come true

DREAM ON big boy because if we didn't have dreams then what would we have. (now I must get some work done; tea break is over and I must get back on my head)

Regards
THJ

 

 

2 hours ago, TotallyHonestJohn said:

More chance with Sheikh Ya-leg than Sheikh Khalid.

Unless the Comets can get a Promoter with the available funds and the vision; who can stir up a bit of passion and engage with the council then unfortunately it will never happen. Or the other option is you get someone to run an operation on a shoe string but then you do not attract the fans and it is a total "Catch 22" situation because the standards drop so low and the product is just something that no one wants to watch thus not attracting fans to fund your operation.

Money talks; But it don't sing and dance; And it don't walk " (that song will be in ya head all day now) but you need people in Jeans for that (blue ones apparently) and fans through the doors are a critical factor and I agree Keith Denham is the entrepreneurial type who could make a success of something like this but again its a big ask of someone who has been there and done it; but struggled with it; then ultimately walked away from it at the end of the day and for what thanks? Oh for Mr Denham now eh! all those Grumbletonians who slagged him off remorselessly!!! bitched about him at every opportunity even down to having a go at his family!!! Oh for KD back now eh!!! come home to roost that one like eh?

Again the Thomas Armstrong Motor Park and Xtreme Entertainment Speedway Stadium definitely has a ring to it, although may be not when you look at the acronym. The TAMPAXESS Arena doesn't sound a very nice place to be!!! Sorry!!! So we will go back to your suggestion eh? The Thomas Armstrong Speedway Stadium sounds good to me now!!! Doh!!! Going down the TASS to watch some Speedway!!! yep we will stick with that...

Joking apart what is there in it for a business like Thomas Armstrong, the first thing they will look at is "what's the return for our shareholders", also it isn't really one of their core business footprints either, they would be happy to build it but I think running it would be alien to them. Now the Malhotra Group PLC or a company of that ilk taking over the Northside Site and sticking on a Motor Park with a Hotel and putting on car showrooms and may be a care home utilising a multi occupancy and multi use site could do something like this however it has to get out there and the vision has to be sold to companies like this...

So Mr SS a small 4000 all seat covered in stadium costs about £6 million; regeneration of site; Hotel (Casino maybe) Several Car Show Rooms to Rent out Older Persons Village with Care Homes and Support another £4 Million; so you win somewhere round that on the Lottery and I will come in Develop; Build and Manage the whole set up for you and the combined returns will be colossal... and more importantly fund your hobby of having a Speedway team...

However there is an Aerosmith song that fits the bill here; bit depressing but the lyrics ring true

Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay

I know nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Half my life
Is books, written pages
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you

Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

Dream on
Dream on
Dream on
Dream on until your dream come true

DREAM ON big boy because if we didn't have dreams then what would we have. (now I must get some work done; tea break is over and I must get back on my head)

Regards
THJ

 

You kept your talent off this forum for far too long big man you clearly have some type of neurones that are yet to be discovered !. You asked earlier if i'd retired, was on holiday or had too much time on my hands ?, the answer is no to all of them but i'm working on it. Anyhow think i should be asking you that question because i think you have developed forumitis.

Called in at Derwent Park again today for another weep. What i'd really like to know is who gave the bar stewards the right too butcher the track the way they are doing thereby ruining any chance of a return however slim, my blood boils and i'd like some answers. I don't think KD would be amused bearing in mind the money he would have spent making the track as good as it was . Think a peaceful protest is in order.  

[TotallyHonestJohn]

6 minutes ago, SteelShoe said:

 

You kept your talent off this forum for far too long big man you clearly have some type of neurones that are yet to be discovered !. You asked earlier if i'd retired, was on holiday or had too much time on my hands ?, the answer is no to all of them but i'm working on it. Anyhow think i should be asking you that question because i think you have developed forumitis.

Called in at Derwent Park again today for another weep. What i'd really like to know is who gave the bar stewards the right too butcher the track the way they are doing thereby ruining any chance of a return however slim, my blood boils and i'd like some answers. I don't think KD would be amused bearing in mind the money he would have spent making the track as good as it was . Think a peaceful protest is in order.  

Honestly

I have asked the same question without getting a reasonable answer back and I am guessing that the Rugby Club will have had a tenancy contract with the Speedway that basically gave them as landlords the right to do what ever they wanted...

I was aware that the Speedway negotiated on an annual basis the use of DP and obviously the option wasn't taken up this year...

This is the danger when you don't own the venue you use... 

Regards 

THJ 

[jenga]

my take on the venue not being available is  (as i have mentioned before )  that the speedway club would have been in derwent park on a licence and not a lease . with a lease you are tied to renting the ground on a regular period , say 12 months or 12 yrs etc . even if you dont use the stadium , you still have to pay the rental charges etc . 

go in on a licence and either you or the landlord can can terminate your use of the ground . 

so i see it as either,  A..  the speedway did not take up the chance to get the rental stuff in place , B the speedway exercised their right to pull out at any time , or C the rugby club had  wanted them out so the reds could move in . and get their playing surface  nice and cosy ready for the new season . but as most of the ripping up of the track was done after the speedway folded , it will be hard to prove otherwise !

[Carlislecomet2]

Well, by SS and J poking away with a rather sharp stick in his general direction THJ has put together a coherent, honest, and fairly concise (for him) explanation as to why we no longer have speedway at DP.

I don't really believe we needed it to be 'honest', but thank you THJ anyway. All that was needed was to do a head count (and you could do it between heats) of the number of patrons who frequented last year (our most successful season ever) to watch a sport that all those that were there love but one which everyone knows is dying on its a**e in this country.

Sad, but inevitable unfortunately, with or without the new stadium plans.

PS To any North Cumbrian, speedway loving multi -millionaire, there's plenty of room at the Enterprise Zone at Kingmoor Park, here in Carlisle. Cumbria's premier business park. Just saying like.

 

[comet49]

1 hour ago, Carlislecomet2 said:

Well, by SS and J poking away with a rather sharp stick in his general direction THJ has put together a coherent, honest, and fairly concise (for him) explanation as to why we no longer have speedway at DP.

I don't really believe we needed it to be 'honest', but thank you THJ anyway. All that was needed was to do a head count (and you could do it between heats) of the number of patrons who frequented last year (our most successful season ever) to watch a sport that all those that were there love but one which everyone knows is dying on its a**e in this country.

Sad, but inevitable unfortunately, with or without the new stadium plans.

PS To any North Cumbrian, speedway loving multi -millionaire, there's plenty of room at the Enterprise Zone at Kingmoor Park, here in Carlisle. Cumbria's premier business park. Just saying like.

 

Wonder what Michael Knighton’s doing these days..

Edited May 31, 2019 by comet49

[Carlislecomet2]

4 hours ago, comet49 said:

Wonder what Michael Knighton’s doing these days..

Aye, he was as mad as a box of frogs but we had some good times whilst he was in charge, and it was certainly never dull.

The exact opposite of what we have at present, with the 3 stooges. Even the demise of the Comets will not get me back to Brunton Park for my live sporting fix. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Carlislecomet2

[StevePark]

3 hours ago, comet49 said:

Wonder what Michael Knighton’s doing these days..

http://michaelknighton.co.uk/

 

[topaz325]

Northside up and running again, training sessions scheduled for June 2019.

[jenga]

expecting crowds of over 1,000 . time to support it .

[SteelShoe]

On 5/31/2019 at 6:33 PM, Carlislecomet2 said:

Well, by SS and J poking away with a rather sharp stick in his general direction THJ has put together a coherent, honest, and fairly concise (for him) explanation as to why we no longer have speedway at DP.

I don't really believe we needed it to be 'honest', but thank you THJ anyway. All that was needed was to do a head count (and you could do it between heats) of the number of patrons who frequented last year (our most successful season ever) to watch a sport that all those that were there love but one which everyone knows is dying on its a**e in this country.

Sad, but inevitable unfortunately, with or without the new stadium plans.

PS To any North Cumbrian, speedway loving multi -millionaire, there's plenty of room at the Enterprise Zone at Kingmoor Park, here in Carlisle. Cumbria's premier business park. Just saying like.

 

Although the crowds weren't great they stood up pretty well against the majority of Championship clubs that i visited last season.  The level of sponsorship the club were able to generate was vital and obviously not enough to adequately offset costs over a number of seasons.. We all know  about the additional costs the club had to pay for rent and a requirement for unrealistic numbers of stewards which didn't help.

As you say Speedway is currently in decline in the UK but we have to hope that the people running the sport can come up with the inspired changes to turn it around before it declines further.

Funny you appealing for a millionaire to start the sport in Carlisle after stating that it's is dying on its a**e. 

The irresponsible people who have butchered the track at Derwent Park have in my opinion precluded speedway being ridden there ever again and for me there has to be some accountability for that. The most realistic way that can happen is for the Council to get behind any initiative to re-site the club. What is needed is for a person, group or company to show the vision and determination to bring it back. If this happens i believe that in the longer term what is happening now could ultimately prove beneficial to the longer term sustainability of the club.

Edited June 1, 2019 by SteelShoe

[geoff100]

According to the "news and star" website allerdale have paid £100,000 to reseed the pitch , so much for wanting to do all they can to help the comets .

[SteelShoe]

8 hours ago, geoff100 said:

According to the "news and star" website allerdale have paid £100,000 to reseed the pitch , so much for wanting to do all they can to help the comets .

That should be £100K to reseed the pitch and destroy the speedway track geoff.

[gregory peck]

So if and when the new stadium gets the go ahead(last I heard the powers that be were spinning a coin, heads or tails) what becomes of derwent Park?

[geoff100]

11 minutes ago, gregory peck said:

So if and when the new stadium gets the go ahead(last I heard the powers that be were spinning a coin, heads or tails) what becomes of derwent Park?

Sellafield offices  

[jenga]

1 hour ago, geoff100 said:

Sellafield offices  

so where in Derwent park will they be situated , car park , back of tescoes  , because they cant put them in the town (rugby ) building  or are they building new ones @ DP or portacabins on the new k100,000 pitch .?

 

the new offices are to be @ the new stadium?  

[SteelShoe]

2 hours ago, gregory peck said:

So if and when the new stadium gets the go ahead(last I heard the powers that be were spinning a coin, heads or tails) what becomes of derwent Park?

i think in the short term nothing, longer term i don't know.

If financial problems hadn't precluded Comets running in 2019 then in the absence of any other current option it would have been their home certainly for the next 2 years and probably longer. Bearing this in mind then, the extent of damage that has subsequently been done to the track is way different to what would have  happened if Comets had  been running in 2019.

The question is then, what has/ or is going on for Town to change the scope of work to the extent where they have probably precluded speedway ever being run there again ???. 

Town are the ones with least to lose here because even if the Community Stadium doesn't happen then they have got a brand new pitch costing circa £100K and got rid of Speedway . On the face of it that is very poor form indeed and unless there is another plan (i'm dreaming on THJ) then its nothing short of dispicable by all parties concerned.

Edited June 2, 2019 by SteelShoe

[Lord Lucan]

Just shows the folly of all of this?

Allerdale spending hundreds of thousands in taxpayers cash to reseed DP in order to bring it up to standard for both football and rugby, exactly the same job will be done on the new stadium, if and when it gets the go ahead, millions to be spent on the project in general which begs the question...

if Allerdale had just spent a "few" million bringing "both" existing grounds up to an acceptable standard then the speedway track could easily have been retained and kept for future re use when required, instead, they chose to build one new stadium for two crap outfits and condemn the most successful sport we had into the realms of obscurity?

I was told that, during the recent local election canvassing, that both grounds had a finite lifespan (within 5yrs) in their present condition which would have seen the H&S executive declare both to be unfit for public use therefore the new stadium was essential for the survival of both Reds and Town, I asked about the Comets and why they were not included in this and he replied, with a cheap smile on his face that, DP was there for them to use but she (Laura) had no money to invest so....goodnight Vienna?

Cant see anyone crazy enough now to try and bring speedway back in the context of having to find a completely new home/track/team/support services/access etc for possibly a couple of seasons depending on the level of support as it's just not now looking a viable proposition, with DP still on the cards then yes, a chance but, in my opinion, not even a slim one especially on viewing those pix of the current state of affairs?

Happy memories from the Comets, we just wont be making any more of those!!