It might be all over for Rye House

[Rayleigh]

I have just heard some very sad news that the plans for the Rye House stadium does NOT include ANY speedway.

Like at Coventry and Oxford I think it is important to contact the owners of the Kart Track to politely demonstrate that there is a big demand for Speedway and could they please reconsider their decision.

[noaksey]

What do the plans include?

[RobMcCaffery]

The conversion of the stand to a gym was a concern. Sold down the river, almost literally. Seems they were playing us along to buy time, eh?

 

[Rayleigh]

No proof either way if we being played.

BMR have apparently gone and major plans for another building and a covered football training area.

[RobMcCaffery]

I've made a start by posting this on their Facebook page. Obviously it is only an opening shot.

"A story is circulating in speedway forums that despite encouragement to believe that speedway had a future at Rye House that that is no longer the case. Is it possible to issue a statement to confirm or deny this story please?

I am one of many who have been following speedway for nearly half a century at Rye House and are dismayed that one failed promoting company could spell the death of London and the South East's last remaining speedway track. If so, imagine how you would feel if the situation was reversed?"

[phillwhitewasmad]

its going to be turned into astro turf football pitches 

[steve roberts]

Another sad loss if Rye House is indeed lost to speedway.

[Rayleigh]

Thanks Rob, everybody please support Robs initiative.

[cityrebel]

A predictable but sad end for the launch pad. When i saw the place at the amateur meeting in December, the writing was on the wall. I hope I'm proved wrong and the Rockets will ride again.

[old bob at herne bay]

As cityrebel says, sad but predictable.

Let's not forget that the speedway was effectively killed off by the BSPA decision not to allow Rye House to run on a Saturday evening. That was the beginning of the end.

My only surprise is that the site hasn't been sold for new housing development, as did the Lakeside Bowl . 

Small crumb of comfort is that the local community will retain the land for a sporting activity albeit more b****y  football. 

[RobMcCaffery]

32 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

A predictable but sad end for the launch pad. When i saw the place at the amateur meeting in December, the writing was on the wall. I hope I'm proved wrong and the Rockets will ride again.

Four years on people are still fighting to save Coventry. It's 13 years in the case of Oxford. Sadly now it may well be our turn. It'll be very easy to just give up and say it was inevitable. Don''t the Rockets deserve being fought for or do we just subscribe to the depressing (literally) attitude of the BSF that nothing is ever worth trying, nothing will ever work and everything is doomed to fail?

I'm not sure if my current health will allow me to go too far but hopefully I can make useful suggestions. 

There are four bodies that need to be lobbied:

1 - The Musk family that own the karts. The angles should be (a) That the track was in a short-term downward cycle under poor management and can still be worthwhile. (b) There's over 80 years of sporting history here. This isn't some skateboard park or laser arena. (c) The enormous cachment area for speedway, including the whole of London and an excellent rail link giving opportunities to exceed even the pre-BMR gates. 

2 - Broxbourne Council - Is there sufficient change of use to require fresh planning permission? 

3- Lee Valley Park Authority - These people OWN Rye House. Musk only has a lease. The well-quoted covenant that it must be allowed to stage speedway racing may not be valid, but it must be thought through. The Musks are proposing to offer facilities that exist elsewhere. This the only speedway track for a considerable distance. 

4-The press. I'm out of touch with the local media but we must have contacts at the local papers or BBC Three Counties? 

Of course we could just give up and content ourselves with b"Well I knew it would never come back, aren't I a genius? 

Do people want the Rockets back? If the news is right they'll need to take a saner attitude. Or maybe we just hope the news is wrong? Maybe?

Anyway, it will take better than me to take this up. I wish them well.

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[cityrebel]

I wish them well also. For me personally, i don't live in London anymore. I have far easier options more local to me. As i get older, the thought of squeezing into London transport or sitting in the M25 car park do nothing for me. Those fans that live north of the river should take up the fight, before it's too late.

[old bob at herne bay]

Rob,

Regrettably, not sure that any of the points you make carry any weight without having on board a rich prospective speedway promoter or generous benefactor willing to take on the gamble and invest in speedway. 

Letting your land to a sport that operates 6 months of the year maybe once a fortnight just doesn't make good financial sense when you can get a regular income for a gym , a bunch of astro turf pitches for 12 months year ball sports.

There just isn't any money in letting your land to a speedway in the UK compared to the potential £ millions for other options. 

Coventry and Oxford maybe still in existence as sites, but no one is going to stump up the cash to start up a speedway. Protests coninue  but have they had any success ?? No. The sites will  just lay dormant until the respective councils fall over for the  extra income from business rates and award planning consent  and allow the developers to move in. 

In no particular order .....

Rayleigh, Romford , West Ham, Hackney, New Cross, Arena Essex, Crayford, Wimbledon, Wembley, Canterbury. 

All gone. Dont think any of petition signing did any good at all. ..... they all closed. 

Just one track remains in the South East of England...... Sittingbourne....... which hangs by a thread due to the severe planning constraints. Letters supporting the changes to planning have made no difference. 

 

 

 

[GWC]

Good post Old Bob stadiums like Somerset or Scunthorpe have a chance to survive (Speedway specific) post Covid but I’m concerned the pandemic may hasten the demise of others for development.

[Chris116]

48 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Rob,

Regrettably, not sure that any of the points you make carry any weight without having on board a rich prospective speedway promoter or generous benefactor willing to take on the gamble and invest in speedway. 

Letting your land to a sport that operates 6 months of the year maybe once a fortnight just doesn't make good financial sense when you can get a regular income for a gym , a bunch of astro turf pitches for 12 months year ball sports.

There just isn't any money in letting your land to a speedway in the UK compared to the potential £ millions for other options. 

Coventry and Oxford maybe still in existence as sites, but no one is going to stump up the cash to start up a speedway. Protests coninue  but have they had any success ?? No. The sites will  just lay dormant until the respective councils fall over for the  extra income from business rates and award planning consent  and allow the developers to move in. 

In no particular order .....

Rayleigh, Romford , West Ham, Hackney, New Cross, Arena Essex, Crayford, Wimbledon, Wembley, Canterbury. 

All gone. Dont think any of petition signing did any good at all. ..... they all closed. 

Just one track remains in the South East of England...... Sittingbourne....... which hangs by a thread due to the severe planning constraints. Letters supporting the changes to planning have made no difference. 

 

 

 

You can add Walthamstow and White City to that list although to be fair both had stopped running both Speedway and Stock Cars before being sold for development.

[pemburyeagle]

1 hour ago, old bob at herne bay said:

 

Just one track remains in the South East of England...... Sittingbourne....... which hangs by a thread due to the severe planning constraints. Letters supporting the changes to planning have made no difference. 

 

Whilst the south-east has lost far too many tracks, don’t forget Eastbourne........

[RobMcCaffery]

2 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Rob,

Regrettably, not sure that any of the points you make carry any weight without having on board a rich prospective speedway promoter or generous benefactor willing to take on the gamble and invest in speedway. 

Letting your land to a sport that operates 6 months of the year maybe once a fortnight just doesn't make good financial sense when you can get a regular income for a gym , a bunch of astro turf pitches for 12 months year ball sports.

There just isn't any money in letting your land to a speedway in the UK compared to the potential £ millions for other options. 

Coventry and Oxford maybe still in existence as sites, but no one is going to stump up the cash to start up a speedway. Protests coninue  but have they had any success ?? No. The sites will  just lay dormant until the respective councils fall over for the  extra income from business rates and award planning consent  and allow the developers to move in. 

In no particular order .....

Rayleigh, Romford , West Ham, Hackney, New Cross, Arena Essex, Crayford, Wimbledon, Wembley, Canterbury. 

All gone. Dont think any of petition signing did any good at all. ..... they all closed. 

Just one track remains in the South East of England...... Sittingbourne....... which hangs by a thread due to the severe planning constraints. Letters supporting the changes to planning have made no difference. 

 

 

 

It's fine Bob, we just sit on our hands and forget it. Why bother trying, eh?

The story is confirmed as true from a primary source. 

I will bow to your wishes and the other relentless negative posters on here. 

It's not worth trying anything is it. 

Thanks, it's much easier to be a useless cynic. 

[RobMcCaffery]

Just to follow-up my posting to Old Bob It's Not Worth Doing Anything Ever from Herne Bay, 

The story is true. I was up for the battle to fight it but coming in here and just seeing relentless negativity you just get sickened by it all.

 

Let's not do anything, try anything because it's never worth trying. 

It's like giving up on a match when you lose a 5-1 in the first heat, but hey that's modern speedway. Not worth helping anyone. Just let it all die. 

I have better things to do than have to fight with people here even before the main fight starts. I came in here to inform but of course the BSF prefer gossip and negativity to facts. Don't ever complain why speedway supporters don't get told what's going on when you have to go through this crap when you do. 

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[iris123]

11 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Just to follow-up my posting to Old Bob It's Not Worth Doing Anything Ever from Herne Bay, 

The story is true. I was up for the battle to fight it but coming in here and just seeing relentless negativity you just get sickened by it all.

 

Let's not do anything, try anything because it's never worth trying. 

It's like giving up on a match when you lose a 5-1 in the first heat, but hey that's modern speedway. Not worth helping anyone. Just let it all die. 

I have better things to do than have to fight with people here even before the main fight starts. I came in here to inform but of course the BSF prefer gossip and negativity to facts. Don't ever complain why speedway supporters don't get told what's going on when you have to go through this crap when you do. 

 

Don't over react. You know what it is like here. You've said goodbye often enough. Just get on with doing your bit in private without telling anyone about it. If Rye House is saved, we will know who is responsible. Thanks for your effort in advance

[Pinny]

Rob mcdrama queen at it again.