Rye House

[steve roberts]

Am I correct in understanding that the Rye House track has been demolished? Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere (I may have missed it) but I was only informed yesterday.

[noaksey]

1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

Am I correct in understanding that the Rye House track has been demolished? Apologies if it's been mentioned elsewhere (I may have missed it) but I was only informed yesterday.

See the thread in the National league section 

[steve roberts]

1 hour ago, noaksey said:

See the thread in the National league section 

Thanks! I did have a quick look thru' the Rye House section and will attempt to find the relevant story.

Edited December 13, 2020 by steve roberts

[steve roberts]

12 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Thanks! I did have a quick look thru' the Rye House section and will attempt to find the relevant story.

Caught up with images of the demolition of Rye House...sad indeed.

[SteveLyric2]

3 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Caught up with images of the demolition of Rye House...sad indeed.

There was an article in the Speedway Star a couple of weeks ago that 'a Rockets Fan Group' were in discussion with the local Council on the basis that what the stadium operators were doing contravened the terms of the lease, which I understand includes the fact the 'Speedway must be included'!!?

[BuxtonTiger]

A bit like the covenant on the Old Altrincham Ice Rink, had to be used for sport and leisure. Now houses. I assume Rye House must have speedway will be similar.

[Fortythirtyeight]

6 minutes ago, BuxtonTiger said:

A bit like the covenant on the Old Altrincham Ice Rink, had to be used for sport and leisure. Now houses. I assume Rye House must have speedway will be similar.

Same happened to the Middlesbrough Stadium in the 90’s. “ Must be used for sport “ so they built a college on it and added an all weather five a side pitch at the end.

[mikebv]

17 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Same happened to the Middlesbrough Stadium in the 90’s. “ Must be used for sport “ so they built a college on it and added an all weather five a side pitch at the end.

The old track at Kirky Lane too has a 'covenant' on it that the land must be used for sports...

I presume anyone who buys a house on there must have to buy a dart board?

[a4poster]

There was a rumour of a ‘covenant’ on Exeter’s County Ground.

Sounds like they are not worth the paper they are written on especially if you know the right people.

[waytogo28]

Once they are gone, in terms of speedway, they are gone - we must assume. The best you can hope for is a speedway related street name.

[SteveLyric2]

Lets not forget the Rye House Stadium is remaining, just changing its mix of sports if the 'owners' get their way. As far as the terms of the lease are concerned there are differences to other stadia leases mentioned above on that 'speedway' is actually named as a 'must have' sport.

Whether that carries any weight at all with the local Council or the owners remains to be seen.

The Star article did mention that the Fan Group does have legal and Planning Reg experts on board!!

[cityrebel]

I always thought that Rye House was a purpose built designated speedway stadium. That's how Len managed to shunt the cars out of there back in 2000. Wether that carries any weight nowadays is another matter.

[tyretrax]

Shawfield has a sports covenant on it too.

[greyhoundp]

There are ways to get these Covenants removed whether or not the Covenant on RH is removable i dont know, with regards the lease thats surely something that needs taking up with the Leaseholder/Landlord whoever that may be..

[Tsunami]

On 12/16/2020 at 2:41 PM, greyhoundp said:

There are ways to get these Covenants removed whether or not the Covenant on RH is removable i dont know, with regards the lease thats surely something that needs taking up with the Leaseholder/Landlord whoever that may be..

I know of one plan which involved the moving of the Covenant to a nearby site, which was unable to have housed built on it, and the plan was to then put houses and other developments of the first site.

[GWC]

On 12/16/2020 at 6:35 AM, cityrebel said:

I always thought that Rye House was a purpose built designated speedway stadium. That's how Len managed to shunt the cars out of there back in 2000. Wether that carries any weight nowadays is another matter.

It was built for speedway by Mike Broadbank in the late 50’s after being moved from where the go karts are now based.

Pretty sure the whole area including Karts is designated a sports complex but unfortunately not specific to speedway.

[cityrebel]

3 hours ago, GWC said:

It was built for speedway by Mike Broadbank in the late 50’s after being moved from where the go karts are now based.

Pretty sure the whole area including Karts is designated a sports complex but unfortunately not specific to speedway.

The Rye House track is in its original location. Speedway was kicked out of there in the late 1950's when the dogs moved in from the defunct Hoddesdon greyhound stadium. The Broadbank track was built on the current kart site. When the land was sold off to the karts, the bikes moved back into the stadium. The current smaller circuit was built inside the dog track. I was told all of this by a long time Rye regular, that went to both Rye tracks. I have no reason to doubt his story. 

[Chris116]

51 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

The Rye House track is in its original location. Speedway was kicked out of there in the late 1950's when the dogs moved in from the defunct Hoddesdon greyhound stadium. The Broadbank track was built on the current kart site. When the land was sold off to the karts, the bikes moved back into the stadium. The current smaller circuit was built inside the dog track. I was told all of this by a long time Rye regular, that went to both Rye tracks. I have no reason to doubt his story. 

My father told me that the Broadbanks track was built on the Stock Car track that had been used in the mid 50's but by the time Speedway returned was disused. As a very young fan I stood on the bank and looked at the Broadbanks/old Stock Car track which as we had just started going to the cars as well as bikes I was not happy that there was a disused track . Many years later I would become a flag marshal at the Karts but stopped when the stewards refused to stop a race when a driver was lying in the middle of the track with a broken collarbone. 

[GWC]

22 hours ago, cityrebel said:

The Rye House track is in its original location. Speedway was kicked out of there in the late 1950's when the dogs moved in from the defunct Hoddesdon greyhound stadium. The Broadbank track was built on the current kart site. When the land was sold off to the karts, the bikes moved back into the stadium. The current smaller circuit was built inside the dog track. I was told all of this by a long time Rye regular, that went to both Rye tracks. I have no reason to doubt his story. 

Yes that’s the correct way round I got it a bit confused! - the following is a short note from a friend who grew up in Hoddesdon at went to Rye in the 1950’s -

“The original track 1935 to 1957 was 440yds, some film of this is on YouTube, some showing Dickie Case. In fact in the early days it was known as Dick Case's Speedway. He also ran the pub next door for a number of years. The new track was the brainchild of Mike Broadbank as was the temporary track from late 1958”

 

[cityrebel]

Just an update on the Rye House situation. A mate of mine that lives in nearby Broxbourne popped in to the 'stadium' yeaterday. The speedway circuit has disappeared and the foundations for the new astroturf pitches are being laid. Not good news for those trying to save the track.