Eastbourne Speedway

[ruckerroo]

They ought to hang that yard dog Jordan from the highest beam they can .  All those years ruined due to a ponce like him .

[eric i]

I thought the owners were putting unnecessary barriers in place, i.e No NL racing. I expect housing development soon.

[Halifaxtiger]

25 minutes ago, FromBendThree said:

That’s it then.All over for speedway at Arlington, according to consortium hoping to revive Eagles. Stadium not available for speedway. Hunt begins for new venue. As I’ve said before, look at banger track near Gatwick off A23. Statement on Facebook 

If the stadium is still owned by the Dugard family - last I heard it was Eric - I am very surprised that they won't allow speedway at Arlington. The Dugards have always been extremely supportive of the sport and it will be interesting to see what they have to say about the situation. 

[FromBendThree]

4 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

If the stadium is still owned by the Dugard family - last I heard it was Eric - I am very surprised that they won't allow speedway at Arlington. The Dugards have always been extremely supportive of the sport and it will be interesting to see what they have to say about the situation. 

Still owned by Dugards. Eric not as keen as Bob was and I had that from Bob himself 

[Halifaxtiger]

7 minutes ago, FromBendThree said:

Still owned by Dugards. Eric not as keen as Bob was and I had that from Bob himself 

I certainly got told by a very good source close to the family that following Bob's death Eric was very supportive, to the extent that the speedway promotion were not charged rent for holding meetings, only expenses. It might be that experiences with Jordan changed all that, although it would be harsh to tar every potential promotion with the same brush as a con man like him. 

I would like to hear what Eric has to say about the statement that they will not allow speedway given that the Dugard family have been involved with the sport at Eastbourne for decades. 

  

[M.D]

For those not on Facebook..

 

Quote

NO SPEEDWAY IN SUSSEX FOR 2024

The Save Eastbourne Speedway consortium has been forced to admit defeat in their bid to bring racing back to the Arlington Stadium but hopes to return the sport to Sussex remain.

Speedway at the venue dates back to 1928, but owners have now made a final decision that the Stadium will be unavailable in 2024 and beyond. Since the Eagles last came to the tapes in 2021, the Save Eastbourne Speedway project is now forced to turn attentions to finding a new venue within the county.

Save Eastbourne Speedway’s Steve Chantler commented: “It goes without saying that we are devastated to have been informed that the stadium will no longer be available to Speedway. We have been working hard behind the scenes to secure media coverage for the sport, the necessary equipment to stage racing plus the right staff and investors to see the project through. We are determined to prove that the sport can be successful in Sussex, but now that the Arlington Stadium is closed to us it is back to the drawing board and the search for a new venue begins.”

 

[gazzac]

37 minutes ago, M.D said:

For those not on Facebook..

 

 

Thanks to you and all involved for trying, I know you know the family but does seem from the outside that all the noise about not wanting NL etc was just a stalling tactic. Wouldn't have been any speedway at Arlington for decades without the Dugards so shouldn't complain now really I suppose. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by gazzac

[gazzac]

52 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I certainly got told by a very good source close to the family that following Bob's death Eric was very supportive, to the extent that the speedway promotion were not charged rent for holding meetings, only expenses. It might be that experiences with Jordan changed all that, although it would be harsh to tar every potential promotion with the same brush as a con man like him. 

I would like to hear what Eric has to say about the statement that they will not allow speedway given that the Dugard family have been involved with the sport at Eastbourne for decades. 

  

Maybe just fallen out of love with it like a lot of others perhaps , especially in today's climate, economically and everything else really. 

[Ray Stadia]

And yet, bangers and stock cars are running at Arlington. It's a shame a few open meetings can't be staged, to 'test the water' if interest is still there to run speedway? Or it be used as a nursery/training track, especially with the Dugard's experience? 

[gazzac]

26 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

And yet, bangers and stock cars are running at Arlington. It's a shame a few open meetings can't be staged, to 'test the water' if interest is still there to run speedway? Or it be used as a nursery/training track, especially with the Dugard's experience? 

Bangers and stocks are still pulling in pretty good crowds, and imagine Spedeworth have a contract for x amount of years at a time. A lot of the speedway stuff, tractors etc went after the Jordon ruination of the club, so think its full time or nothing really, I genuinely think they may have lost the will for speedway but hopefully they'll be a further statement of why, but imagine probably not.

[Hackett]

A shame but would be no great surprise for the site to be housing in the next couple of years. Eastbourne Speedway was the family night out for a decade as the kids were taken to Arlington in a buggy / carry cot. Living in Surrey no options for Speedway locally unfortunately ; so kids have missed out apart from British Final and British SGP.  Regular speedway is not an option geographically perhaps we will look to visit Oxford or Peteborough in the school holidays but I personally can't see Eastbourne / Lakeside ever returning to speedway. 

[Halifaxtiger]

6 hours ago, Hackett said:

A shame but would be no great surprise for the site to be housing in the next couple of years. Eastbourne Speedway was the family night out for a decade as the kids were taken to Arlington in a buggy / carry cot. Living in Surrey no options for Speedway locally unfortunately ; so kids have missed out apart from British Final and British SGP.  Regular speedway is not an option geographically perhaps we will look to visit Oxford or Peteborough in the school holidays but I personally can't see Eastbourne / Lakeside ever returning to speedway. 

I think there would be a lot of objections to housing planning permission given just how rural the area round Arlington is and just how big a site would be involved (the stadium and car park constitute about half of the total land area), In addition, the stadium makes a considerable amount of money from the activities that take place there.

It will be interesting to see what Eric Dugard has to say (if he says anything). 

One thing is certain: the site (with or without planning permission for housing) would be worth a fortune. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by Halifaxtiger

[gazzac]

4 hours ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I think there would be a lot of objections to housing planning permission given just how rural the area round Arlington is and just how big a site would be involved (the stadium and car park constitute about half of the total land area), In addition, the stadium makes a considerable amount of money from the activities that take place there.

It will be interesting to see what Eric Dugard has to say (if he says anything). 

One thing is certain: the site (with or without planning permission for housing) would be worth a fortune. 

Unfortunately in the south of England objections and being rural don't normally make any difference to housing planning being accepted, I think until Sussex and Kent have no green space they'll  keep going. I live near Chichester which is so overpopulated for the available roads,  utilities, doctors etc, but it seems every bit of green space is being built on with others to be built, can't think the Eastbourne area is likely to be different?

Edited March 16, 2023 by gazzac

[Halifaxtiger]

1 hour ago, gazzac said:

Unfortunately in the south of England objections and being rural don't normally make any difference to housing planning being accepted, I think until Sussex and Kent have no green space they'll  keep going. I live near Chichester which is so overpopulated for the available roads,  utilities, doctors etc, but it seems every bit of green space is being built on with others to be built, can't think the Eastbourne area is likely to be different?

I live near Halifax and its no different (most of the borough of Calderdale is as rural as Sussex or Kent). 

What I am finding, though, is that they tend to build bits on to the edge of towns or use brownfield sites within them. The area owned by the Dugards is pretty big, completely rural and any houses in the area are seven figure prices, suggesting that the current residents would deeply object to the number of houses that could be built and may well have more clout than normal. 

I have to say that I'd find it surprising if it was sold for housing. Worth an enormous amount, no doubt, but the income from current activities at the stadium isn't peanuts. That's why I am surprised at the speedway being refused and will await any comment from Eric Dugard.

[gazzac]

12 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

I live near Halifax and its no different (most of the borough of Calderdale is as rural as Sussex or Kent). 

What I am finding, though, is that they tend to build bits on to the edge of towns or use brownfield sites within them. The area owned by the Dugards is pretty big, completely rural and any houses in the area are seven figure prices, suggesting that the current residents would deeply object to the number of houses that could be built and may well have more clout than normal. 

I have to say that I'd find it surprising if it was sold for housing. Worth an enormous amount, no doubt, but the income from current activities at the stadium isn't peanuts. That's why I am surprised at the speedway being refused and will await any comment from Eric Dugard.

I hope you're right and whatever it's not sold for housing, maybe it just seems like it near me, but obvious brownfield sites never seem to be first choice. Anyway another speedway venue gone by the look of it, along with yours and so many others.

[old bob at herne bay]

What surprises me is that it has taken so long for the Dugard family to make this decision to drop speedway once and for all at Arlington.

If we are to believe  the current bunch of “promoters”, none make an operating profit … they just throw their money in as some sort of hobby, and then whinge at the lack of support from fans. 
Why would the Dugard family ( who are very successful businessmen) want to be involved in such a poor and high risk investment as renting out their stadium for speedway ? 

Never blessed with good crowds in recent years…. I would guess that the late Bob Dugard personally kept the speedway going with his £££.. That era is now over. Reading the SS this week Len Silver reckons 250k will be needed to revive Sittingbourne Central Park … a figure which must apply to restarting Eastbourne ( and any other hopeful venues) so DREAM ON folks ……..

 

 

[SteveLyric2]

54 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

What surprises me is that it has taken so long for the Dugard family to make this decision to drop speedway once and for all at Arlington.

If we are to believe  the current bunch of “promoters”, none make an operating profit … they just throw their money in as some sort of hobby, and then whinge at the lack of support from fans. 
Why would the Dugard family ( who are very successful businessmen) want to be involved in such a poor and high risk investment as renting out their stadium for speedway ? 

Never blessed with good crowds in recent years…. I would guess that the late Bob Dugard personally kept the speedway going with his £££.. That era is now over. Reading the SS this week Len Silver reckons 250k will be needed to revive Sittingbourne Central Park … a figure which must apply to restarting Eastbourne ( and any other hopeful venues) so DREAM ON folks ……..

 

 

....and the award to today's most positive post goes to......?!

[gazzac]

57 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

....and the award to today's most positive post goes to......?!

Wouldn't have expected anything else really.....

[gazzac]

1 hour ago, old bob at herne bay said:

 

Why would the Dugard family ( who are very successful businessmen) want to be involved in such a poor and high risk investment as renting out their stadium for speedway ? 

 

 

 

Any risk would be with the promotion not the Dugards, and with the people involved with trying to bring it back, the Jordon scenario wouldn't have happened again, so probably another reason, anyway thanks for your usual input. 

[old bob at herne bay]

Don’t know how anyone could put a positive spin on “ the stadium is no longer available for speedway.” ? 
 

Unless Elon Musk takes an interest in buying the entire site from Eric for e cars and likes speedway enough to retain the stadium it ain’t gonna happen.