Rally aims to bring 'stay of execution' for Peterborough Panthers
Hundreds of speedway fans are due to attend the rally this afternoon
The organiser of a rally to try and save the home of the Peterborough Panthers speedway team hopes it can help secure the track for a while longer.
Hundreds of Panthers fans are due to turn out in the city's Cathedral Square from midday today in support of saving the East of England Showground track, which is planned to be redeveloped.
Club riders and officials are expected to attend the rally, with speeches from the likes of Peterborough mayor Cllr Nick Sandford and Andrew Pakes, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Peterborough, from 1.30pm.
City councillor Julie Stevenson has helped set up the event:
"What we're hoping for is to attract new ownership and a stay of execution so the track can stay in place for a little while longer until the club has more stability because if the track goes, the club dies," she said.
"I hope the developers and the showground owners will have a heart and give us more time so speedway isn't lost forever."
Shale from speedway track saved in tribute to fans
A consortium that's aiming to take over Peterborough Panthers have bottled shale from the now redundant Showground track, which has been the place where club fans have had their ashes scattered.
Mick Bratley, one member of the six-man consortium group, said the shale will be kept safe ready to be used on a future racetrack as a mark of respect to fans.
Showground track already removed, say developers
Developers Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG) are planning to build up to 1,500 homes and a leisure village on the 165-acre East of England Showground site.
In a statement, AEPG said in the last few weeks Keith Chapman, current Panthers owner, has been removing the track, pits, fences and other items at the Showground.
AEPG recognised the consortium's work in trying to save the track from redevelopment.
But the developers said "speedway has only ever been run on an event-by-event basis and there is no requirement by the landowner (East of England Agricultural Society) to commit to this continuing."
Previously, AEPG said due to reasons such as falling attendances that it was "not commercially viable" to continue running speedway at the Showground.
It added that the "decision not to renew the arrangement for running speedway meets would remain, irrespective of any planning applications on the land".
"It's a family sport where generations get together"
The meeting was organised to mark the end of 53 years of speedway at the venue.
Cllr Stevenson is hoping the city centre will be painted in the Panthers' red and black colours not just by speedway fans, but by the general public, too.
"We need to make sure the general public understands that 'you may not be fans of speedway', but for those who are, it's incredibly important as it's a family sport where generations of families get together to enjoy it," she added.
"Speedway is one example of an important pastime for people that does so much for their mental and physical health; it gets people outside, together and that's something we should all want to fight for."