Greyhound racing at Abbey Stadium to finish at end of year
Greyhound racing will come to an end at Swindon’s Abbey Stadium at the end of the year
Greyhound racing will come to an end at Swindon’s Abbey Stadium at the end of the year.
Gaming International, which owns the stadium in north Swindon says the meeting on Tuesday, December 30 will be the last at the Blunsdon St Andrew venue.
It brings into doubt the entire future of the stadium which used to host both dog racing and speedway – but speedway has not been held there since before the 2020 lockdown five years ago.
Clarke Osborne, Chairman of Gaming International, said: “It is with profound sadness that we make this announcement today, sadness for our loyal family of colleagues and for our Greyhound Trainers, some of whom have been with us for over 30 years.”
“We understand that while some will welcome this announcement, there are others for whom this decision creates uncertainty for their futures. Let me be clear – we are committed to a sustainable and phased closure of the site which provides continued financial support for our trainers, and colleagues, through to the end of operations next year. We will work together in the months to come, providing support during this difficult period of change.”
“I am sure there will be much debate on the history and future of greyhound racing in the UK during the months to come and I will certainly participate. For us, the closure of racing at the Abbey Stadium in December will mark the end of 73 years of greyhound racing promotion for this company and over 40 years for me personally. All things end and no one is able to hold back the changes in technology and trends in leisure pursuits. We must all look forward and embrace the future with hope and enthusiasm.”
“I hope and have the enthusiasm to maintain our presence in the Swindon leisure market in the years to come.”
The company says virtually no members of the public attend Abbey Stadium – which is still being rebuilt – and racing there is no longer viable with a reliance on media rights revenues alone to cover the rapidly increasing cost of staging racing.
The company says costs have also increased.
The news will be welcomed by The Stop Swindon Greyhound racing campaign group, and perhaps Swindon North MP Will Stone who has said he would like to see the sport banned entirely in the UK.
But it will increase fears that another leisure facility will be lost to Swindon, with the site being seen as prime land for housing development.
Gaming International is leading a consortium Swindon Motorsport to develop a new stadium on the edge of the borough at Studley Grange.