omg walthamstow to close

[turny]

walthamstow greyhound staduim arguably the finest greyhound staduim in the country is to close in mid august.

blamed for the closure is bad attendances aligned with later betting office opening hours, the tote turnover is down 35% and running costs are high.

bullshit imo , looks like mr chandler has sold out to property developers for top dollar for real estate highly sought after land with the 2012 olympics coming up.

below is the official line on things:

Official Walthamstow statement
PRESS STATEMENT
Agreed Sale of Company's Land 16 May 2008
The directors of Walthamstow Stadium Limited have agreed to the sale of the Company's freehold property at Walthamstow Stadium to a development consortium led by Yoo Capital, London, and Quadrant Housing Association and K W Linfoot plc. Formal contracts have been exchanged and completion is expected on or before 1st September 2008. Racing will continue until the middle of August 2008.

Since the abolition of General Betting Duty in 2001, with the consequent loss of the unique advantage of tax-free betting only on-course, greyhound punters have been able to bet tax-free off-course, and with betting offices and exchanges open throughout the evening to accommodate them, attendances and betting turnover on-course have declined dramatically. Walthamstow's totalisator turnover alone has fallen by some 35 per cent during the period.

With all of the principle income streams in sharp decline, and general running costs rising relentlessly, the company's operations have become unsustainable.

Staff and trainers have been notified and now enter a consultation period. It is hoped that all will find alternative positions after operations cease. From an animal welfare point of view, it is anticipated that most of the greyhounds currently racing at the Stadium will be accommodated at other racecourses. If, however, certain owners choose to retire their greyhounds, every effort will be made to support them in finding suitable homes.







whatever the reason its a sad day for greyhound racing

[bolt pp]

wow, so sick, good memories from the stow

I remember i was on my way to catford and i stopped in the pub and the landlord showed me on teletext that they announced the track was closing.......................on the same day!!!!!!!!

lol, i couldn't believe it, they still haven't done anything with the track or carpark all these years later.

He might have sold out but the betting shops are taking the piss with their opening hours these days, all so they can keep the roulette machines going longer, i know a lot of private bookmakers make so much more on the machines than anything else but it's gotten silly now, they'd be open 24 hours if they were allowed to and it's affecting other areas of the industry

[Colchester Kev]

Nooooooooooooo Charlie Chans RIP, I spent some drunken nights there in my younger days

[turny]

dont get me wrong i dont blame him for selling just feel a more honest reason should be forthcoming.

betting shops were on there arse before roulette machines were introduced, now they keep them alive.


white city, harringay, catford, westham, wembley stamford bridge and now walthamstow!

this leaves as far as im aware wimbledon as the only surviving london track

[Horneris]

Kinsley FTW.

[Colchester Kev]

dont get me wrong i dont blame him for selling just feel a more honest reason should be forthcoming.

betting shops were on there arse before roulette machines were introduced, now they keep them alive.


white city, harringay, catford, westham, wembley stamford bridge and now walthamstow!

this leaves as far as im aware wimbledon as the only surviving london track

Romford

[bolt pp]

betting shops were on there arse before roulette machines were introduced

 

I didnt think the big firms knew how to be in trouble?

seems silly building new tracks and trying to repopulise the sport, it's obviously a dying game, people would rather bet indoors online, or play poker, bingo etc to go out for a night at the dogs, there just doesnt seem to be that many new people coming into the game, a lot of the poeple still about are the mob from the 60s, 70s and 80s, i think in 50-60 years time there wont be any greyhound racing unfortunatley.

Charlie chans, so sick, good days

[bolt pp]

dont get me wrong i dont blame him for selling just feel a more honest reason should be forthcoming.

betting shops were on there arse before roulette machines were introduced, now they keep them alive.


white city, harringay, catford, westham, wembley stamford bridge and now walthamstow!

this leaves as far as im aware wimbledon as the only surviving london track

Romford

 

[turny]

dont get me wrong i dont blame him for selling just feel a more honest reason should be forthcoming.

betting shops were on there arse before roulette machines were introduced, now they keep them alive.


white city, harringay, catford, westham, wembley stamford bridge and now walthamstow!

this leaves as far as im aware wimbledon as the only surviving london track

Romford

romford is not in london kev, you should know that!

[turny]

and it dont help with ***** like this lobbying!!!!!!!

http://www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/londonTracks.htm

[Rookie (Rodney)]

lol we had this debate before !

[Colchester Kev]

Romford IS in London FACT.

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Romford IS in London FACT.

When i said it was when we went before both you and turny said it wasnt! Make your mind up!

[Colchester Kev]

Romford IS in London FACT.

When i said it was when we went before both you and turny said it wasnt! Make your mind up!

I wouldnt have said it wasnt, cos I know it is.

[bolt pp]

and it dont help with ***** like this lobbying!!!!!!!

http://www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/londonTracks.htm

 

sad people

In what parallel universe could greyhound racing be considered cruel.

Why is it when the dogs come out of the traps they dont all stop and look at eachother and say: "this is bollocks, lets go back to the kennels, i'm freezing"?