David Hemsley Has Resigned As Promoter Of Leicester Speedway

[Happy Hunter 368]

Have a think about it, there's a few more than that.

Somerset, Plymouth, Scunthorpe & Buxton just to name the ones that I know about.

So at least a thousand there last night. £17,000 on the gate. Wheres that money going? If not paying off the debt to the riders the current promotion should have their licenses removed for good.

Some of that thousand would be season ticket holders and some would pay £15 concession so it might be less that £17,000 but your point is still valid.

[Skidder1 7,632]

Less 20% VAT.

[Tsunami 10,219]

A lot of clubs have closed mid season over the years . and although the bond is supposed to pay wages outstanding , I have never herard of that being the case once , the money just dissapears into the coffers of the BSPA and the riders are left empty handed

The bond is used to pay all speedway debts. The BSPA, Riders and other clubs.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

If Leicester was purpose-built I think we need to launch an investigation to find out what the purpose was.

 

Dismayed to hear suggestions of which track may also be in the same plight.

[1 valve 558]

Somerset, Plymouth, Scunthorpe & Buxton just to name the ones that I know about.

Some of that thousand would be season ticket holders and some would pay £15 concession so it might be less that £17,000 but your point is still valid.

some in for free on the night having cashed in the ticket for the cancelled fixture v Poole.

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

some in for free on the night having cashed in the ticket for the cancelled fixture v Poole.......

 

Or even the Kings Lynn tickets, after eventually finding them, so that's 2 who didn't pay on the night.

[1 valve 558]

I would like to know where the cash from Leicester is going as majority of the loans taken out for the stadium are well on track to be paid off and the riders and suppliers are not being paid so is obviously being put into some account.

As crowds are dropping then the amount of cash available after paying off bank principle and interest would leave less to pay for other variable costs than first envisaged so maybe no mystery account actually exists.

As DH is not now promoting Leicester it looks like he is left with the stadium (as owner) for which he would charge the club to use (to cover his bank and other maintenance costs) which is a reasonable expectancy.

Rather than just point an accusing finger at DH - it might be worth casting a look at the BSPA who's actions have played their part in no small way to the plight at Leicester by creating a circumstance where the running of a speedway club is forced into the hands of co promoters whilst preventing the majority shareholder from being able to run his business on a day to day basis.

Given that scenario it appears far from reasonable to expect DH to be held responsible for paying the bills associated with the actual promotion of the meetings. Well done BSPA for creating the nonsensical vacuum and as they created the mess, then perhaps they should set about solving it ...amicably.

Edited August 31, 2016 by 1 valve

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

The bspa did not cause this mess only one person is responsible and that man is the owner of Leicester Speedway.

 

He can pay his fine and see if he gets his license back. No fine paid no license. He can't sell until his fine is paid as bspa will not grant a promoters license to a new promoter.

 

Its a mess which will only end one way.

[Silver Cheetah Snr 113]

Or it could all end up in a proper court of law and then heaven help the BSPA.

[Tsunami 10,219]

As crowds are dropping then the amount of cash available after paying off bank principle and interest would leave less to pay for other variable costs than first envisaged so maybe no mystery account actually exists.

As DH is not now promoting Leicester it looks like he is left with the stadium (as owner) for which he would charge the club to use (to cover his bank and other maintenance costs) which is a reasonable expectancy.

Rather than just point an accusing finger at DH - it might be worth casting a look at the BSPA who's actions have played their part in no small way to the plight at Leicester by creating a circumstance where the running of a speedway club is forced into the hands of co promoters whilst preventing the majority shareholder from being able to run his business on a day to day basis.

Given that scenario it appears far from reasonable to expect DH to be held responsible for paying the bills associated with the actual promotion of the meetings. Well done BSPA for creating the nonsensical vacuum and as they created the mess, then perhaps they should set about solving it ...amicably.

All the problems at Leicester have been caused by DH. He had to go and lose his licence through his own unsavoury behaviour. Obeying the rules and acting properly seems beyond him. BSPA didn't cause that.

Or it could all end up in a proper court of law and then heaven help the BSPA.

Usual jaundiced slant on things Speedway.

[1 valve 558]

The bspa did not cause this mess only one person is responsible and that man is the owner of Leicester Speedway.

 

He can pay his fine and see if he gets his license back. No fine paid no license. He can't sell until his fine is paid as bspa will not grant a promoters license to a new promoter.

 

Its a mess which will only end one way.

The BSPA contributed to the mess by instigating a unreasonably high level of fine which DH lodged an appeal against. I do not know the outcome of that appeal but it would have been reasonable to expect no further sanctions by the BSPA until the outcome was known. if they had done that then more than likely, riders and others would have been promptly paid.

If the appeal has been heard in favor of the BSPA then it looks like DH has said enough is enough. If it has not yet been heard, then difficult to see why DH should pay the fine to see if he would get his license back.

As for the future, the £50k lodge once forfeited at the season end would open the door for a new promoter (DH having been banned) to apply for a license to promote at Leicester and hire the stadium from the landlord - who knows, but this is one possible way DH could over time realise the value of his forfeited license.

But...it all could end in tears...in a proper court of law where frankly, usually nobody actually wins and in this case speedway would most definitely be the loser

Edited August 31, 2016 by 1 valve

[Big Al 708]

Just to hark back to flagrag's posts - he says the bond comes into effect when a club is "unable" to make payments to riders (and perhaps other parties).

Does anyone know what actually constitutes "unable"......does it include temporary cash shortage, or does it mean when the company has actually gone into administration or liquidation? Is suspect it is the latter, in which case as Leicester Speedway Ltd is still apparently trading, the riders and others would not currently have access to obtaining money owed from the bond.

I also suspect that if DH is trying to say he is no longer liable because he is no longer the promoter (for whatever reason), that is a red herring because he remains a director of Leicester Speedway Ltd, and as such would still be legally liable for payments due by Leicester Speedway Ltd (whilst it is still trading).

 

From what Flagrag says, the loan from HSBC is almost paid off now (but it still shows as being "live"), but I still suspect that HSBC could be putting the squeeze on.

 

There is another possibility as regards where income is going. Its quite commonplace with these sort of companies, for the proprietor/director to build into the company's debts a sum of money to re-imburse that person from the company's income for "professional services" that he himself has provided in setting up the company and developing it (in terms of time and expertise). In this case, the person would be David Hemsley, and he takes out what he is "owed". Perfectly legitimate, by the way. Maybe that's what has been happening recently. Think Philip Green and BHS but on a far smaller scale.

[flagrag 704]

Big Al The debts to the bank would still show as live as like a mortgage for a house is taken over a fixed long term period I understand the club have been trying to pay it off early so that they could then ask for new finance to do stadium improvement.

 

It is clear that David Hemsley is finished as a Speedway Promotor and agree some is of his own making but the BSPA are not helping the situation with the fines and as they say he is no longer a Promotor the club have not had their share of the shared events money from British final,Fours,pairs etc or the Sky payments that other clubs have had.

 

The Leicester promotion made it clear to BSPA that they were not paying Points money as they are not promotors any more and gave them the option to remove the club from the league but the association decided to keep them in.

 

I do believe that the BSPA will allow somebody else to take over the club and waive the fine as long as there is evidence that it is nothing to do with the current Hemsley promotion.

 

The biggest hurdle will be agreeing a deal with David to rent the stadium although he has openly said he will not be stupid with rent charges as he still has to pay the bills and loans as well as wanting to go to watch racing himself.

[robert72 845]

Big Al The debts to the bank would still show as live as like a mortgage for a house is taken over a fixed long term period I understand the club have been trying to pay it off early so that they could then ask for new finance to do stadium improvement.

It is clear that David Hemsley is finished as a Speedway Promotor and agree some is of his own making but the BSPA are not helping the situation with the fines and as they say he is no longer a Promotor the club have not had their share of the shared events money from British final,Fours,pairs etc or the Sky payments that other clubs have had.

The Leicester promotion made it clear to BSPA that they were not paying Points money as they are not promotors any more and gave them the option to remove the club from the league but the association decided to keep them in.

I do believe that the BSPA will allow somebody else to take over the club and waive the fine as long as there is evidence that it is nothing to do with the current Hemsley promotion.

The biggest hurdle will be agreeing a deal with David to rent the stadium although he has openly said he will not be stupid with rent charges as he still has to pay the bills and loans as well as wanting to go to watch racing himself.

There was talk that former Peterborough promoter/s were interested as they had business interests in the city but were scared off by the price.

 

I fear for the future of the sport in Leicester and the blame is as much with the BSPA and Sky as it is with the vocal promoter.

[Big Al 708]

As DH is no longer the promoter, but still owns the club (Leicester Speedway Ltd), that of course leaves Messrs Darcy and Machin (according to the website) as the promoters.

 

So have those two inherited responsibility for paying riders? They are not directors of LS Ltd so are presumably acting as individuals in their capacity as promoters and not as a company, approved by the BSPA. Presumably the gate takings don't go to Darcy and Machin, but still to Hemsley?? If so isn't he still responsible for paying the riders?