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Either way after tonight Lakeside will no longer exist, our run at Rye was temporary as a stop gap to get our fixtures completed, which we did.

"They" however do not have licence to run speedway at Rye House, it is not down to them whether they do or not run there in the future, its down to other parties as to whether they wish to hire out the venue to another promotion (same with Kent or Eastbourne).

Even if Stuart wishes to keep going next season, he must have learnt by now, you can't simply move a club and carry on, there isn't a club in history that has successfully moved venues other than those who have moved the odd mile or two.

I would rather not lose the Hammers, but to me we lost them once we left our spiritual home of Arena Essex.

Maybe we will see Stuart pop up somewhere else where there is a track without a promoter as a opposed to a promoter without a track.

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A decision will have to be made by the AGM in mid November so instead of potentially harmful speculation, for the sake of waiting 3 weeks or so why not watch this space. You might find a few surprises. Jon has already dropped a heavy hint that next season has already been discussed with the riders and all would be interested in returning, although of course the points limit means they can't all have places. As I understand it, nothing has yet been ruled in or out, but IF Lakeside return we might well expect a different shape and differently prepared track to the one we inherited. 

Its a shame the season was tarnished by Rob Gofreys influence and the necessary move to Rye but up til the time we left Arena I thought it was the best and most entertaining team for several years. 

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7 hours ago, cityrebel said:

You can criticise people for being negative, but I attended every competitive Hammers match at Arena and Rye this season. I paid my money, I'm entitled to an opinion. The move to Rye might have been the only option available to the club, but its turned out to be a disaster. Arena Essex might have been considered a dump by a lot of people, but how i miss it now. I shudder to think what the financial implications are for the club since the move.

I think the financial implications at Rye House are/ were preferable to dealing with Dick Turpin &Co at Aena. 

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9 minutes ago, Daytripper said:

A decision will have to be made by the AGM in mid November so instead of potentially harmful speculation, for the sake of waiting 3 weeks or so why not watch this space. You might find a few surprises. Jon has already dropped a heavy hint that next season has already been discussed with the riders and all would be interested in returning, although of course the points limit means they can't all have places. As I understand it, nothing has yet been ruled in or out, but IF Lakeside return we might well expect a different shape and differently prepared track to the one we inherited. 

Its a shame the season was tarnished by Rob Gofreys influence and the necessary move to Rye but up til the time we left Arena I thought it was the best and most entertaining team for several years. 

To say inherited makes it sound like we brought the place, we merely hired it for a few weeks and there is nothing to say they will allow us to hire it next season, even if we did want to use it, we have no track of our own, we do not own the rights to promote at any track that already has other parties with the licence.

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I would imagine it would take a lot of money to bring Rye House stadium up to scratch. The car park and spectator facilities need a major revamp, plus the track needs reshaping and relaying. The track lighting is also in need of upgrading. Who is going to foot the bill for all of this. I can't see BMR doing this for a meagre rent from any prospective tennants. Lakeside speedway have a huge decision to make regarding Rye. It might be the only option on the table, i don't envy them.

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For what it is worth, I believe the Hammers will effectively cease to exist having now completed the season.

Rye House was merely an expedient - I still do not understand the logic of the authorities in ruling we had to switch all remaining fixtures to RH rather than just run the ones we could not fit in at Arena - but then this is speedway , often devoid of any logic. RH is much, much worse than Arena - poor viewing, poor racing, poor lighting and, as others have said, not really a viable option without major and costly changes.

Thanks for the memories.

 

Edited by TonyE
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A very long and sincere thank you to just about everybody on the home site

looking very ominous to me really do hope I am wrong.

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Agreed, it reads like an obituary/farewell.

So sad.

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It really is sad but to be honest I made my peace with it after the Glasgow meeting. It’s been hard not going as it’s been part of my life for over 30 years but I have found other things to do to replace speedway.

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On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 6:26 PM, tocha said:

Apart from the Rye House Stadium being in a rather chaotic state you are never going to get a decent racing strip until someone can invest in braking up the tarmac/concrete base left behind when stock cars used to run. It wasn't quite so bad in Len's time when, I think, the straights were shorter and less banking, not to mention, the infamous adverse camber on the second bend. Eastbourne might be an option and now they, sadly, have lost their commander in chief, I can see Jon returning and applying to join the Championship. Signings, Scott Nicholls, Edward Kennett to join Jason Edwards and Tom Brennan maybe.

If this happens would Lakeside have to change their name to Seaside?:rolleyes:

Moving a Speedway team out of its area of emotional attachment simply doesn't work..

Crowds are not large enough in the first place to do what for example MK Dons managed as they had the football windfall cash to fall back on if crowds were poor..

If you are only getting 500 or so 'loyal local followers' then moving it several tens of miles away can only reduce that meagre crowd level further. And won't get many of the locals from the new base to attend as its not 'their team'..

I would suggest the only way to make it work for the promoters is to take over at another track and change names...

Sad to see, but just one track of several more to go over the next few years I would say..

British Speedway reaping what it has sowed for far, far too long..

Edited by mikebv

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54 minutes ago, liam said:

It really is sad but to be honest I made my peace with it after the Glasgow meeting. It’s been hard not going as it’s been part of my life for over 30 years but I have found other things to do to replace speedway.

I am totally with you on this one. I have been to watch the Hammers once at Rye and that was the double header with Peterborough. To me, it was not The Hammers. The Hammers are (Were) Arena Essex, and it really was not the same. Add to that the mess the sport is in and the muppets running it doing their best to ruin it, i have not missed it. 

I too have found other things to do - thanks for the memories. 

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17 minutes ago, Eyejay said:

I am totally with you on this one. I have been to watch the Hammers once at Rye and that was the double header with Peterborough. To me, it was not The Hammers. The Hammers are (Were) Arena Essex, and it really was not the same. Add to that the mess the sport is in and the muppets running it doing their best to ruin it, i have not missed it. 

I too have found other things to do - thanks for the memories. 

I will always look out for their results and if they do stay at Rye I will maybe make the odd meeting but it will never be the same to me. I miss Arena and although it’s only recently happened I have found that as the weeks went on I missed it less which surprised me as I only missed a handful of home meetings over all them years. Like others have said thanks for the memories!

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2 hours ago, liam said:

It really is sad but to be honest I made my peace with it after the Glasgow meeting. It’s been hard not going as it’s been part of my life for over 30 years but I have found other things to do to replace speedway.

I am in a similar situation, I let it go! all I want now is for its history to be respected and left as is it, in the past, at Arena!

Even if there was somewhere else in Essex to go to, I wouldn't want the club to carry on in that name, it should be a fresh start, new identity, the works.

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23 hours ago, TonyE said:

For what it is worth, I believe the Hammers will effectively cease to exist having now completed the season.

Rye House was merely an expedient - I still do not understand the logic of the authorities in ruling we had to switch all remaining fixtures to RH rather than just run the ones we could not fit in at Arena - but then this is speedway , often devoid of any logic. RH is much, much worse than Arena - poor viewing, poor racing, poor lighting and, as others have said, not really a viable option without major and costly changes.

Thanks for the memories.

 

What planet are you living on - The one thing Rye had going for it was better viewing. Much closer to the track and seating around the track.

The racing was very poor, but maybe because it was prepared by the Lakeside track man.  When Rye raced there the racing was better (but not great). The concrete underneath the track needs to be ripped out and the track relaid.

Unfortunately, I do agree with you in that the Hammers will now cease to exist and that is very sad.

 

 

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We will have to agree to differ then - Arena offered, in my opinion, far better all round viewing. Yes, you can get closer at Rye but that isn't everything - agreed the seating is a bonus but seems haphazard in placement. Cannot comment on the influence of the trackman ( I would hope he was heeding what the riders wanted)).

I just do not think anyone is going to stump up the money for the necessary improvements to both track and the poor lighting.

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