steve roberts 9,241 Posted December 13, 2020 41 minutes ago, JohnHyam said: My apologies to those who are for resorting to what could be described as cut-and-paste. But I found this item regarding Rye House and speedway which may be of interest: https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/speedway-fans-devastated-huge-loss-4744877 Thanks for posting that John...so sad to see the demise of another track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rayleigh 362 Posted December 14, 2020 14 hours ago, JohnHyam said: Maybe the criteria the land must be used for sport is being met? That could be covered by five-a-side football, activities in a gymnasium? The clause did not specify sole use for speedway. John, The lease says Motor Sports clearly, now councils have been known to ignore such clear directives hence why we have an ex planning officer in communication with the council. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted December 14, 2020 8 hours ago, Rayleigh said: John, The lease says Motor Sports clearly, now councils have been known to ignore such clear directives hence why we have an ex planning officer in communication with the council. I have been told that the installation of a small karting circuit - even indoors - would meet the lease criteria. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winstoncigar 23 Posted December 14, 2020 (edited) On 12/12/2020 at 6:06 PM, JohnHyam said: I agree. Rye House is 'the past'. Let's look elsewhere and try to salvage where other speedway track problems look likely to arise. I too can't help thinking the time and effort being spent trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse would be better used elsewhere. Start by finding out exactly what happened to Rye House and Lakeside and try and make damn sure the same thing doesn't happen to other clubs. In the meantime I'll keep doing the lottery but it's going to be a while before there'll be another jackpot big enough to save the Rockets. Edited December 14, 2020 by winstoncigar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted December 14, 2020 43 minutes ago, winstoncigar said: I too can't help thinking the time and effort being spent trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse wouldn't be better used elsewhere. Start by finding out exactly what happened to Rye House and Lakeside and try and make damn sure the same thing doesn't happen to other clubs. In the meantime I'll keep doing the lottery but it's going to be a while before there'll be another jackpot big enough to save the Rockets. Don't you mean would be better used? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted December 14, 2020 1 hour ago, winstoncigar said: I too can't help thinking the time and effort being spent trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse wouldn't be better used elsewhere. Start by finding out exactly what happened to Rye House and Lakeside and try and make damn sure the same thing doesn't happen to other clubs. In the meantime I'll keep doing the lottery but it's going to be a while before there'll be another jackpot big enough to save the Rockets. I think the real issue here isn’t just about saving Rye House. It’s about how the sport as a whole has allowed a circuit owned by the speedway promotion, with no curfew or restrictions about race or practise days to die. I have empathy to Lakeside’s plight but their scenario is different to ours in many ways. In Rye House the sport has lost a venue with fantastic potential to help develop British riders and a track with a direct train line into London literally next door. Efforts were made to save Ipswich and Peterborough who are tenants at their tracks. Nobody helped Lakeside, nobody helped Rye House. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winstoncigar 23 Posted December 14, 2020 1 hour ago, JohnHyam said: Don't you mean would be better used? edited Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Stadia 1,062 Posted December 15, 2020 The Rayleigh Rockets moved to Rye House in 1974. At least (apart from a few years break), Rye House have had a speedway track for more years than Rayleigh had. An idea, to keep some kind of 'Castrol R' sport alive in the area, would be to run some Grasstracks in Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire is quite rural, so there must be a field available somewhere. There used to be a great track in Ware, but due to some Roman ruins under the field, was stopped. They have run, recently, events at Ugly, but the original great track they had there, can't be used anymore, due to land slip or something, so they use a field which is quite small. However, a few years back, I did see James Shanes blast round there and on the small track, he was brilliant! From a 'Grasstrack springboard', maybe a new track can be found, eventually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HGould 2,200 Posted December 15, 2020 Sad to see Rye house gone but isn't the bigger worry the fact the NDL might be gone too? Only 3 actual standalone clubs and no news from them or the BSPL about the future? If many NDL riders are needed in CL or PL what happens to NDL? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted December 15, 2020 26 minutes ago, HGould said: Sad to see Rye house gone but isn't the bigger worry the fact the NDL might be gone too? Only 3 actual standalone clubs and no news from them or the BSPL about the future? If many NDL riders are needed in CL or PL what happens to NDL? Don’t worry they can all move into the Championship which is thriving apparently. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HGould 2,200 Posted December 15, 2020 5 hours ago, Ben91 said: Don’t worry they can all move into the Championship which is thriving apparently. Against a 7 team league and a 3 team league it probably is the place to be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted December 15, 2020 2 hours ago, HGould said: Against a 7 team league and a 3 team league it probably is the place to be. Not quite the definition of thriving though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 437 Posted December 15, 2020 Fair play to Ribbons or anyone attempting to make it difficult for Musk. T0ssers like him shouldn't be able to trample over years of history. The best outcome is for motorsports only to be enforced at the site and this will put him in a difficult position. I don't see Rye ever returning now as the track is gone and lease to someone who doesn't care about the club/sport. The whole thing is an absolute disgrace and the Speedway Star should be asking questions about the whole episode. The role of the two imbeciles, Chapman/Godfrey needs to be questioned as they played a major part in the clubs demise. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris 437 Posted December 15, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 9:12 PM, Rayleigh said: I genuinely wish you luck tonight. However on the off chance you don't win then please get behind anybody who is doing his damnest to salvage what is a very bleak situation and I can assure you he has made more progress than many of us thought he would make. Regarding crowd levels I was actually at a meeting with the BMR promoter at the time and he showed us his records from the first season in the Premiership and the highest crowd was 1,800 and nothing under four figures so 600 is easily attainable. This is still a long shot reviving the Rockets but there is a maybe a glimmer of hope. Rye must have averaged around the 1,300-1,500 mark in their first season in the top flight, so it's complete bullsh1t, when people come out with the crowds weren't there. They were there but were never going to be after being forced to run on a weekday by the pair of clowns. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,177 Posted December 16, 2020 4 hours ago, Chris said: Rye must have averaged around the 1,300-1,500 mark in their first season in the top flight, so it's complete bullsh1t, when people come out with the crowds weren't there. They were there but were never going to be after being forced to run on a weekday by the pair of clowns. I understand the frustration, but the changing race nights was not just a UK thing, it was a European speedway issue. Genuine question...Do you think things would have been different if Rye had dropped down a league? Surely they weren't FORCED to race midweek, just had to race midweek if they wanted to be in the top league in the UK? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites