2ndbendbuncher

As you have said it may be a smoke screen by both the BCP and football club saying returning to the stadium is not an option, but dose not rule out a new ground on the old staduim site? the new ground would be a community asset that would provide an all year round sport facility for Poole thats has to be a big tick in the box of any development? the proposed development area is not soley the stadium site its from Barclays including the old BT building and truck park as well, recently a new football ground on the edge of Poole was proposed by the club but this appears to have been turned down by the council and gone quiet, just maybe there is a better future option? As you say we will have to wait and see, enjoy the speedway while its still there.

The process of shutting down the stadium has highly likely already started with the closing of the greyhounds on the back of Covid which was an ideal excuse, there were difficulties for speedway to return post Covid. Sadly for speedway fans the perfect lease holder for BCP is in place to do the job in Mr Osboure with his previous experience in these matters with the latest example being Swindon. Would not be suprised if a smaller football only ground were to be built in some part of the stadiun/car park area for the Dolphins who currently play their football on part of a school field, they have new owners who's previous clubs being Yeovil and Crawley and have big plans for the future, also they have a long time sponsor who are a development company, you can see their work opposite Barclays. Building the football ground would cover the sport use covenant on the site and could be used by the 'community' financed by the developer when redeveloping the stadium site, this process has recently been used for Wimbourne as they sold their old ground to a developer who built them a new one else where in this case the BCP would look favoritly if this was to be part of the redevelopment as the BCP own the land. The BCP have a financial black hole and the area was in the redevelopment council plan recently, factor in that Barclays is being converted into flats the odds of speedway continuining in Poole are sadly very slim,.

The question was to you phillipsr, your location is York? were do you watch live speedway and how many times did you attend a meeting last season? you make comments about Poole and the track but going by your replies you have never attended a meeting at Poole correct?

Was also wondering what the gentleman from York thoughts were on Exeter's old track, from my many visits was certainly not smooth! what did you think on your visits?

Out of interest phillipsr how many meetings last season did you attend at Poole?

The BCP have started a consultation on the 'Local Plan Issues and Options' from today until March, will be interesting with the football club releasing details of their new ground soon.

That's good news about the rent issue, we all know what happens when people move into an area with a potential noise problem, even when its been there years! Looking at the developments in and around BCP at the moment seeing how the maximum is being squeezed out of each. As someone who sat through the last Poole FC public planning meeting for the Bear Wood proposal I will be interested! as its part of a 'major development' and that came straight from the chairman. Hopefully when the Pirates come to the tapes next season it will be difficult to improve on this years team not just the results, enjoyable to watch that created a good atmosphere and finally a much improved track to race on, how nice to have a variety of teams. Did I miss the 'top league' no but then again I had some of the best times following Poole in the National League.

An example of 'community stadiums' Dorchester's ground has had all weather pitch laid, multiple teams using it for training and coaching including Yeovil FC ladies throughout the week, also need to factor in club house facilities for events, I believe Wimbourne now have theirs open to entice people in on non match days all year round. I to do hope we hear positive news soon about the Pirates.

I hope we can watch the Pirates at the stadium next year and for many years to come? Matt Ford is very good at drip feeding the press through out the closed season to keep up interest, but so far no team announced and he has only mentioned the rental issue.

Time to take off pirate tinted glasses, the stadium is only now used for part of the year, occupying a prime piece of land in center of Poole, if the lease holder and council come up with a financial settlement on the remaining years of the lease = one empty stadium which then returns to BCP control to do what they wish, or the lease holder 'assists' with developments.....'football and community stadium' that dose not involve the Pirates. There will still be a sporting facility (new football only ground) on the stadium site so no problems with change of use, surrounded by a new housing development which comes with all the financial benefits to the BCP, sadly a lot boxes being ticked for the council.

In todays Bournemouth Echo the BCP are setting up a council owned company called FuturePlaces 'driving regeneration' in the BCP area, wonder if this will impact on the stadium site?

Yes it was Mr Osborne's decision, the opportunity may have came along with Covid? to allow the stadium to be come unviable then it is no longer worth keeping? putting up the rent to such a level that costs would not be coverable, and the excuse speedway is the 'single tenant' Hope I'm wrong

Its not only me that dose not trust the BCP? I'm not implying Mr Osbourne would be interested in the Dolphins but if the stadium is 'no longer viable' in his eyes with just the speedway using it for part of the year this would handily play into the council hands. A 'community' football stadium that the Dolphins would be able to play in, the council wouldn't have to put a penny in as part of any housing being built on the site the developer would have to assist with the building of the football facility.

I would like to make it clear I am not taking sides with either the speedway or football as a follower of both the Pirates (use to watch riders practice in the early 80's instead of being in the school next door!) and the Dolphins. Observing the current situation with the stadium that is now not in use for large periods of the year because its only has the speedway. It occupies a large area in the center of Poole, in a perfect world the football could return to the stadium with the speedway but we now have the BCP running the area with its targets to build more places to live in the locality as highlighted in a recent report stating the stadium site as a possibility for future development, the on going issue of the football trying to find a better home, the current lease holders track record, just look up the road in Wiltshire! and the difficulties reopening earlier this year and the rent situation, it leaves the speedway in a difficult position, as pointed out the new Dolphins ground is for football and 'community use' it would sadly tick many boxes if the speedway was to disappear with the added bonus of those 'noisy motor bikes' disappearing as they are known to some who live in the area. I hope I am proved wrong and we can still watch the Pirates and the return of the Robins in the future.

Correct, but if stadium site was to be redeveloped to only include a new football ground but with a sizeable flat development on the car park and BT building area with the BCP blessing could the developer 'assist' with the repayment of grants? Wimbourne's new stadium was built by the developer who purchased their original ground.