Wackie 938 Posted April 28, 2017 What Wackie meant was that GL had a short term lease on the land from Reading Borough council- and that RBC also owned the land where the new stadium was planned for. At what stage prudential purchased Smallmead I`m not quite sure of the timescale. Saw this week that houses a conference centre & an ice rink are planned to be built on the land behind the Mad Stad in a development called Royal Elm Park! Nothing specific about the demolished Smallmead site but the plans look as though they may also emcompass the area! We still could of had another10 years there! Crying shame! http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/free-reading-fc-buses-included-12952913 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,247 Posted April 28, 2017 What Wackie meant was that GL had a short term lease on the land from Reading Borough council- and that RBC also owned the land where the new stadium was planned for. At what stage prudential purchased Smallmead I`m not quite sure of the timescale. Reg Fearman, in his book, comments on how the lease had been re-negotoated under the Dore/Bliss promotional era which in effect shortened 'The Racers' tenure! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,745 Posted April 28, 2017 Reg Fearman, in his book, comments on how the lease had been re-negotoated under the Dore/Bliss promotional era which in effect shortened 'The Racers' tenure! 99 years down to 25 years. however Fearman wasn`t totally blameless because things should have been done eg Landscaping when he was there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,745 Posted April 28, 2017 Reg Fearman with Len Silver, Bill Dore plus one were the directors of Allied Presentations who obtained planning permission to build Smallmead stadium. One of the planning conditions was that Allied Presentations should pay for the traffic lights which were installed on the Basingstoke Road junction to give access to the new stadium. This payment was never made which resulted in a large chunk of the 99 year lease being removed. E2R Frank Higley was the other director. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OldBulldog 11 Posted April 28, 2017 (edited) GI used to be called Bristol Stadium Ltd many years ago, and owned Eastville stadium. They evicted my beloved Rovers in 1986. (thats for a different forum) They then became the BS Group, then they became GI. Before that of course, Bristol Stadium ltd housed the Bulldogs in 77 & 78, and we had crowds of 10,000 regularly. What days those were. The Council kicked up a fuss (planning permission) and that was the end of the Bulldogs at Eastville. The outcry in Bristol was massive, Bristol Stadium ltd (GI) pledged to fight it with the fans etc etc. The campaign to keep the Bulldogs had a petition with 100,000 names (yes you read that right, one hundred thousend) Bristol stadium pledged to fight the council more, blah blah blah. Eventually, the fans group actually got planning permission for Speedway at Eastville a year or so later, with masses of planning requirements finally being met. What a job that was. The work to do it was massive. Only to find out that Bristol stadium ltd (GI) had secretly signed a documemt with the Council undertaking to never allow speedway at Eastville again. Will never be forgiven. This will all end in tears. As regards Torquay, they were either badly advised or desperate. Or Both, as that will end in tears too. Edited April 28, 2017 by OldBulldog 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted April 29, 2017 Unfortunately at Swindon, a group of well meaning but ultimately naive fans helped get planning permission passed. This was effectively the end for the Robins. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,745 Posted April 29, 2017 GI used to be called Bristol Stadium Ltd many years ago, and owned Eastville stadium. They evicted my beloved Rovers in 1986. (thats for a different forum) They then became the BS Group, then they became GI. Before that of course, Bristol Stadium ltd housed the Bulldogs in 77 & 78, and we had crowds of 10,000 regularly. What days those were. The Council kicked up a fuss (planning permission) and that was the end of the Bulldogs at Eastville. The outcry in Bristol was massive, Bristol Stadium ltd (GI) pledged to fight it with the fans etc etc. The campaign to keep the Bulldogs had a petition with 100,000 names (yes you read that right, one hundred thousend) Bristol stadium pledged to fight the council more, blah blah blah. Eventually, the fans group actually got planning permission for Speedway at Eastville a year or so later, with masses of planning requirements finally being met. What a job that was. The work to do it was massive. Only to find out that Bristol stadium ltd (GI) had secretly signed a documemt with the Council undertaking to never allow speedway at Eastville again. Will never be forgiven. This will all end in tears. As regards Torquay, they were either badly advised or desperate. Or Both, as that will end in tears too. Milton Keynes was very much the same- promises,promises and then the inevitable. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,364 Posted April 29, 2017 Unfortunately at Swindon, a group of well meaning but ultimately naive fans helped get planning permission passed. This was effectively the end for the Robins. Not so sure about that. Those houses would have been built with or without planning permission for a new stadium. Having the stadium included in the plans gives more hope of a stadium being built than not having it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted April 29, 2017 Not so sure about that. Those houses would have been built with or without planning permission for a new stadium. Having the stadium included in the plans gives more hope of a stadium being built than not having it. The land around the stadium was originally owned by Motorola and had a covenant restricting usage to industrial/commercial as designated in the original North Swindon Expansion Plan. Planning permission for houses should never have been granted. By getting speedway supporters "on side" by initially planning a stadium for greyhounds only and then amending it to include speedway, GI cleverly got public and political support on their side for the housing/stadium development. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted April 29, 2017 The land around the stadium was originally owned by Motorola and had a covenant restricting usage to industrial/commercial as designated in the original North Swindon Expansion Plan. Planning permission for houses should never have been granted. By getting speedway supporters "on side" by initially planning a stadium for greyhounds only and then amending it to include speedway, GI cleverly got public and political support on their side for the housing/stadium development. As much as i would love to stay at the Abbey and i would put up with it but it is looking mighty tired now.A new stadium is why people got on side, if we all get SKANKED now and the speedway is taken away from us i do believe the Abbey will be flattened.That is hard anough love the place but no new stadium that would be heartbreaking and if that happens no more watching speedway live for me again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,653 Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) Does anyone know if the current Swindon stadium runs at a profit with just greyhounds and anything else non-speedway?! Just asking. Edited April 29, 2017 by Skidder1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted April 29, 2017 Does anyone know if the current Swindon stadium runs at a profit with just greyhounds and anything else non-speedway?! Just asking. It has a BAGS contract which they announced they would know about an extension of the present contract at the end of March, so probably makes money on that, as on the few times I have been there it cannot make any money from the 100 odd people in the stadium, but I have seen nothing about any future continuation of the contract. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsunami 10,219 Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) It has a BAGS contract which they announced they would know about an extension of the present contract at the end of March, so probably makes money on that, as on the few times I have been there it cannot make any money from the 100 odd people in the stadium, but I have seen nothing about any future continuation of the contract. BAGS meetings keep many dog tracks open. They really don't make anything from the people in the stadium, who usually get in free. The filmed racing is sold around the world for very good money, particularly the Far East, and can be a track's biggest source of income. BAGS income a Brough Park is I believe the biggest and is in excess of £500.000. The BAGS syndicate have recently bought out Brough Park from Willian Hill, who are also syndicate members. Edited April 29, 2017 by Tsunami 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
remembertheracers 171 Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) With Dore, Fearman, Higley and Silver they might have been tempted to pay. But the idea that high eg, lavish living Fearman would have coughed up circa £400k is ludicrous. Not long after he, or his company, did not giveNeil Middleditch is testimonial money sst Poole. Meanwhile Fearman had a luxury pad at Henley, a flat in Sanbnks and a Rolls Royce - allegedly. Edited April 29, 2017 by remembertheracers 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted April 29, 2017 The land around the stadium was originally owned by Motorola and had a covenant restricting usage to industrial/commercial as designated in the original North Swindon Expansion Plan. Planning permission for houses should never have been granted. By getting speedway supporters "on side" by initially planning a stadium for greyhounds only and then amending it to include speedway, GI cleverly got public and political support on their side for the housing/stadium development. Sadly - with the amount of time that has elapsed - you may well be right MattK. Obviously I very much hope that you are wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
