Lakeside V Belle Vue Friday 5th May

[Loyal hammer 5]

A good meeting. I was anticipating a probable Belle Vue win beforehand. Very impressed by Bickley, and although Bewley scored 6 (score didn't do him justice really), I was surprised he wasn't named in heat 15.

[Guest]

It was an awful crowd tonight, but West ham v spurs couldn't have helped.

 

 

 

Can you make a 'guesstimate' on the attendance? Thanks.

 

 

Couple hundred I would guess it looked like a ghost town. One of the coldest nights over there.

 

 

I actually counted the crowd about 15 mins before the start and came up with around 250. It was of course bloody freezing and up against West Ham v Spurs. Good meeting on the track though.

 

 

250 tops.

 

 

great minds think alike!, It was the lowest crowd I've ever seen at arena for a competitive fixture.

 

Aside from the racing, this youtube is from the Hammers home match against Eastbourne on April 14, 2017. The spectator attendance does not look specially impressive?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vk_VfHCec4

Edited May 6, 2017 by Guest

[E I Addio 15,845]

Credit to the referee Chris Gay for keeping the meeting moving on a freezing cold night. As soon as the riders were off the track for one race he was putting two minutes on for the next. Credit to the new trackman Ken Driscoll for a superb track that had only one fall all night, apart from the first bend bunching in heat 9.

The combination of a referee who kept things moving and a good track meant that the meeting was done and dusted in one hour twenty minutes. Much appreciated by the fans standing out in the cold.

[Bagpuss 10,783]

You'd imagine that Belle Vue would be one of the most attractive fixtures, hopefully the West Ham home game was the main reason for the small crowd and that things pick up. Don't think the Colts will be the only team to struggle a bit around the tight Purfleet turns this year.

[cityrebel 2,960]

Jon Cook said in his programme notes last night, that the fans need to support the club at a time when it's needed the most. A bit ominous after only a couple of home meetings.

[TurnTwo 317]

I disagree with Waco there was 350 people max from what I saw - good meeting though Bewley score didn't reflect his efforts very good rider on a track he's never seen before only Morelos track craft and knowledge of where to pass made it easier for him - never the less a faultless max - well deserved

[liam 376]

Crowd was like that in the Ronnie Russell days when we got hammered every single week. Thought the meeting was ok but Ben and Zach were far to good for the Belle Vue heat leaders. Think Zach is going to be a star in the future. Bit worried about Hunter he seems to come off the throttle half way down the straight and from the start is at least three bike lengths away. Still enjoying much more than I thought.

[Hunters 210]

Well done Lakeside,

 

Perhaps Belle Vue will not be as dominant as a lot of us we thought.

[TonyE 822]

The video clip from the Eastbourne meeting cannot be used to gauge overall crowd levels given the camera position on the home straight next to the referee's box. A lot of people stand on that side (it is the main covered area) and, thus, have no hope of being captured on video. As ever at Arena, the 'crowd' is well spread out unlike Wolves etc.

Edited May 6, 2017 by TonyE

[waco 1,026]

350 its going up from 250 as previously stated ,The crowd at Lakeside is spread right round the track plus the upstairs bar and appears less than it actually is,..George Hunter was a better rider round Rye last season and his form is a worry at the moment, Can not gate and he opened the throttle only once on friday and took two riders out ,,one his partner going in to the corner,,luckily no one was hurt...............

Edited May 6, 2017 by waco