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Arlington stadium


Sir Sidney

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1 hour ago, Son of Shaleman said:

You may know more on this but don’t local councils have health and safety duties and powers, discharged alongside the HSE?

That sounds like it. The example that springs to mind is the closure of the back straight at Sheffield

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36 minutes ago, Son of Shaleman said:

bbc news website /sussex

Fyi

riday, 7 August 2026 18:01

Arlington Stadium in Hailsham has officially ended all motor racing events with immediate effect, concluding over 60 years of historic oval-track racing at the venue.

The Reason Behind the Cancellation

Eric Dugard, the joint owner of Arlington Stadium, stated that the decision stems from ongoing serious infrastructure and health and safety problems affecting both competitors and the public. 

Critical Fence Issues: The core issue is the necessary replacement of a 600-metre wire mesh safety fence that wraps around the track perimeter to catch flying debris.

Insurance Risks: The stadium's insurance provider will not cover the venueagainst potential serious accidents while a proper substitute fence remains uninstalled. 

Financial Strain: Remedying these issues would require several months and a massive financial cost. The owners, who have already spent over £250,000 on recent upgrades, decided that continuing motor racing is no longer financially viable for the business. 

The Promoter's Reaction

The announcement took race coordinator Spedeworth Motorsports by surprise. They expressed deep disappointment over the abrupt closure, which came less than 24 hours after hosting a highly successful race meeting. The promoter has indicated they will provide an update regarding pre-existing bookings and upcoming ticket details in the coming days. 

Future of the Venue

While motor sports (including historic banger, stock car, and past motorcycle speedway events) have permanent checkered flags, the facility itself may not disappear entirely. The venue owners are actively evaluating future plans and exploring alternative, non-motorsport events that could safely occupy the stadium grounds

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On 8/6/2026 at 9:43 PM, Marky_Mark said:

I did read that it can’t be sold for housing as the site is too contaminated, not sure how true that is 

They said that about the old steel works site in Workington, now 15 years later 200 out of 500 houses have been built 

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