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Speedway at the Abbey?
Comments so far...
Keep the ROBINS at Swindon and at Abbey Stadium.
There are precious few family sporting fixtures at a family price. Speedway is one of the best. Do not let the "money people" win.
Norman Board
This is not over - the fans, Council and residents must not be complacent as we may still be in very deep trouble. This is about businesses wishing to maximise the value they receive for the land they have purchased. For them the Abbey Stadium is a hindrance to that end but can be a useful negotiating tool. We are stuck in the middle and risk losing our historic stadium with its famous track and either becoming homeless or grasping at the distant prospect of the developer's promise of a new home. How many years have Reading waited for Gaming International to build their new stadium? Will it ever happen? And Milton Keynes - where the speedway was evicted, never to return, and the dogs gone after 45 years - while a proposed replacement stadium, saddled with a proposed casino, is bogged down in planning and other problems. If it ain't broke dont fix it: SBC should buy the stadium and lease it back to both the greyhounds and the speedway.
Steve, Swindon
Hope speedway can continue at swindon.Nearly 60years shows there is a solid support for the sport and therefore is a big part of swindon,s history. A race only lasts about 70 seconds and a full meeting is about 2hrs once a week from say march to october. Surely this cannot be classed as a major problem. Nice to hear that the council are supportive of speedway, hopefully they see it as an important family sport/ entertainment for swindon. Speedway is very much a family sport and all town/cities should have as many family sports as possible. Could it be that the company that is building the new stadium just did not realise the importance and support speedway has in swindon. ALL credit to them for listening to the voice of the swindon people.
David.Cunningham
My family have supported the Swindon Speedway ever since the very first meeting, we are still fans, it means a lot to us, it should remain where it is. Lots of people get a lot of joy from it.
Gill Sheppard
To add a comment about the guy who surprisingly left no name and said that none of the riders have an allegiance to Swindon....you could say the same about any football player..you don't see them knocking down football stadiums all over the country!!I would imagine that all Speedway riders in the elite league feel the same as the devoted fans, whether they are a Swindon Robin or not!(I noticed Ritchie Hawkins had signed the online petition...no doubt other riders did too!)
L Dear
I actually work for a tourist information centre within Wiltshire and Swindon is very much known for its Speedway from the area i work in. Everytime a customer asks what there is to do in swindon i will mention the Speedway. I hope that people can see that Speedway is a treasured sport, and not only that but it is a family sport, where both sets of fans respect each other and there is never any trouble caused at meets...well not since i have been to watch. SAVE OUR ROBINS!!!
L Dear
Yet more new houses planned and then we read that more than 2000 were standing empty! This is a ridiculous situation. The Speedway has been in Swindon for nearly 60 years and must stay, preferably at our beloved Abbey Stadium. Swindon does not need more housing. What it needs is a place where families can enjoy their evening watching a successful and friendly sport, and that what it has got - at the moment. Gaming International leave our Speedway at the Abbey!
Bev Harding, Trowbridge
Speedway has to stay at the abbey,living in Stroud my family and i have been going to the abbey stadium for speedway since the late 60's,it is an essential part of swindons heritage and should not be lost.It is and has always been a good family night out with no trouble.So please developers think again about your plans and include speedway.
Colin Wright, Stroud.
Although i was a regular in the glory days of the 60s when half of the team were local lads and there were bigger crowds ,it would be sad to see this famous stadium disappear under concrete,as the Robins bring a lot of enjoyment to peoples lives , and publicity to a success starved town. Currently top team in Britain !! GO ROBINS !!
Keith Cross, Hampshire
Speedway should definately stay at Swindon, my husband have travelled from Bristol every meeting since 1986 and would not be able to go to Reading as suggested by the stadium owners. Just a thought Lynham is closing, would that be a possibilty as a last resort?
Mrs M Carter
Over the years Speedway has lost too many tracks where developers have promised to find alternative sites but then failed to deliver. This must not be allowed to happen in Swindon. If an alternative site has to be found, then this should be put in place before any development is allowed to start. However, a much better option would be to redevelop the existing stadium, to include Speedway as part of the plans, as the current track is the finest in the country. In the right hands this could be a world-class sporting facility for Swindon.
Martin Helson-White, Bristol
Swindon Robins should stay,they are part of Swindon history,and have been at the Abbey Stadium (not abbeymeads stadium) for 58 years,and is a great FAMILY sport, the Speedway track was the first thing built on that site,the dog track was built around it in later years,the stadium may not of even been there if it had'nt been for the Speedway track being built there in the first place,the dogs are staying ?,which is on 3 nights a week and from talking to residence, creates more noise than the Speedway does for its couple of hours once a week (maybe twice on the odd occasion),Children as well as adults and OAP's are gutted at the thought of losing the track. It is one of the best tracks around,and should not be taken away from the Abbey, Swindon will have no heritage left at this rate.The old Blunsdon Abbey of which this Stadium was named after has already gone.
Shirley.J Swindon
I've been a loyal Swindon Robins fan since the day i was born, 9th October 1972. I was born and brought up in Oxford. This was no mean feat during the 80's when the C******s, you did say no 'C' words were oh so successful, and no matter what I'll be a Robins fan until the day I die. Oxford born, Kidlington bred, but the blood in my veins flows Swindon red. The Robins have to stay at the Abbey, it is my "Theatre of Dreams", the greatest speedway track in the world, and more importantly my second home.
Chris Cooper
The people of Swindon deserve to keep their famous speedway team. This wonderful family sport is enjoyed by thousands on a weekly basis and needs to stay at its historic home, the Abbey stadium. It is one of the finest tracks in the country and people come from far and wide to visit it. The Robins are a team to be proud of, currently sitting at the top of the Elite League, they are a sporting success story that should be secured for the future.
Darcia Gingell
It's nice to hear that the majority of the residents from St. Andrews Ridge are backing the campaign to keep the Robins. And to get rid of the only top flight sport that the town has produced for years appears ridiculous to me. The noise issue appears to be a farce with a total this year of approximately 50 hours. What's 2 1/2 days of noise in a year?
Gareth Jones
Oh dear! The comment from the person about no allegiance to Swindon is WAY OFF THE MARK. Listening to Leigh Adams speak last night would have convinced this person of that fact.
ALL of the team have expressed their sadness at the current plight and haved all upped their game in response to give the fans something to shout about.
As for the plans - completely ridiculous! GI's major public argument against speedway is noise and pollution. Two problems...
1. Speedway bikes run on methanol, not petrol and so produce virtually no pollution. In fact, the pollution is so low that the Swedish Grand Prix last year was sponsored by environmental organisation! As for the noise, it's 15 minutes of noise spread over 2½ hours once a week. Besides which, virtually ALL of the local residents don't see it as a problem.
2. How much noise and pollution are residents expected to put up with once they are next door to the new bypass and industrial units - completely ludicrous and laughable!
Swindon Speedway MUST STAY - LONG LIVE THE ROBINS!
Wayne Findlay
For a start, it's not noisy bikes near a residential area, it's a residential area being built near a site that has had bike racing for over 50 years. Other way round.
There is a real problem nowadays with towns losing their identity and their history through developers. It shocks me that a company can come along and, at the whim of a few people with money, rip apart an entire community.
I was at the Speedway tonight (27 July) looking round, and there were a lot of people there enjoying a great evening's racing. It's such a shame that someone might be able to put a stop to this great night out just so they can make some more money for themselves.
I don't see it as a sport from a bygone era at all. Just because it attracted massive crowds a few years back doesn't make it any less valid today. You still get a decent sized crowd there. People who want to go out of an evening and have some live entertainment. It should be encouraged. It must stay.
Graham Morris
To the person that says No rider has any real allegiance to Swindon- can I just say 2 words to you- Leigh Adams. One of Swindons loyalist, not just Speedway rider, but loyalist Sportman FULL STOP.
Speedway must stay. There really is no alternative!
Barcles
What else needs to be said? The proposals are madness. The council support us. The MPs support us. The people of Swindon and even the residents of Blunsdon and Abbeymeads support us.
We are not short of gigantic housing develoments in this town but we are in dire need of things to be proud of. A successful top-flight sport with international superstars, live on Sky for hours every week with a long proud history in the town.
You often only get one chance to save your heritage and then its gone forever. The Lawn, The Hermitage, Tabernacle, Canal, Locarno? Mech Institute? At which point do we make a stand?
Darryl Moody
My house backs onto the field which the current stadium sits on. I have no objection to the speedway being there (even though I do not go myself), and think that if they are going to build a new stadium it should include the speedway as well.
I am more concerned about the increased traffic all the new homes will cause!
Richard
They've definitely got to stay. The speedway was their first, way before any houses were built in Abbey Meads. It's just greedy developers trying to make a quick buck. I'll bet none of them live in Swindon or have any idea what the Robins mean to the supporters. If they kick them out then that'll be it.
Mark London, Cricklade
I used to be a speedway fan but not anymore. I don't think any of the riders have any allegiance to Swindon. That's why I stopped going and why I think people aren't that bothered if the speedway stays or goes.
No name given
Save the Robins please!!!!!!! There GR8.
Cheryl L.
It's a ridiculous idea. Barmy. Swindon without the Robins. It's unthinkable. Come on Gaming International think again. The noise is just an excuse, you're just thinking no one will buy the houses if the speedway is there but they will.
Steve Drewett |
Speedway
