Coventry Bees Speedway - Brandon Stadium

I think you make a very sound point, especially based on the Peterborough idea. The only problem would undoubtedly be the residents of Stoneleigh who are well known for their Nimbyism. This is a village that won't even allow a pub there, so the mere threat of a bit of distant noise from the bikes will no doubt have them making their placards within the hour!

The residents of Stoneleigh include Martin Ochiltree, I believe

It wasnt the residents who didnt want a pub it was Lord Leigh himself who wouldnt allow one. Eventually he relented and gave permission for a working mans club, whether its still functioning I dont know.

That makes it even worse then. Why would one man, no matter how jumped-up, think he had the right to tell people what they could and couldn't do. Unless, of course, those people elected him. I'm afraid that, wherever a new track was planned, the locals would be objecting without even giving it consideration. That's why I fear for the future of the Bees.

Well, I assume you own your house and garden so you have the right to decide whether a pub can be built on your lawn. Lord Leigh had the same rights on land he owned.

I do indeed own my property. The difference being that I actually worked for what I own. Stoneleigh has always seemed like a serfdom to me. I wonder if they still have to pay him a tithe.

I seem to remember that tithes were paid to the church and the landowner collected rents. But, aside from that I guess that when you die then your 'estate' will revert to the state and not be given to family members - because they won't have worked for it.

Yes, you're right, Beesman. The real point is that if and when Brandon ceases to be a speedway venue, it will be incredibly difficult to secure a new venue. Whether it be the Nimby brigade, crusty old lords of the manor or whatever, there will always be objections. I wonder if there are any other possible venues in the area.

I must admit the NAC is the best suggestion I've heard so far. The other major factor that is now rearing its ugly head is that of 'time'. For the Bees to be up and running at an alternative venue in two years time, a site needs to have been already sourced. The hoops that councils insist upon prospective motor sports stadium owners jumping through are extremely time consuming. As Mr D-Di correctly observes, nobody wants a speedway track near them (apart from Bees fans.) The problem of noise seems to be the critical factor and there are various strict criteria that must be met. I have this information from an individual here in Cornwall who is trying to revive the sport in the county. It only needs one complaint from a 'local' and the whole project can be set back by months if not scrapped altogether. My fear is that two years is already too short a period of time to find a suitable relocation site. Talking to a chap at Swindon Speedway the other week, he informed me that the Abbey Stadium is going to be demolished in the next couple of years due to residents on a new housing estate complaining about the noise. When I pointed out that the stadium was there long before the houses, he said the prospective house purchasers were told that it was a Greyhound Stadium, with no mention of speedway!! I guess you have to blame the solicitors who carried out the pre-purchase searches. The happy conclusion however, is that a new stadium is being built at Swindon very close to the site of the old one, with suitable high wall around it to muffle the noise!! Finally,I just hope that negotiations are taking place that 'Joe Public' is not privy to at present. It may be a forlorn hope, but it's all we have at present.

In response to questions about why there has been little or no news regarding the possible replacement stadium, Jeremy Heaver has said: "Firstly it is impossible to keep fans informed if we wish to build another stadium by conducting private discussions with councils and landowners who are concerned about the backlash from local residents at any new site ahead of a detailed planning application. We need to have all the right information and studies ahead of such an application. I have walked, talked numerous sites which have failed the acid test at different stages and frankly would not have got as far as they did if we were doing it in public. I am currently looking at two good sites but I cannot say any more than that at this stage. When the time is right we will need the speedway and stock car community to support us but at this stage we need to work in private."

Well that's fair enough, at least something is happening.

I hope so. At least without Sisu being involved it has a chance of being built, unlike their Fantasy Arena.

I remember Alan Molyneux set a new statistic back in the seventies of getting a maximum followed by a nil score in consecutive matches (home, where he could be breathtakingly quick out the gate and then away, where you could not believe it was the same rider such was his ineffectiveness). Has that ever been repeated?

From another forum : The 2014 Autumn / Winter 'In Touch' news leaflet from Rugby Conservative Association was delivered to houses in the Rugby area today. The leaflet contained the following entry under the heading Planning: We all attended the pre application exhibition organised by the planning consultants Frampton's who want to build houses on Brandon Speedway, within the greenbelt. Phase one (approximately half the site) appeared to suggest 124 dwellings. Cllr Timms was quick to instruct them to remove the Rugby Borough Council logo from their publicity banner as there were clearly errors in the material they were presenting. Speedway fans, local residents, together with stock car enthusiasts were keen to express their concerns. This has been a successful sporting venue for many a year and it is being challenged on where an alternative venue could be located. Watch this space. (article end).