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Has seemed to me that the owners / people in charge did not have a clue from the start. I’d call it amateurish, but that would be unfair to amateurs.
All those delays opening, I believe they fell out with builders, putting a stand in the middle so that punters can not see the racing, having the judges position in a place he could not see the finishing line properly, opening the course when the place is a mud bath.
Administration might be a good thing for racing. Get someone in who will not agrivate, who knows what he is doing, and you might get a decent enough racecourse.
The track itself, might be a good one, if taking out what surrounds it. But what matters if there is one less racecourse? There is too much racing anyway in my opinion.
Mark
Value Is EverythingMany errors have been made evidently but it would be a shame to lose the track and I hope the project is continued. It’s a fair race track and has already staged some competitive races and attracted trainers from a far such as Mike De Kock running horses like Royal Vintage can’t be a bad thing.
folks , its a cert that either Northern or Arena or a combo of both will buy it , so sit back and relax , racing will resume there in a short while
Just unfortunate for Mr Holmes and team to fall on hard times , it was a damn good try
all to look forward to
Ricky
Ffos Las’s opening is only six months or so away, so let’s hope that any potential new investors there aren’t put off by the Great Leighs situation.
The controlling interest in Ffos Las is owned by a successful civil engineer (and racehorse owner) and – to date – all looks good for the project to be up and running in good time for the opening meeting.
I wonder if any of our existing courses might be in financial trouble?
I wonder if any of our existing courses might be in financial trouble?
Yes undoubtedly – I have already predicted at least two courses will fold this year, although I have to say Great Leighs wasn’t top of the list for me.
I think Ffos Las will have few problems getting the work complete – it is how they manage to run it as a racecourse that will be interesting
Build a dog track dog track their like they did at Dundalk, plus have a rehoming centre on site for those they want too rehome afterwards…
Oh dear, Yorkshirepud, next you’ll be suggesting building a glue factory and a Pedigree Chum depot. Far better to provide a care home for retired bookies, do you not think?
It seems bookmakers are going a shade of odds on that the place is finished as a racecourse.
I can’t see how anyone is ever going to able to make it pay as a racecourse – it still needs loads of money spent on it to provide racegoers with decent facilities. who would want to throw good money after bad? Ffos Las is a much better bet to succeed.
Adding greyhound racing is a total non-starter. They’re closing stadia these days, not opening them, and anyway, Romford’s not that far away.
Ive actually got myself a hotel booked for the opening meeting at Ffos Las.
I am staying in Llanelli for £35 for one night which is good enough for me.
At least Ffos Las in turf and dual purpose.
Ive actually got myself a hotel booked for the opening meeting at Ffos Las.
I am staying in Llanelli for £35 for one night which is good enough for me.
At least Ffos Las in turf and dual purpose.
You may have the hotel Neil – but do you have a ticket for the racing?
To me, the Great Leighs debacle illustrates the sustainability limitation for further expansion of the all weather model.
When we say ‘there’s too much racing, its clear that what we really mean is too much all weather racing, and that there is too much of a product that evidentially cannot draw in paying racegoers in sufficient numbers to be truly sustainable.
AW racing has simply not captured the imagination of the racegoing public in large enough numbers; it provides a useful service in a [mostly guaranteed] betting shop product in winter but as a punting medium it is still essentially a niche specialism aimed at diehard betting shop and exchange punters. What’s more, the four existing AW tracks seem to offer plenty of available slots; I thought GL at least had an advantage of occupying a promising geographic position, but it needed to get everything else right and it hasn’t. If the right partner and rescue package comes in it may yet do so.
Ffos Las occupies a very favourable geographic niche and will surely benefit from its town meets country situation. Most importantly it will also provide a product that people are prepared to pay to watch. I will be surprised if it doesn’t succeed.
This was a bodged opportunity. Essex is probably the biggest conurbation without a racecourse (admittedly Newmarket is very reachable) and a smart appealing venue would surely have succeeded
The key with any enterprise such as this is to hit the ground running. They didnt…
Paul…which two courses i wonder? Worcester? Yarmouth?
Ive actually got myself a hotel booked for the opening meeting at Ffos Las.
I am staying in Llanelli for £35 for one night which is good enough for me.
At least Ffos Las in turf and dual purpose.
You may have the hotel Neil – but do you have a ticket for the racing?
Not yet as they go on sale on Sunday 1st March but will be up at crack of dawn to buy them.
Anyone know anything about this course in Wales due to open in June – in the current climate looks unrealistic?
Grey Dolphin:
The AW model is fine.
Southwell are offering a deal through The Sun newspaper throughout January where you can get in for a fiver, have a bowl of winter soup and a thick wholemeal roll, plus a cup of tea. I couldn’t easily get a cup today such was the queue. Ten bookies there too, plus a race with £18,000 added and one with £8,000. Add the afternoon payment from the bookmakers and the model’s ok. Incidentally, Southwell run eleven times in February, incuding five times in the first week. Locals are anticipating more fixtures from the Essex course fallout.
Great Leighs had ambitious plans to be an adult entertainment venue but their pricing could have been more realistic. £18, I believe? I wonder how many would be tempted to attend with a more attractive admission fee. Plenty I would imagine.
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