English Independent ‘Flapping’ Greyhound Tracks

Aldershot

Aldershot was a popular independent for many years located on Oxendon Road, Tongham near Farnham in Surrey.
The track had an inside Sumner, a 390m circumference and raced over distances of 254, 462, 626 and 842 metres.
The main races were the Smokey Joe Stakes and the March Hare Stakes.
Closure arrived on 30 Oct 1992 after having to make way for the new A331 road (0° 44′ 8.613″W 51° 14′ 21.471″N).
Active 1941-1992

Ashby

The small market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, north west of Leicester held meetings from 3rd April 1931 until 1935.
Racing was held on Tuesday & Saturday evenings and distances included 200, 350, 550 and 525 yards.
The Ashby Greyhound Racing Club even held a meeting on Christmas day and events at the Stadium were
regularly organised into size categories.
Active 1931-1935

Ashington

Ashington in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear was an independent track that shared with the Ashington AFC. The stadium was called
Portland Park and the racing was held from October 3rd 1936 through to 1964 but opened again on August 16th 1984.
The circumference of the track was 380y and the bends were sharp, race distances were 270, 480, and 660y.
The second closure arrived during Match 1993 and the stadium was vacated by the football team in 2008.
The site was redeveloped into an ASDA store (1° 34′ 17.941″W 55° 11′ 4.591″N).
Active 1936-1993

Askern

Askern applied for a betting licence during 1938 and it was approved on 15 October 1938.
The track located at Selby Road is presumed to have opened soon after, right on the eve of the war.
The independent track has a circumference of 350 yards and race over distances of 225, 425m and 600m.
Described as a tight circuit with a short run to the first bend with a club house and car park for 100 vehicles.
Greyhound racing has always been popular in this coal mining town.
(1° 9′ 14.024″W 53° 37′ 29.718″N)
Active 1939-present

Aycliffe

Today Grindon Way in Newton Aycliffe cuts through what used to be a greyhound & stock car track.
After the war a syndicate of local businessmen constructed a track and it would be known as Aycliffe Stadium.
The stadium was one of many to appear in County Durham and also like many did not survive many years.
Racing came to an end in the early sixties and the stock cars ended in 1989.
The stadium made way for an expanding estate (1° 34′ 32.112″W 54° 35′ 38.067″N).
Active 1946-1960?

Aylesbury (Hartwell)

In the little village of Hartwell West of Aylesbury there was a greyhound track South of the Oxford Road.
The Aylesbury and District Greyhound Racing Track opened on Saturday 24th June 24th 1933.
It was owned by Mr Ivor Richings, landlord of the Bugle Horn and Mr Dutch from Watford.
In the grandstand was a Totaliser and refreshment bar and racing was held three times a week
The track only lasted until the second World War because it was used to house Italian prisoners of war captured in North Africa.
It closed down in 1942 when it was first used for the prisoner camp and the site today is the Bugle Horn Estate.
Active 1933-1942

Banbury

Little is known of the racing in Banbury except that there was dog racing in the Barfords in the fifties.
The Barfords refer to St Michael and St John south of Banbury and it is believed racing started in 1951.
There is a reference to racing taking place in 1953 but more information is needed.
Active 1951?-1953?

Barnsley (Dearne)

The Dearne Athletic and Sports Stadium opened on Friday 28th September 1934 as a whippet track.
Some greyhound racing took place at this venue but it was largely devoted to the smaller breed.
It was situated next to the Tollgate Hotel in Old Mill Lane and racing was held up to four times a week.
Capable of holding 10,000 spectators including a 4,000 capacity stand.
The introduction of the Betting and Lotteries Act had a big impact resulting in eventual closure in September 1935.
(53°33’42.4″N 1°28’18.3″W)
Active 1934-1935

Barnsley (Dillington Park)

The track was at Dillington Park in Barnsley. Distances of 240, 368 & 462m were held on an all grass track.
The track situated in Highstone Road raced Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm (Fridays eventually changed to Saturdays).
It officially opened on 25 May 1934 as a poplar venue for whippets four times per week.
Only a few greyhound races were held at first and significant boxing events were held in the grounds.
The circumference was 330 yards and an ‘Inside Sumner’ hare was used as greyhounds slowly replaced whippets.
There were kennels for 48 hounds and the surface was changed to all sand in the eighties.
Racing remained active for 52 years until May 1990 when a fire forced the closure of the stadium.
(1° 28′ 31.825″W 53° 32′ 36.947″N).
Active 1934-1990

Barnstaple (Rugby Ground)

Following on from the events held at the United Services Ground, the Barnsatple rugby club constructed a track around the pitch.
The track was accessed from Pottington Road off the Braunton Road and was literally next door to the United Services Ground.
Organised by Barnstaple Greyhound Stadium Ltd they raced every Wed and Sat at 7pm during the summer months only.
The first meeting was on 9th May 1931 at the venue sometimes called the North Devon Greyhound Stadium.
The races were held over 375, 400, 525 & 725 yards, whippets also raced here over shorter distances.
The summer racing seemed to stop in 1936 with no renewal of racing found 1937, this could be as a result of the
Barnstaple United Services Club selling some of their land to the council to erect a football stadium there in 1937.
The rugby ground remains today however next door to the football ground (4° 4′ 12.802″W 51° 4′ 55.013″N).
Active 1931-1936

Barnstaple (United Services Ground)

The Barnstaple United Services Club brought greyhound racing to Barnstaple over 275 & 375 yards on the United Services Ground.
The first meeting was in 1931 and held whippet racing in addition to greyhound racing on Saturdays.
Accessed from Pottington Road off the Braunton Road the track only held racing for that summer.
Active 1931-1931

Barrow (Craven Park)

Craven Park in Barrow-in-Furness was built by volunteers associated with Barrow RLFC in 1931.
The following year plans were drawn up to place a track around the newly built Craven Park.
Despite stiff opposition from local clergymen the racing got underway but only two seasons, 1932 and 1933.
It is still the home to the Barrow Raiders rugby league team (3° 14′ 6.632″W 54° 6′ 53.985″N).
Active 1932-1933

Barrow (Park Road)

It took over fifty years for greyhounds to re-appear in Barrow when on 24 Apr 1987 racing took place at the Park Road Stadium.
Racing stopped less than four years later in March 1991.
In 1993 the stadium was demolished to make way for a candle factory (3° 13′ 14.384″W 54° 9′ 12.811″N).
Active 1987-1991

Bedford (Cardington Road)

Way back in 1929 racing was held on the Cardington Road in Bedford overseen by Mr H.V.Maylin the Racing Manager
Racing took place every Thursday and Saturday (twice on the same day at 3pm & 6.30pm)
Presumably the track was on the south side of the river because the track advertised the ferry across to get there.
Active 1929-1929?

Bedford (Queens Park)

Bedford Town Eagles FC needed a financial boost so introduced greyhound racing around the pitch in 1975.
It had the required effect because in 1979 the income of £10,000 was significantly higher than the £4,000 football income.
After the lease to Bedford Town FC was not renewed in 1982 they had to find a new home and the racing stopped.
The site was taken over by an extension to the Wells & Youngs Brewery and is found in the
Queens Park area at the end of Raleigh & Nelson Street (0° 28′ 58.539″W 52° 7′ 49.656″N).
Active 1975-1982

Belmont

Belmont was a sparsely populated area in County Durham and a track opened on 13th July 1940 just below Broomside Lane.
The track served as entertainment for the workers of the Broomside Colliery and Carrville residents.
The track was the inspiration for a 1954 film called ‘The Gay Dog’ starring Wilfred Pickles, Petula Clark and Megs Jenkins
As demand for housing increased the track closed in 1969. (1° 31′ 18.516″W 54° 47′ 12.960″N).
Active 1940-1969

Bickington

The Barnstaple & District Greyhound Racing Club organised meetings at Tews Lane in Bickington over 340 & 400 yards.
The opening meeting was on 6th February 1937 at 2.45pm. Racing continued for two more years with winter breaks in 37 & 38.
Active 1937-1939

Bideford (Kingsley Road)

Bideford in Devon opened for just a short time around the Bideford Football Stadium on the Kingsley Road in 1987.
Race night was a Thursday and race distances were 420m and 700m. It was a grass surface with an outside sumner hare.
There were kennels for 30 greyhounds and the track circumference was 370m with tight bends.
The football team rebranded to AFC Bideford in 1987 and the greyhounds finished (4° 12′ 31.295″W 51° 1′ 19.004″N).
Active 1987-1988

Bideford (Shebbertown)

Shebbertown Racecourse was built in 1922 and horse racing was held there for several years before greyhound racing.
Overlooking the sea between what is now Abbotsham Court and Cornborough cliffs the greyhounds opened on September 1927.
Races were over 475, 525, 575 & 650 yards with a trackless hare being used, whippets raced over shorter distances.
The only remaining sign today is a building (former refreshment rooms) at the head of the footpath to Cornborough Range
Active 1927-1933

Birtley

The village of Birtley had a reasonably sized track that held 5,000 spectators during the years of 1946 & 1947.
Situated north of the current Pelaw Grange stadium it was not licenced for during 1948.
More information is required regarding exact location and details.
Active 1946-1947

Blackpool (Borough Park)

In 1963 a new home was built for the Borough rugby league team between Princess Street and Rigby Road on a former gas works.
Greyhound racing arrived on 28th April 1967 and many knew the track as Borough Park. The track hosted one of the biggest independent races called the Blackpool Derby and the seaside track ran every Mon, Wed and Fri.
In 1968 it boasted that it was the only track in the country with the £5,000 American type lighting.
Distances were 250, 593 and 765 metres on a 363m circumference circuit. The track closed in 1998.
The stadium was demolished by the council to make way for a cinema complex (3° 2′ 52.652″W 53° 48′ 30.037″N).
Active 1967-1998

Bolton (Westhoughton)

The Bolton track on Marsh Brook Fold off the Wigan Road was a tight oval shaped circuit and raced over 285, 470 and 660 yards.
Started around the fifties, The circumference was 375 yards and had kennels for 40 greyhounds.
The track was subject to controversy and appeared on the Kenyon investigates BBC programme.
In 2013 the council agreed the building of 38 homes on the site (2° 33′ 28.335″W 53° 32′ 27.110″N).
Active 1950’s-2012

Boston (Boston FC)

The Boston greyhound track opened during the early boom years around the football pitch just before Boston FC changed their name to Boston United FC.
The stadium was called Shodfriars Lane but due to the outbreak of war the track was forced to close the greyhounds.
Active 1932-1939

Boston (Lord Nelson)

Very little is known about a third Boston track called Lord Nelson.
It is known to have been short lived but was racing in 1932. Further details are required.
Active 1932-1932?

Boston (Sports Stadium)

Boston re-opened on a new site on 1st June 1964 at the Boston Sports Stadium in New Hammond Beck Road.
The circuit was a good galloping grass track with distances of 300 and 525 yards behind an inside Sumner hare.
The greyhound track closed in 1983 before being demolished, making way for supermarkets (0° 3′ 52.219″W 52° 58′ 15.809″N).
Active 1964-1983

Bournemouth (Ensbury Park)

The Ensbury Park airfield owners built a racecourse in 1925 and greyhound track in 1927 on the 88 acre site.
January 7th 1928 saw the first race but the National Hunt stated that the greyhounds had to stop or they would withdraw permission for horse racing. Only nine meetings took place before a transfer to Victoria Park.
The company moved to Victoria Park in June 1928, the grandstand was demolished in 1934 and the land was sold for housing for the huge Leybourne estate.
Active 1928-1928

Brafield (Northants)

Between the villages of Brafield & Horton was Brafield Greyhound Stadium which opened on 8th April 1950.
After closing Yardley Hastings in 1949 the owner H Beaumont opened this stadium as a replacement.
The stadium also hosted midget car racing before the greyhound operation finished.
Called the Northampton International raceway today (52°11’52.4″N 0°48’10.4″W).
Active 1950-19?

Braintree (Coggeshall Road)

On the Coggeshall Road opposite the junction with Marlborough Street there was a staked out oval that was constructed in 1930.
The first meeting was held on Saturday 6th September, the following season the venue peaked with 1,000 attending a meeting.
Despite future plans to build a grandstand and install floodlights the venture ended in 1932.
Active 1930-1932

Braintree (Cressing Road)

It was decided to introduce greyhound racing around the football pitch of Braintree Town FC in 1967.
The Amlin stadium as it is called now still exists and remains the home of Braintree Town FC (0° 34′ 22.620″E 51° 52′ 31.043″N).
Active 1967-19??

Braintree (Notley Road)

There was a greyhound track on Notley Rd, Braintree, opposite the Angel public house on land now covered by Kenworthy Rd.
Racing was every Mon & Wed at 7pm and Sat at 3pm. There is evidence of racing from 20th Feb 1932 until 22nd July 1932.
The main race distance was 475y and the proprietor was T H Mooring.
On the opening night 60 greyhounds were entered catching the organisers by surprise because there were only 42 kennels.
The totaliser erected in the stand could not deal with the large attendance quickly enough and taking s amounted to £100.
The hare was skin attached to a white punchball, operated from a Rolls Royce in the centre of the track.
The sports ground remained until the 1970’s before housing replaced it.
Active 1932-1932

Brean Sands

A little independent track was built in 1970 on Brean Sands in Somerset alongside the Coast Road. Opening night was 3rd July.
It was an additional feature of the holiday resort on the Unity Farm site owned by the House family.
The track closed on 12th March 1984 making way for the expanding holiday resort (3° 0′ 34.39″W 51° 17′ 8.23″N).
Active 1975-1984

Brentwood

The Brentwood track was constructed in 1931 near the little village of Mountnessing.
Racing took place every Saturday at 3pm just off the Main Road.
The following season’s racing in 1932 seems to have been the last one.
Active 1931-1932

Bristol (Bedminster)

A little known third Bristol track called the Magnet Racecourse was situated on South Liberty Lane, Long Ashton in Bedminster.
It opened on 9th June 1928 and was prone to drainage problems with many meetings cancelled through flooding.
Problems persisted at the track with mechanical breakdowns, regular fighting of greyhounds and failure to get licencing.
The NGRC refused to licence Bedminster (Bristol), Magnet Greyhound Racing Company because the district already had tracks.
Racing was held as many as five times a week on what was described as a horse-shoe shape with the main distance being 475y.
It closed a few short years later on 26th August 1932.
Active 1928-1932

Brownhills (Chasewater)

A track was constructed inside a very large trotting track between Pool Lane and Whitehorse Road in Chasewater.
The trotting track was intended to satisfy the needs of an aging mining community but it did not prosper and fell into decay.
A huge grandstand built for the trotting track dwarved the circuit and the the greyhounds failed to improve business.
The track was 410m in circumference and had kennels for 60 greyhounds and raced over distances of 290, 450 & 700m.
Chasewater finished racing in 1988, was demolished in 1998 making way for the M6 Toll Rd (1° 56′ 23.047″W 52° 39′ 30.636″N).
Active 1980-1988

Bunwell

In the little village of Bunwell a track was built on the meadow just off the Turnpike road where coursing used to take place.
The track was built in 1935 and racenights were Mon, Weds and Sat in summer, and Wed and Sat in winter.
A bull-nosed Morris car engine pulled the rope with the hare.
The site closed during the war due to petrol shortages and today the site is a recreation ground behind the village hall.
Active 1935-1940

Bury St Edmunds

The West Suffolk Stadium at the Tayfen Meadow off Spring Lane was opened on 1st Dec 1949 by brothers Joby & Dougie Dutton.
The track circumference was 440 metres and distances of 277, 471, 655 & 877 metres were used.
The hare was an inside sumner and the competitions consisted of the Spring and Summer Cup and Magna Carta.
There were 48 kennels and 10 bookmakers in the eighties
The track was demolished to make way for the Tayfen Estate in 1996 (0° 42′ 23.136″E 52° 15′ 10.751″N).
Active 1949-1996

Cambridge (Coldham Lane)

The Cambridge and District Greyhound Racing Club organised meetings at Coldham Lane in Cambridge.
The first meeting was on Friday April 10th 1931 although whippets had frequented the track previously.
Shaped more of a rectangle there was a stand that formed what effectively would have been the fourth side.
The main distance was 440 yards but whether the track continued to race in subsequent years is not known.
Active 1931-193?

Cambridge (Cowper Road)

Another Cambridge venue for greyhound racing was Cowper Road in 1931.
Greyhounds raced over 300 and 500 yards and whippets 275 yards.
Exact location and closing dates are required.
Active 1931-193?

Carlisle (Gillford Park)

The stadium at Gillford Park hosted the Carlise Centurions RL and more recently Celtic Nation FC.
There is evidence of racing at the south Carlisle venue in August 1928.
Active 1928-1929

Carlisle (Harraby)

The Carlisle and Cumberland Greyhound Racing Sports Ltd secured the lease of pasture land in Harraby during Feb 1928.
With the help of £12,500 registered capital the Carlisle Corporation agreed the lease despite protests from the local clergy
Racing started on 9th June 1928.
The venture was a disaster with the planned 21 year lease ending the just one year later with the company in liquidation.
Active 1928-1929

Carlisle (Sheepmount)

In the north west of Carlilse is the Sheepmount playing fields and more recently the athletics track.
It is known that a short lived track existed at Sheepmount and presumably it was in this area.
However more details are required to confirm the location and dates of existence.
Active Unknown

Castleford

The Castleford Sports Stadium was located east of Lock Lane sitting on the bank of the River Aire.
The stadium had been a football ground since the latter part of the 20th century and hosted Castleford Town FC.
Known as the Sandy Desert ground it also hosted Castleford RFC during the nineteen-twenties.
It is believed that racing was underway at this site by 1939 and is not to be confused with the smaller
NGRC track Castleford (Whitwood).
With a capacity of 1500 it is known to have traded up until 1950 and possibly beyond.
It became a sports ground by 1960 and today has been redeveoped into the Castleford Lock Lane Sports Centre.
(53°43’46.7″N 1°20’55.9″W)
Active 1939?-1950?

Caxton

There is a village called Caxton west of Cambridge and travelling north of the village you arrive at Caxton Gibbet.
A greyhound track exisited near here on the main Cambridge/St Neots Road in 1932.
The opening meeting is recorded as 9th Sep 1932 and there is evidence of racing twice on the same day during 1932.
Totalisator and refreshment facilities were available in addition to a free car park. More details are required regarding the exact location and the reasons it closed.
Active 1932-1932?

Chelmsford (New Writtle St)

On the 23rd September 1927 the London and Provincial Greyhound Racing Company bought land in Chelmsford to build a track.
Stiff opposition resulted and the planned construction failed to materialise.
However on the 20th May 1932 the Mid-Essex Greyhound Racing Club raced for the first time on the Whit-Monday.
The venue was New Writtle Street, home to Chelmsford Football Club next door to the County Cricket Ground.
One year later director AH Bradbury-Pratt began regular racing on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat evenings over 440 & 550y.
The racing continued irregularly during the years 1935-1937 before finishing, Chelmsford City FC purchased the ground in 1939.
A second spell of racing was submitted for planning by promoter Flight-Lieut CR Thomas in March 1946, finally starting in 1949.
Once again the racing only lasted a few years. Between 1976-78 prolonged plans to bring greyhound racing to the stadium failed.
The site was sold to developers in 1997 (0° 27′ 56.117″E 51° 43′ 52.019″N).
Active 1932-1937 & 1949-19?

Chelmsford (Springfield)

On Saturday 1st October racing began on a greyhound track that had been constructed on local farmland on Pump Lane corner.
150 people attended an eight race meeting.
The venture was very short lived because the farmer that owned the land stopped the racing just one week later.
Active 1949-1949

Chester

The Chester track was North of Sealand Road just West of the old football ground.
The stadium is known to have hosted racing in 1946 when under the control of the Chester Greyhound Racing Association Ltd.
Racing was held on Monday and Saturday nights on a track with a circumference of 440 yards.
Distances were 530 and 755 yards an races consisted of mainly five dogs chasing an Inside Sumner hare.
The site closed on 10th January 1987 and was later demolished to make way for a public park and a huge retail park.
The park an retail park are called Greyhound Park and Greyhound Retail Park (2° 54′ 53.367″W 53° 11′ 46.421″N).
Active 1946-1987

Chesterfield (Brimington)

A track off Station Road in Brimington, Chesterfield was also called Wheeldon Mill was a large circuit.
It is yet another case where a dog track was built for a mining community.
The circumference of 440 yards resulted in distances of 290, 500, 700 and 880 yards.
Competitions were run over all four distances and race nights were Mon, Wed & Fri.
Albert Ullyett purchased the track in 1985 before the track closed in 1997 (1° 24′ 52.799″W 53° 15′ 20.665″N).
1939-1997

Cleethorpes

The greyhound circuit was around the outside of the stock car racing track.
Believed to have opened in 1981 on the site of the former Cleethorpes Marineland & Zoo which closed in 1977.
Only lasted a few years finishing midway through 1986, the stock cars also closed in mid nineties.
Now the Pleasure Island Theme Park on Kings Road.
Active 1981-1986

Coalville

Coalville’s opening night was 15th October 1927 and was situated by Belvoir Road in Coalville near Leicester.
The track was 440 yards in circumference and ran the Summer Midland Sprint and Midland Leger.
Distances were 300, 510 & 715 yards and racing was on Tues and Sat and also featured Afghan racing.
The track closed after planning was given for new housing (1° 22′ 26.493″W 52° 43′ 6.890″N).
Active 1927-1990

Common Platt

A track existed behind the Foresters Arms public house (now Casa Paolo) at Common Platt off the B4553.
Race day was Saturday evening at 6.30pm and the cicumference of the circuit was 440 yards.
The make up of the track was all grass with a MacWhirter hare and distances of 375, 525 and 600 yards.
Active 1968?-19??

Coundon

This was another track built to serve the community of a colliery in County Durham.
Coundon was constructed in 1936 with an opening meeting held on Saturday 1st October 1938.
The Jawblades Pit miners frequented it and in 1947 the track tote turnover was a very healthy £127,708.
It was located near the Wharton Street and traded until 1970 before closing.
(1° 38′ 22.459″W 54° 39′ 42.409″N).
Active 1938-1970

Coventry (Walsgrave-on-Sowe)

Three miles north-east of Coventry is the village of Walsgrave-on-Sowe and it is recorded that greyhound racing was held here.
The opening night is listed as 16th November 1929 but no other information is known at present.
Active 1929-1929?

Deeping St James

The Deeping St James Greyhound Track opened on 13th June 1931 in the village north-west of Peterborough.
The racing was promoted by Tom Woodward at the rear of Bundle Farm.
Further details are required regarding the closing date and specifications.
Active 1931-19?

Dover

The Dover District Greyhound Stadium was located on Willow Walk Meadow in Dover.
The opening meeting was on the Boxing Day of 1932 but the venue struggled to attract good attendances.
In 1935 the proprietor Reginald Smith was declared bankrupt.
One year later fifty houses were erected on the site (1° 17′ 53.236″E 51° 8′ 11.517″N).
Active 1932-1935

Durham

Holiday Park was situated on the Framwellgate Waterside sandwiched between the river and railway track.
Durham City FC brought the wooden seated stand from their previous ground but played their
last match when they were voted out of the football league in 1928.
The opening night was on 23rd October 1937 and the ground underwent improvements including a new 2,000 capacity stand.
The site today near Frankland Lane is used by the electricity board (1° 34′ 38.404″W 54° 46′ 50.178″N).
Active 1937-1954

Earl Shilton

Very little is know about the track in Earl Shilton except that it was located not too far from the famous flapping track Hinckley.
There are references to some form of racing taking place in 1928 but more details are required.
Active 1928?-19?

Earls Barton

Earls Barton was simply known as the Greyhound Stadium and was located to the east of Northampton.
Over the years the stadium was used for Speedway, Go Karting and then Banger Racing.
Racing took place on Mon & Thurs evenings on all grass, distances were 280, 470 & 680y behind an inside Sumner.
The site is now the Earls Barton Playing Field just off the Northampton Road (0° 44′ 37.019″W 52° 15′ 5.070″N).
Active 1940?-1970?

Easington

North of Easington, Co Durham on the Sunderland Rd is the Moorfield Stadium that was built for a mining community in 1933.
Incredibly the first nights racing was held on Christmas Day 1934 and the first winner was ‘Must Win’ in 27.07secs.
Originally called the White City Stadium which was a very grand name for track in a village.
During the war Lord Haw Haw famously quoted ‘This week the people of Easington will be eating greyhounds not racing them’.
Distances raced are 270, 460, 525 & 640 yards on 380 track circumference.There are 70 kennels and a Ball hare was used.
More recently distances of 60, 235, 410 & 573 m are raced using the handicapping system.
(1° 21′ 12.911″W 54° 47′ 33.999″N).
Active 1934-present

Ellesmere Port

The track opened on 29th February 1988 and the first race was won by Go Ben Go.
The track circumference is 410 yards, distances raced were over 310, 525, 650, and 710 yards.
The site on Thornton Road has long straights and exceptionally wide bends & recent distances of 265 & 470m.
In June 2014 the track was closed for renovation (2° 52′ 52.409″W 53° 16′ 21.568″N).
Active 1988-present

Ely

The track opened on Saturday 13th May 1933 at the Downham Road Stadium.
The site today is presumed to be close to where Ely City FC play.
Further details are required.
Active 1933-present

Exeter (County Ground)

A second Exeter track was constructed at the County Ground Stadium South of Cowick Street in St Thomas.
The opening meeting was held on Saturday 13 December 1930.
The track had a 370 circumference and raced over 250, 440, 620 & 810 metres.
The track was described as a tight circuit with almost square shaped.
Main competitions included the Spring Cup, Derby and St Leger and they had an Inside Sumner.
In 2006 Bellway Homes built 150 houses on the site (3° 32′ 30.701″W 50° 42′ 52.340″N).
Active 1930-1986

Fakenham

The Kimberley & Wymondham Greyhound Club organised greyhound racing at the Fakenham Racecourse.
The club once had strong ties with the ancient sport known as Coursing (banned in 2005).
Inaugural events were held in 1999 and ten years later the racing started again (0° 51′ 17.02″E 52° 49′ 21.770″N).
Active 1999-present

Gillingham

Once again there was another greyhound circuit constructed around a football pitch.
This time it was the Priestfield Stadium home of Gillingham FC sandwiched between Redfern Ave & Gordon Road.
The opening meeting on 7th December was very early in the history of oval racing (0° 33′ 38.625″E 51° 23′ 3.167″N).
Active 1927-19?

Glastonbury

The circumference was 410m and held races over 280, 475 & 700 metres.
Main races included the Glastobury Derby and Glastonbury St Leger.
The track was covered over in 2000 but made a brief re-appearance in October 2005 until March 2006.
The Abbey Moor Stadium on the Godney Road is now the home of Glastonbury FC (2° 43′ 25.742″W 51° 9′ 15.332″N).
Active 19?-2000 & 2005-2006

Gloucester (Horton Road Stadium)

Gloucester in Horton Road held its inaugural meeting on 7th March 1975 at a large 30,000 capacity football stadium.
The track had been put around the pitch but the racing was only short lived probably due to the competition from near neighbour Longlevens. Westbury Homes purchased the site in 1986 and it was turned into the Swallow Park housing estate.
The only memory of a stadium exisiting today is the Stadium filling station (2° 13′ 30.666″W 51° 51′ 48.324″N).
Active 1975-1979

Gosport

The greyhound and whippet stadium in Gosport raced on Fri evenings & Sat afternoons from April 1930 until June 1936.
The stadium was on the Forton Road and distances raced were mainly over 400 yards and open races were featured.
The racing had winter breaks each year but the 6d admission fee could result in seeing a bumper meeting.
One such meeting saw no less than twenty races.
Active 1930-1936

Great Houghton

The Carters Knottingley Brewery Co Ltd allowed the construction of a second greyhound track on land owned by them.
The track adjacent to the Old Hall Inn was leased and opened by Mr J Button in 1935 (1° 21′ 3.099″W 53° 33′ 10.792″N).
The company already had a track in Upton and a third would follow soon at Pontefract.
Following the death of Mr. Button in Feb 1941, the company bought the Old Hall Inn and found a new tenant Mr H.O.Butterfield.
The site was valued in 1950 at £350, much less than ‘sister’ track Pontefract.
Mr. M.T. Armin took over in 1953, paying £200 for the fixtures and fittings and a lease of £25 per year.
Due to falling attendances racing stopped in June 1954 and the field was incorporated into the tenancy of the inn.
Active 1935-1954

Hartlepool

The first meeting at West Hartlepool was on 14th September 1938 and drew a crowd of 4,000. The first winner was Arran Beg.
The site was on the West Hartlepool rugby football ground which ran along Clarence Road in West Hartlepool.
Owned by the Hartlepool Racing Company Ltd the track had a small 365y circumference and distances of 266, 460 & 640 yards.
There was a covered stand, a restaurant, 35 kennels and an Inside Sumner hare was used.
The site was eventually built on by Morrisons Supermarkets (1° 12′ 44.891″W 54° 41′ 15.787″N).
Active 1938-1993

Hastings

The Pilot Field on Elphinstone Road was the home to Hastings & St Leonards FC and in 1948
Hastings United took over the pitch and forced them out. At the same time they introduced speedway and greyhound
racing around the pitch which lasted until 1966. (0° 35′ 12.819″E 50° 52′ 27.921″N).
Active 1948-1966

Hayton

There was a greyhound track in the small village of Hayton, eight miles east of Carlisle.
Location and dates of existence are not known at present.
Active Unknown

Hebburn

In the small mining town of Hebburn plans to build a £30,000 greyhound track were passed in September 1944.
The track could host 6,000 people and opened in 1945 and was still active in 1947.
Further information is required about this track.
Active 1945-1947?

Highgate

Situated on Nicholas Lane in Goldthorpe, a strong mining community and sandwiched between Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley. The track is a popular venue and has a circumference of 440 metres and distances of 260, 304, 414, 590 & 740 metres.
Described as a good galloping track with wide bends believed to have opened around 1934.
The track was famously featured as ‘The flapping track’ in a BBC documentary (1° 18′ 53.566″W 53° 32′ 11.647″N).
Active 1934-present

Hinckley

Joe Grant started the greyhound racing at Hinckley in 1936 and the track in Nutts Lane just North of the railway track was extended in 1947. The McWhiter hare was replaced by the Inside Sumner on a track measuring a 400 yard circumference.
There was a covered stand and car parking for 200 vehicles in what became an extremely popular flap.
Tom Grant took over from Joe after his death in 1972 and racing continued until 2006.
The council granted Crest Nicholson planning permission in 2006 for 84 homes.
(1° 23′ 59.453″W 52° 31′ 54.442″N)
Active 1936-2006

Houghton Le Spring

The Hetton Race Company Ltd brought greyhounds to the Houghton Le Spring Racecourse in County Durham in 1938.
Known as Houghton the track had been used for horse racing and whippet racing.
It served as entertainment for the mining community from the nearby colliery from Thursday 03 November 1938.
Racing was on Tuesday nights and Saturday afternoons on a grass track around a 390 yards circumference.
Distances were 290, 480 and 675 yards with an inside Sumner hare.
Houghton raced until 1971 before being turned into the Racecourse housing estate.
That same estate came to prominence in the 1990’s after being named as a problem area In Britain.
A report found that 80% of people with nothing to occupy their time had contributed to the problems.
(1° 27′ 44.273″W 54° 50′ 15.654″N)
Active 1938-1971

Hull (Craven Street)

The East Hull Sports Stadium Company opened for racing on Saturday 13th October 1934 (0° 18′ 44.007″W 53° 45′ 1.667″N).
Not to be confused with the two Craven Park stadiums this stadium also hosted whippets.
It is very interesting that there were reduced admission prices for people producing an unemployment card.
Active 1934-1937?

Huntingdon (St Ives)

A little known track near St Ives existed in the early thirties running races over 350 and 525 yards.
The only fact known at present is the opening night of 25th May 1931 and it was active in May 1933.
Considerably more information is needed on this venue.
Active 1931-1933?

Ilminster

On Thursdays and Saturdays greyhound racing took place at Ilminster.
There is evidence of racing from 1935 through to late 1936 although actual opening and closing dates are unknown.
Further details are also required on the exact location of the track that ran races over 450, 500 and 530 yards.
Active 1935?-1936?

Keighley

The Parkwood Stadium was located on the West of Aireworth Road at the bottom of Beeches Road.
(1° 53′ 25.503″W 53° 52′ 19.841″N)
The Yorkshire track opened on November 22nd 1947 and had kennels located in nearby Steeton where the greyhounds were kept.
The track record of 29.05 was set by Rusty in 1965, it is alleged that Rusty was the one and only ‘Hi Joe’ famously stolen at the time.
The circumference was 410 yards, racing was on Tues & Sat evenings made up of six dog races over 306 & 518 yards.
The track was open for nearly thirty years before closing on 24th December 1974 due to new Aire Valley Road proposals.
Active 1947-1974

Kempston

Between 1932 and 1933 the Box End Greyhound and Whippet track held occasional meetings on Saturdays.
More details are needed regarding the location and features of the track.
Active 1932-1933

Kettering

On the 4th July 1930 a greyhound track opened in Kettering by a Leicester syndicate.
At present not a lot is known about this track except that they raced Friday evenings so further details are required.
Active 1930-193?

Kingskerswell (Halfway)

A greyhound track existed in Kingskerswell near Torquay off the Torquay Road by the railway track and was called the Halfway.
It opened during February 1933 and in 1947 had a tote turnover of £157,233 (a large turnover for a track capacity of 500).
It was a grass track running five dog races over 220 and 530 yards.
The track raced until November 1971 when it closed with greyhound racing moving to Newton Abbot racecourse some years later.
The land was sold for redevelopment (3° 34′ 35.158″W 50° 29′ 28.735″N).
Active 1933-1971

Kings Lynn

Kings Lynn Sports Stadium Ltd opened the Saddlebow Greyhound Racetrack for racing on 27th August 1951
between Poplar Avenue and Maple Road, South of Kings Lynn.
Speedway was initially held there on a grasstrack before stock car racing started in 1955 before the track became run down.
Shale was introduced in 1965 when Speedway returned and in 1966 the Wisbech owner
Herbert Barrett the stadium and introduced greyhound racing again.
The greyhounds finished and the stadium was renamed to the Norfolk Arena (0° 23′ 20.832″E 52° 43′ 48.588″N).
Active 1951-1966?

Knottingley

Greyhound racing was prominent in West Yorkshire and in the town of Knottingkley there was a track.
Racing is known to have taken place around 1940-1946 but more details are needed.
It is known that they re-applied for a betting licence in 1946 after previously having the licence suspended.
Also active in 1947 with a capacity of 3,000 people.
Active 1940-1947?

Langley Mill

Just outside Nottingham in the small town of Langley Mill was the Langley Mill Greyhound & whippet track.
Also known as the Victory Greyhound track racing began on 19th April 1930 over 330y, 500y and hurdles.
The grounds adjoining the New Inn hosted the racing but it was very short ceasing during 1931.
Active 1930-1931

Leicester (Aylestone Road)

Aylestone Road in Leicester opened on 24th September 1927 and became the first track to open in the city.
Believed to be near or around the Leicestershire Cricket Gound, home of Leicestershire CCC at the time.
Active 1927-1929?

Leighton Buzzard

Bridge Meadows Greyhound Track was situated on Bridge Meadow in Leighton Buzzard.
This area was a flood plain and wharfage between near the Grand Union Canal and the River Ouzel.
Meetings were held on Tuesday and Friday evenings at 7.00pm and is known to have taken place during 1931.
The racing was organised by the Leighton Buzzard Greyhound Racing Association.
The location is believed to have been (51°54’56.8″N 0°40’00.6″W)
Leighton Buzzard still has a connection today with the industry and that is of course the ’26A’ sand it supplies to tracks.
Active 1931-19?

Lincoln (Hykeham Road)

It is known that greyhounds raced at two venues in Lincoln both organised by the Lincolnshire Greyhound Racing Associastion.
From the 13th September 1931 every Sunday at 3pm there was racing at the Highfield track on Hykeham Road.
Possibly located near Highfield Terrace but more information is required regarding this track.
Active 1931-1932

Lincoln (The Rope Walk)

A second track opened by the Lincolnshire Greyhound Racing Association was at the Lincoln Speedway on ‘The Rope Walk’.
They were racing from their opening night on 4th June 1932 when they held two Saturday meetings at 3.30pm & 7.30pm.
Further details are required about this track including the whereabouts, presumed to be by the University today.
Active 1932-1932?

Lingfield

Nestledown Kennels was built in 1960 and was used as a boarding kennels but in 1991 the schooling track opened for racing.
Saturday racing at 1.00pm was the race day and a huge circumference of 475 metres allowed distances of 300, 475 & 700 yards.
A rare occurrence was the fact that the track just of the Eastbourne Road had two hares, an Inside Sumner and Outside McKee.
Site today – (0° 2′ 36.714″W 51° 10′ 53.677″N).
Active 1991-1992

Little Waltham

In the village of Little Waltham, Essex a track was built and started racing in the spring of 1930.
Located on the main Braintree-Chelmsford Road, three miles from Chelmsford the main race night was Friday at 7pm.
There was a grass track offering 550y races and a covered stand with refreshments available on site.
The four acre site near Ash Tree Corner was put up for sale in Feb 1931, meetings after this were organised by the Waltham Greyhound & whippet club.
Equipment from the track at New Writtle Street in Chelmsford was installed here in March 1936. Attempts to revive racing with a larger stadium on the site failed in 1946.
Active 1930-1938

London (Battersea)

The Battersea greyhound track was located on Lombards Road and Victoria Crescent and opened for racing in 1930.
It was one of the many tracks that was forced to close during World War 2 and did not re-open.
The area now a built up next to London heliport (0° 10′ 33.048″W 51° 28′ 20.393″N).
Active 1930-1939

London (Crooked Billet)

The Crooked Billet Greyhound & Whippet track was best known as the track that turned into
Walthamstow (0° 0′ 51.217″W 51° 36′ 12.646″N).
Opening in the late twenties it was famously bought by William Chandler who then went about building the ‘Stow’.
Active 1929?-1933

London (Dagenham, Old)

Dagenham opened in 1930 and was a little track with sharp turns favouring railers (0° 8′ 22.626″E 51° 31′ 40.665″N).
In 1931 the track had an alternative to the relatively new automatic totalisator. It used water displacement instead of electricity.
North of the Ripple Road the site was purchased by Romford Stadium Ltd and plans were drawn up to rebuild the site in 1938.
Active 1930-1938

London (Edmonton)

On Eastbournia Avenue by Barrowside Close Jewish cemetery there was a track called the Edmonton Stadium in use in the 30’s.
There was a training track nearby at Hounsfield that served as a straight parallel to Tramway Avenue.
It closed in 1947 and became derelict then replaced by housing and allotments (0° 3′ 3.836″W 51° 37′ 19.629″N).
Active 1930’s-1947

London (Greenford)

The Greenford Trotting Track was a popular venue in the 1920’s and greyhounds first appeared on 31st October 1927.
The track was located south of Birkbeck Avenue and was a pioneer venue for Speedway.
The greyhounds seem to have been a very short lived venture at this West London stadium (0° 21′ 19.077″W 51° 32′ 27.108″N).
At the site today is covered by the houses on Jeymer Drive, not Birkbeck Avenue as quoted in many references.
Active 1927-1928?

London (Harlington Corner)

Harlington Corner was constructed in the thirties directly above the Bath Road. During the second World War all of the land in the parish of Harlington to the South of Bath Road was requisitioned by the Air Ministry for London Airport.
In 1959 plans for two large hotels ‘The Skyways (Now Sheraton)’ and ‘Ariel (Now Holiday Inn)’ were revealed to serve Heathrow.
This resulted in the track having to be being demolished and the last meeting was on 22nd January 1962.
The track would have stood very near where the Holiday Inn is today (0° 25′ 58.198″W 51° 28′ 53.096″N).
Active 1935?-1962

London (Mitcham)

The stadium was simply called the Mitcham Stadium and was used for just a short time before the war.
It was also home to the Streatham & Mitcham RLFC during this short time. It had covered grandstands along both straights and one of the straights was slightly extended. The stadium was replaced by housing in 1955 and is now occupied by Ormerod Gardens.
The stadium is not to be confused with the former Sandy Lane ground owned by Tooting and Mitcham FC which was nearby.
Site today – (0° 9′ 19.875″W 51° 24′ 34.766″N).
Active 1936-1937

London (Sidcup)

A greyhound track is listed in the Kellys Directory of 1934 stating that a track was situated in Foots Cray.
It is presumed that the track relatively close to Crayford & Bexleyheath was on the Foots Cray Road/Sidcup Hill area.
Active 1934?-1935?

London (Southall)

The track that operated in Southall opened on October 24th 1931 on Havelock Road, South Southall.
There was a licensed club and snack bar on site, the track was described as a lrage all grass circuit.
Race nights were Monday and Friday at 7.30pm with trials on Tuesday afternoons.
Race distances consisted of 270, 450 and 625 yards and the hare was an inside Sumner.
The track closed in December 1976 and is now part of the Havelock Primary school (0° 22′ 26.350″W 51° 30′ 3.957″N).
Active 1931-1976

London (Stratford, Temple Mills)

A track existed in the Temple Mills area of Stratford (2° 16′ 19.159″W 53° 29′ 50.941″N).
1946 tote turnover reached £776,050, a sizeable sum bearing in mind the track could house a maximum of 650 people.
Many boxing bouts were held at the Temple Mills Stadium near Quatermile Lane.
Active 1935-1949

London (Welling)

A greyhound track is listed in the Kellys Directory of 1934 stating that a track was situated on Wickham Street.
An application for permission to build a stand was made in 1932, this was at the rear of East Wickham house.
The Welling Stadium was situated in the East Wickham Open Space directly behind
the Wickham Street houses parallel with Beal Close (0° 6′ 13.572″E 51° 28′ 17.612″N).
Believed to have closed during the war but the stadium appears on maps in 1949 but has gone by 1958.
Active 1932?-1939?
Many thanks to Jon Seddon for help with this track.

Lynsted

In the little village of Lynsted near Sittingbourne there was a popular rearing and schooling track
called the Stedlyn Kennels run by George Macey (0° 47′ 17.264″E 51° 18′ 51.063″N). For a short period of time the track accepted entries for races from 22 November 1968.
The schooling track reverted back to non racing and many top greyhounds were schooled here.
Active 1968-1968

Maldon

During 1932 oval racing was held every Saturday at Sealey Farm on the Fambridge Road in Maldon, Essex.
The races started at 3pm and finished at 8pm but was very short lived opening on 3rd September 1932 and closing the same year.
Active 1932-1932

Mansfield (Woodhouse)

On the eastern bank of the River Maun not too far from the busy town of Mansfield was a greyhound track called Woodhouse
named after the area which contains the village of Woodhouse to the north. This was a strong mining community until the
Sherwood colliery pit closed in 1992. Just North of Old Mill Lane was a marshland and to the north of that were sludge beds
belonging to the Mansfield Corporation sewage works.
The track was constructed after the war and opened for racing on 11 Dec 1948 overseen by Mr. C. Faulkner (managing director).
The track continued unlicenced until around 1961 and it is believed that the Duchess of Portland attended races there.
The site today is occupied by the Tall Trees Mobile Home Park (1° 10′ 42.359″W 53° 9′ 30.063″N).
Active 1948-1961

March

March is a small market town in Cambridgeshire. The football team March Town United play at the GER Sports Ground.
The site located West of Robingoodfellows Lane hosted greyhound racing from 31 January 1931.
The first winner was Theaker over 600 yards (two laps of the 300 yard course) and then he contested a final later that day.
Many years later in the sixties alterations were made to the ground to accommodate changes in the greyhound track.
which upset the football followers due to the fact that the wooden stand moved further from the pitch.
Racing took place on Wednesday and Saturday evenings on a circumference of 450 yards.
Race distances were 325, 550 and 760 yards, it had an all grass circuit with an inside hare.
The racing finished in 1984 (0° 5′ 9.552″E 52° 33′ 14.968″N).
Active 1931-1984

Markfield

The Markfield greyhound and whippet track was located in the village of Markfield not far from Leicester.
Opening on the 3rd January 1931 the village was one of many to experiment with racing during this boom time.
Distances were 330 & 500 yards but once again the track only survived one year.
Belived to have been located behind the Old Coach & Horses Inn on Leicester Road.
Active 1931-1931

Melton Mowbray

Melton Mowbray near Leicester was located on Saxby Road and opened on 11th June 1946.
The final meeting was held in 1969 and the site is now an industrial park (0° 52′ 16.811″W 52° 45′ 54.592″N).
Active 1946-1969

Mexborough

The wonderfully named Dog Daisy Stadium was situated on the corner of Sedgefield Way and Harlington Road in Mexborough.
More information is needed about this South Yorkshire track, it was active in 1947 but closed in 1965.
Site today – (1° 16′ 41.724″W 53° 30′ 8.445″N).
Active 1947?-1965

Newark

This small hamlet in the Peterborough soke hosted greyhound racing in 1931.
Race meetings were held on Mon and Fri daytimes.
More information is needed about this track.
Active 1931-1931

Newbold Verdon

In the village of Newbold Verdon in Leicestershire greyhound racing started on 15th April 1930.
It is known that this was once a mining village but details regarding the location of the track are required.
Active 1930-19?

Newhall

The Oversetts Road dog track opened on the 10th May 1930. The town of Newhall was surrounded by nearby dog tracks.
Woodville was located 1.5 miles away and Swadlincote was even closer at just 1.3 miles.
The track also hosted whippets and the main distances for greyhounds was 300 & 500 yards.
No results can be found for 1931 leaving the assumption that only one season of racing was conducted.
Active 1930-1930

Newmarket

The greyhound racing in Newmarket was another instance of racing around a football ground.
It is presumed that this site was Cricket Field Road, home to Newmarket Town FC but this needs verification.
Extra details required on operating dates and specifications although it is known to be active in 1947.
Active 1947?-1947?

Newton Abbot (Racecourse)

Newton Abbot racecourse is between Kingsteignton and Newton Abbot and a greyhound track was constructed on the final turn inside the racecourse. The opening night was 2nd May 1974 and races featured regularly until 2005.
The track featured a grandstand that could dismantled when horse racing takes place, it was all sand and had an Inside Sumner.
The circumference was 437 yards and the distances were 325, 482, 525 & 762 yards.
The main events were the Newton Abbot Derby & St Leger (3° 35′ 46.378″W 50° 32′ 23.278″N).
Active 1974-2005

Newton Abbot (Recreation Ground)

Meetings were held at the Recreation Ground in Newton Abbot many years before the racecourse hosted events.
Distances were over 250, 450 and 460 yards and racing lasted around five years (3° 36′ 16.827″W 50° 31′ 58.843″N).
Active 1929-1934

Northampton

The first meeting held at the Northampton Greyhound Stadium (South Bridge Wharf) was on 7th April 1928.
The stadium was located on South Bridge Road and was run by the Northampton Greyhound Racing Association.
Racing was every Thurs & Sat and a narrow boat was pulled over the Nene River for people to use as a bridge to get to the track.
The final meeting was held on 31st October 1964 because Greenough’s bought the track and converted the track into a wallpaper and paint depot. The site today is housing immediately south of the river (0° 53′ 28.174″W 52° 13′ 51.266″N).
Active 1928-1964

Norwich (The Firs)

Norwich was a popular greyhound city with four tracks operating at one stage.
The Firs, Aylsham Road was constructed in 1932 on an empty field and opening night was 30th July.
Owned by the Eastern Speedways greyhound racing only survived a few years due to stiff competition closing 14th January 1935.
It closed to Speedway in 1964 and was redeveloped for housing and a school.
The site today is the Meadow Way Estate (1° 16′ 14.563″E 52° 39′ 55.929″N).
Active 1932-1935

Norwich (Thorpe)

Thorpe opened on 17th June 1933, just one year after the Firs & Boundary Park becoming the third of four tracks in Norwich.
The track was situated in Thorpe Hamlet East of Norwich on what was known as Careys Meadow owned by George Carey.
In the summer racing took place but ice skating replaced the greyhounds for winter when the fields were manually flooded.
The last meeting took place on 2nd September 1939 (1° 19′ 42.504″E 52° 37′ 33.430″N).
Active 1933-1939

Nottingham (Olympic)

The Olympic Grounds in Nottingham on Trent Lane was opened for Speedway by Olympic Speedway Ltd in 1928.
The speedway finished but in August 1931 the Greyhounds (Nottingham) Ltd agreed a short term deal to bring it back.
The greyhounds raced over the main distance of 525 yards and would continue until around September 1932.
The venue closed and was replaced by the larger White City stadium on the same site in 1933 (1° 7′ 19.628″W 52° 56′ 41.104″N).
Active 1931-1932

Nuneaton

Very little is known about a track existing in Nuneaton except for an opening night of 6th October 1927.
The local church protested against the opening of a new track in December 1927 but this conflicts with the date of October.
Further details are required as to the location and the dates of operation.
Active 1927-19?

Plymouth (Beacon Castle)

The Beacon Castle Greyhound and Whippet Sports Ground was opened on 22nd October 1931.
Situated near Lipson and the end of Efford Lane the track raced on Tuesday & Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
One of the favoured distances was 660 yards and they used a trackless hare.
Six and eight dog races were held and the club on site was run by the Efford ex-servicemen colony.
Racing ended in 1934, the club became the Beacon Castle Sports and social club.
The site today is housing in Channel Park Avenue (4° 6′ 52.876″W 50° 23′ 10.052″N).
Active 1931-1934

Plymouth (Beacon Park)

Beacon Park was the home of Plymouth Albion RFC and just eight years after they moved in greyhounds were introduced.
The venture started on the 5th May 1928 with racing over 525 yards behind a trackless hare. Whippets were also prominent.
New management took over during September 1929 and racing sometimes took place twice at 3pm & 5pm.
Greyhound racing came to an end on 4th July 1931 (4° 9′ 16.225″W 50° 23′ 44.108″N).
Active 1928-1931

Plymouth (Devonport)

The Devonport Greyhound and whippet track existed in West Park, Higher St Budeaux.
Opened on 10th October 1931, the only references to the track seem to be when the owners fell foul of the law.
The track did not re-open for the start of the 1933 season.
Active 1931-1932

Plymouth (Plymstock Park)

Opening on 26th May 1931, this venue was only used for special events such as the Plymstock Gala.
These included greyhounds, whippets and boxing and did not open for the 1932 season.
Active 1931-1931

Pontefract

Claude Firth, licensee of the Willow Park Hotel gained permission from the landlords to lease four acres of land.
A greyhound track was constructed by Firth and his business partners J.W. Penty and Percy Smith.
The stadium was called the delightful name of ‘Pontefract Willow Park Electric Hare Stadium’.
A two year lease was agreed with Carters Knottingley Brewery Co Ltd at £30 per year and racing started in 1938.
After the war further leases were agreed and in Jan 1951 the site of the Willow Park track had a value of £2,135.
In Jan 1964 Carters Brewery integrated with parent company B.Y.B. Ltd and they sold the Willow park site.
This led to an agreement with Tees Land Investment Co Ltd & the local council in approving private housing development.
The last meeting was on 28th June 1969 (1° 17′ 36.643″W 53° 41′ 30.659″N).
Active 1938-1969

Ramsgate (Newington)

Ramsgate had an active track at Dumpton Park for years but not many know that there was a flapper at Newington.
The track was situated on the west of Newington Road, just north of Bush Avenue.
The Ramsgate Sports Stadium Ltd company owned it before it closed down in 1954.
The site now is occupied by Elephant Windows warehouse and other buildings (1° 23′ 51.863″E 51° 20′ 42.600″N).
Active 1938-1954

Rayleigh (O’Tooles)

The market town of Rayleigh saw greyhound racing in 1933, 14 years before the opening of the Rayleigh Weir Stadium.
The venue was O’Tooles Meadow off the Down Hall Road and also hosted dirt track speedway.
Further details are required regarding exact location and details of the site.
Active 1933-1933

Romford

Before the present stadium opened the town of Romford had already experienced greyhound racing.
On the opposite side of the London Road where the current track is today there was a flapper in operation.
Following a hike up of the rent in 1930 by the landlord the greyhounds moved out to set up elsewhere.
Approximate site (51°34’32.5″N 0°10’10.5″E).
Active 1929-1930

Rotherham (Hellaby)

A long lost track can be found south of where Cumwell Lane meets Bateman Road in Hellaby near Rotherham.
The track opened on 7th April 1928 until around 1930 but more information is needed.
The outline can still be seen today with many trees now occupying the centre of the track (1° 14′ 52.038″W 53° 25′ 16.503″N).
Active 1928-1930?

Rotherham (Holmes)

In the Holmes area of Rotherham, now part of Masbrough a greyhound track opened on 31st July 1933.
The track was owned by the same company that brought greyhounds to Millmoor.
Handicap and level break racing was held on Monday and Thursday nights at 7.45pm.
The circuit was all grass with one main distance of 405 yards behind an inside Sumner hare.
Closure came in 1974 (1° 22′ 50.530″W 53° 25′ 42.966″N).
Active 1933-1974

Rotherham (Millmoor)

Millmoor Stadium was built in 1907 and hosted Rotherham United FC until 2008.
Greyhound raced around the outside of the pitch which was directly west of Millmoor Lane and south of Masbrough St.
Opening night was 11th May 1931 but the racing only lasted until 29th July 1933.
The stadium still exists today (1° 22′ 12.899″W 53° 25′ 42.108″N).
Active 1931-1933

St Austell

Racing took place at the Cornish Stadium located directly North of the Par Moor Road between St Austell & St Blazey Gate.
The greyhounds are believed to have started soon after the track was constructed in 1950.
Greyhounds finished in 1988 and the stadium was redeveloped into the Cornish Market World (4° 44′ 12.491″W 50° 20′ 41.053″N).
Active 1950??-1988

St Helens (Hoghton Road)

Hoghton Road hosted St Helens FC in Sutton and in 1993 a greyhound track was built around it by the St Helens Greyhound Company. Opening on 2 July 1993 the changes increased income and helped the club make a profit.
The track around the pitch stayed until 2000 when St Helens FC agreed a deal with St Helens Rugby League Club (Saints).
Allegedly the deal involved St Helens FC giving their ground to Saints to sell and reduce the Saints debts in return for a groundshare at Knowsley Road for 80 years. Saints sold the football ground to Barratt Homes for £575,000 ending the greyhound venture.
Saints then sold Knowsley Road and the football team were left without a home (2° 41′ 41.814″W 53° 26′ 8.824″N).
Active 1994-2000

St Helens (Park Road)

The first meeting held at the Park Road track was on 5th November 1932, the track was on the East of St Helens.
The circumference measured a decent 410 yards but still had tight bends.
The main races were the St Helens Derby and the distances were 275, 493 & 680y, many were handicaps.
Closed on 5 Mar 1993 and the site today is Broadoak Manor nursing home (2° 42′ 51.230″W 53° 27′ 28.134″N).
Active 1932-1993

Salisbury (Castle Road)

The Salisbury Stadium & greyhound track was situated on the west side of Castle Street (entrance on Peters Road) adjoining the Sheep Fair Field. Originally a straight, the oval opened on the Wednesday 4th October 1931 at 4pm, featuring 10 races over 400y.
On 11 March 1932 the owners Mr W H Arnett & Mr B Lennox applied for permission for a new stadium complete with a track, totalisator, two kennels and urinals.
The Council passed the plan and the stadium built of corrugated galvanised iron over wooden frames went ahead.
The track only remained active until 1935 and was eventually replaced by agricultural land for the World War II.
Active 1931-1935?

Salisbury (West Harnham)

The West Harnham greyhound track at Netherhampton Road hosted racing in the early thirties.
The first meeting held by the Salisbury City Sports Club was on the Good Friday 25th March 1932.
The President of the Salisbury Sporting Club was Mr A Runyeard and it appears that the track was closed by 1934.
The site today is housing and the track would have been situated where Montague Road now sits.
Active 1932-1934?
Many thanks to Kathy Garland (A Short history of greyhound racing in Salisbury) and SWIAS.
For a more in depth history of Salisbury you can purchase a copy from the following website www.swias.org.

Sheffield (Hyde Park)

A track was constructed on the area previously know as the Hyde Park Volunteer Ground in Sheffield.
Opening on the 1st April 1933 the stadium was located on St Johns Road, north of Manor Oaks Road.
Amenities included a very large members social club and snack bar. Racing was held on Fri & Sat nights at 7.30pm.
A small circumference of 300 yards enabled distances of 200, 375, 525 and 700 yards.
Five dog racing was a mixture of handicap an level breaks with an inside Sumner hare.
Many of the greyhounds were owned by the track coming from their breeding kennels at Hatfield Woodhouse Farm.
The same management Hyde Park Greyhounds Ltd ran the track from when it opened into the seventies.
Hyde park was one of the first to convert to all sand changing just after the the second World War.
The track closed in April 1980 when the site was converted to housing (1° 27′ 4.496″W 53° 22′ 56.455″N).
Active 1933-1980

Shirebrook

Greyhound racing was held for nearly thirty years in the small market town of Shirebrook between Mansfield & Chesterfield.
Opening on 30th July 1932 around the local White Swan football ground the track thrived in a mining community.
The unusual form of seven dog racing was sometimes held here and hadicap races were also popular.
The track continued through the war and had totalisator facilities to bet on the races over 230, 300 and 400 yards.
Site today – (1° 12′ 36.804″W 53° 12′ 6.654″N).
Active 1932-1961

Skegness

There was a greyhound track in Skegness that was opened on 27th August 1931 by a local syndicate.
More information is required on this track including as to whether it was the same site as the later track in Marsh Lane.
Active 1931-1931

Skegness (Marsh Lane)

‘The Stadium’ as it was known is located in the middle of nowhere north west of Skegness.
On the south side of Marsh Lane the track had a 370m circumference and distances of 273, 460 & 640 metres.
The principal race was the East Coast Derby and the racing was sporadic after it opened on 16h July 1981.
The greyhounds ceased shortly after but re-opened again before finally closing on 16 Feb 1991.
The stadium is still used for stock car racing today (0° 16′ 58.490″E 53° 11′ 11.660″N).
Active 1981-1991

Somercotes

Somercotes is a town near Alfreton and the track was owned by the Alfreton & District Greyhound Company Limited.
Harry Hill, Len Meredith, Ted Callaghan and Charlie Hall opened the track in September 1954.
There was a pavilion and the 370 yards circumference circuit had distances of 270 and 480 yards.
The track was grass with sand and peat moss on the banked bends with an inside hare.
Racing was on Monday and Friday evenings with trials held after racing.
It is now part of the NHS Distribution Service Depot (1° 22′ 19.897″W 53° 5′ 4.774″N).
Active 1954-1971

Southend-on-Sea (Kursaal)

The Kursaal was one of the worlds first amusement parks built in 1901 and ran along the Eastern Esplanade.
Greyhound racing appeared on 27th July 1927 around the Southend United football pitch in the Kursaal grounds.
Two Scotsmen named Jimmy Shand and Tom Wilson introduced the racing here after agreeing terms with the football club.
John Bilsland then added his name to the venture and he became a significant promoter of greyhound racing in later years.
In 1929 the whole operation was moved by train (including greyhounds) to Stanley in Liverpool due to rent demands.
The entrance to the amusement park remains as a listed building (0° 43′ 41.601″E 51° 32′ 2.837″N).
Active 1927-1929

Stockton-on-Tees (Belle Vue Ground)

The Belle Vue Ground opened in 1895 in the Norton area of Stockton-On-Tees and hosted whippet racing and boxing events.
Greyhound racing started there on 1st June 1946 and continued right up to 1970 and possibly beyond.
Described as a rugged flapper the main distance was 440 yards and an inside Sumner hare was used.
The site was north of Swainby Road and south of Weston Crescent and made way for the Belle Vue Court housing
(1° 18′ 22.062″W 54° 34′ 41.904″N)
Active 1946-1970?

Stockton-on-Tees (Portrack)

There was another racetrack off the Norton Road in the Norton area of Stockton-on-Tees.
The track was active in 1933 and maybe even earlier, it was called the Portrack Running Ground.
The stadium was a popular venue for major boxing bouts.
The site today is the Portrack trading Estate found near Portrack Lane.
Active 1933-19??

Stockton-on-Tees (Victoria Ground)

Greyhounds raced around a football pitch in Stockton-on-Tees at the Victoria Ground.
The ground was at the end of Suffolk Street which is now housing on an area called Wembley Way.
It was a large 15,000 capacity stadium and Stockton FC who played at the ground folded in 1975.
Site today – (1° 19′ 42.406″W 54° 33′ 48.910″N), further details are required.
Active 1947?-1975?

Stoke Golding

Stoke Golding is a small village near Hinckley and in this area of England greyhound racing was a popular pastime for many.
Close to Earl Shilton and Hinckley we do know that racing started on 19th April 1930.
The venture was run by the Stoke Golding Greyhound Association and the main race distance was 450 yards.
Further details regarding the location and the closing are required.
Active 1930-19?

Stoke on Trent (Hanley)

The racing started at the Sun Street Stadium in Hanley on 31st March 1928.
South of Clough Street the venue used to race three times a week (2° 11′ 5.208″W 53° 1′ 18.469″N).
The final meeting took place on 18th October 1963 after being sold to a garage. The site today is a business park.
Active 1928-1963

Stondon Massey

In the south Essex village of Stondon Massey, Richard Oscar Vaughan built a grass circuit on his Brook Farm.
The track known as Stondon and Blackmore hosted racing for two summers and was well attended.
The boom of 1928 had allowed even small enterprises like this to pop up but it would soon close due to larger tracks opening.
Site today – (0° 17′ 17.918″E 51° 40′ 53.399″N).
Active 1928-1929

Sutton-in-Ashfield

The track in Sutton-in-Ashfield was around the Avenue Ground, a venue used by Sutton Town AFC.
The first meeting took place on 14th May 1932 and the track was situated on the Mansfield Road behind the Pot Makers Arms.
Racing came to an end there on 13th May 1972 almost exactly forty years later (1° 14′ 47.891″W 53° 7′ 59.553″N).
Active 1932-1972

Swandlincote

There was a little known track in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire that raced from 1932 and closed in 1962.
The site north of William Nadin Way and south of Newhall remains a non urban area (1° 34′ 6.120″W 52° 46′ 35.381″N).
Known as the Darklands Sports Stadium on the Darklands Grounds it hosted trotting, greyhounds and whippets.
Active 1932-1962

Swindon (Gorse Hill)

Greyhound racing took place on Edinburgh Street in Gorse Hill, Swindon from 1930-1931 and possibly beyond.
The racing was around the Corinthians FC ground and was organised by the Bedminster Racing Company.
Racing was at 7pm and an automatic hare was used for the 500 yards races.
The site today is most probably still the recreation ground that exists although smaller in size now.
Active 1930-1931

Swindon (Wroughton)

After a successful opening night on 26th July 1930 it is not known if Wroughton continued to race for long.
The race distance was 500 yards and the venue was the fields opposite the Black Horse Inn, North Wroughton.
The site today is known as Woodland View and the Black Horse Inn is now the Check Inn.
Active 1930-1930

Syston

Greyhound Racing arrived in 1931 at Syston near Leicester after the stadium built for Speedway suffered troubles.
The site on Mostyn Avenue and East Avenue off the Melton Road is now housing (1° 3′ 46.995″W 52° 41′ 53.749″N).
Active 1931-1969

Taunton (County Ground)

The County Ground, Taunton has always been famous for hosting the Somerset Cricket team.
However there was a greyhound track around the perimeter from 8th December 1961 until 3rd May 1979.
The track was known as the Priory and racing was on Tuesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm.
Described as a pear shaped track with distances of 275, 400, 500, 525, 750 and 900y.
The circumference was 485 yards and the hare was an outside McKee (3° 6′ 4.031″W 51° 1′ 7.992″N).
Active 1961-1979

Taunton (Priory Park)

For a three year period racing was held around the rugby ground in Taunton also known as the Priory Football Field.
Opening on Boxing Day 1947 the distances held were over 485 and 650 yards. It could hold over 7,000 spectators.
the racing stopped on 5th December 1950 (3° 5′ 48.039″W 51° 1′ 13.258″N).
Active 1947-1950

Thornley

The small track known as the Halfway House dog track was to be found in the village of Thornley in County Durham.
With a capacity of just 1,000 the track was situated where the recently built Crossways Court housing stands.
To the east was the nearby Black Lane Greyhound track at Wheatley Hill that originally hosted whippets.
It was called the Halfway House because of the Halfway House Inn situated next door.
Thornley was active in 1936 and the track was still in place in 1966/67 but had been demolished by 1976.
(1° 27′ 0.802″W 54° 44′ 45.086″N)
Active 1936-1966/67?

Thurnscoe

The Thurnscoe Fairplay Racing Track was in Thurnscoe in the Dearne Valley off Chapel Lane, north of George St.
The track 336 yard in circumference was around the football ground later known as the Thurnscoe Sporting Club.
A small village in the Barnsley borough the stadium could accommodate 4,000 patrons.
The first promoter was a Benjamin Lovatt of Highgate Villas, a master butcher.
The track received a betting licence in April 1936 and was still active throughout 1947.
Today the site is occupied by industrial units (53°32’46.6″N 1°17’38.6″W).
Active 1936-1947?

Tilbury

Tilbury FC played at Chadfields on St Chads Road and could accommodate 10,000 spectators.
This venue hosted greyhound racing and whippets before the war and possibly after (Betting licence granted in 1947).
Described as being in a bad state of repair after the war.
Further information required to eastblish dates.
Active 193?-1947?

Trowbridge

Trowbridge hosted greyhound racing for three short years opening on 3rd July 1976 and closing in July 1979.
The racing was held on the former football ground of Trowbridge Town Football Club off County Way.
The site today is housing and the circuit would have been found at (2° 12′ 42.238″W 51° 18′ 48.180″N).
Active 1976-1979
Many thanks to Jon Seddon for help with this track.

Upton

The Carters’ Knottingley Brewery Co Ltd would have three tracks leased out on their land, Upton, Great Houghton & Pontefract.
The first lease to be agreed was in 1933 to the tenant of the Greenfield Hotel who wanted to attract the local mining community.
The idea worked as business improved assisted by the new sport during the economic depression.
The Greenfield Hotel is believed to have closed during the war with the six acre site being made available for housing in 1947.
Site today – (1° 16′ 18.979″W 53° 37′ 6.894″N).
Active 1933-1939?

Walsoken

Walsoken near Wisbech had a greyhound track called the Wheatley Bank Sports Stadium in 1947 which reopened on 10 July 1948.
The track could only accommodate 500 spectators so is known to have been very small in regards to facilities.
The address was listed as being Lynn Road in Old Walsoken but was most likely situated nearer the Wheatley Bank Road.
Races were over 350 yards and meetings were held three times per week.
Active 1947-1948

Wansbeck

Wansbeck greyhound track is beautifully situated on the East coast in Cambois, Blyth, Northumberland.
The Cambois colliery used to be on the site before it was closed in 1968.
Distances were 247, 412 and 587 metres but the track closed and re-opened several times in recent years.
Currently being used as a schooling track only (1° 31′ 37.052″W 55° 9′ 15.676″N).
Active 19?-2012

Warwick

One of the most popular flapping tracks was situated North of Emscote Road in Warwick next door to Millbank Park.
The track had a 360m circumference and had an odd shape, the second and third bends being sharper than the first and last.
Distances of 90, 275, 450, 610 & 810m were held and the Warwick St Leger and Derby were the main events.
Believed to be the oldesf flapping track, constructed in 1927.
The track today is still used for schooling but racing ended in 2007 (1° 33′ 43.639″W 52° 17′ 44.403″N).
Active flap 1927-2007

Wellinborough

A track in Wellingborough, Northants held greyhound racing from the 14th April 1928.
Further details are required to establish the whereabouts of the venue and the specific details of the track.
Active 1928-19?

Weymouth

Greyhounds & speedway appeared at the Wessex Stadium on Radipole Lane, north of Weymouth on 5th Aug 1954.
A fast galloping grass track with an inside Sumner hare and distances of 300, 525, 765 and 990 yards.
The stadium was earmarked for Weymouth FC in 1985 after a move from the town centre.
Weymouth FC took over the ground in 1987 and renamed it the Bob Lucas Stadium in 2010 (2° 29′ 9.594″W 50° 37′ 15.277″N).
Active 1954-1985

Wheatley Hill

Wheatley Hill in County Durham is a village with a mining community and is known to have been active in 1947.
It is known to have hosted whippet racing as early as 1936 and likely to have raced some greyhound racing as well.
Wheatley Hill, South Stadium is situated on Black Lane and runs races over 260, 440, 580 & 800 metres.
Norman Fannon bought the track in 1965 and spent a large sum of money improving the facilities.(He died in 2005).
A custom made hare called the McFannon (made from hundreds of ex-Army bedsteads) was Fannons favourite.
The track back then was very tight, almost circular but underwent changes and today is much easier to negotiate.
Found at (1° 24′ 57.393″W 54° 44′ 54.977″N).
Active 1947?-present

Wigan (Poolstock)

A second track opened on a ten acre site near Baker Street, Poolstock on 9th March 1932 (2° 38′ 27.357″W 53° 32′ 15.345″N).
The stadium hosted a Laurel and Hardy parade around the track in 1947.
Five dog races were held on Saturday nights on a grass track, the distances were 314,525 & 750y behind an inside Sumner.
Planning permission for 130 homes to be built was given to John Maunders Construction Ltd in early 1973.
Racing stopped on 28th February and the track was demolished immediately and the homes finished in 1977.
Active 1932-1973

Wigan (Woodhouse Lane)

On the 17th March 1928 Woodhouse Lane in Wigan saw greyhound racing for the first time.
To preserve exclusive rights to greyhound racing the owners sold Springfield Park to Wigan Athletic FC
in 1932 with the proviso that the football club never introduced greyhounds there.
The greyhounds finished during April 1961 and the venue became an athletics arena.
Many years later it became housing (2° 39′ 20.660″W 53° 33′ 19.773″N).
Active 1928-1961

Winsford

The first meeting held at the Barton Stadium East of the Kingsway in Winsford, Cheshire was 18th June 1970.
A track was constructed around the pitch of the Winsford United FC (2° 30′ 44.197″W 53° 11′ 32.711″N).
The race nights were Tues and Thurs on a 430 yard circumference circuit, providing distamces of 86, 276, 476, 665 & 866m.
Described as a good galloping track with an Inside Sumner hare they mainly ran five dog races until the nineties.
Active 1970-199?

Wombwell (Hough Lane)

Wombwell between Barnsley and Rotherham had a whippet track that opened to greyhounds in 1934.
It could accommodate 10,000 spectators and was believed to have been around the football ground.
In 1949 it was featured by the National Coal Board when a documentary was made there.
Annual events included the Yorkshire Sprint and Yorkshire Derby on the all grass track.
The circumference was 410 yards, distances 360, 460 & 700 yards, inside Sumner hare.
The track closed on 29th June 1972 with the site today being the Kings Oak Primary school.
(1° 24′ 13.916″W 53° 31′ 13.520″N)
Active 1934-1972

Wombwell (Station Road)

The Wombwell (Station Road) track was to be found north of Station Road just before Ings Road .
It was called the South Yorkshire Sports Stadium and was the more senior of the two Wombwell tracks despite capacities being very similar.
It opened unofficially on Saturday 17th April 1928 with 3,000 spectators raising £15 (the nights entrance fees) for local charities.
One week later on Saturday 21st April 1928 the stadium officially opened charging 1/-, 2/- or 3/- for the available enclosures.
It became very popular and tote turnover in 1947 was £34,908
Also hosted Speedway until 1948 before the greyhounds finished during May 1956.
(1° 23′ 32.844″W 53° 31′ 36.479″N)
Active 1928-1956

Woodville

The Victory greyhound & whippet racing track opened during October 1929 at the Woodville Cricket off the Burton Road.
This South Derbyshire venue was just a stones throw from Swadlincote and usually raced on Saturdays.
Over 1,000 people regularly attended to watch races over 500 yards and 500 yards hurdles.
A second season was held in 1930 but there is no evidence of anything beyond this (1° 32′ 11.030″W 52° 46′ 18.054″N).
Active 1929-1930

Woolston

Woolston near Warrington is known to have opened for greyhound racing on 12th September 1934.
The track was directly north of the Grey Mist Mere lake and the Woolston New Cut canal.
The track described as being horseshoe shaped closed in 1937.
On the site today is New Cut Lane that forms part of an industrial area (2° 32′ 29.960″W 53° 23′ 48.786″N).
Active 1934-1937
Many thanks to Jon Seddon for help with this track.

Workington

Racing at the West Cumberland Stadium was at Lonsdale Park in Workington, originally used by the football team until 1951.
The track raced on Monday and Saturday nights over distances of 320, 530 & 760 yards.
The circumference was a generous 440 yards and an Inside Sumner was used and the main race was the Workington Derby.
The track outline can be seen today directly next to Borough Park Stadium and the river (3° 32′ 55.048″W 54° 38′ 52.462″N).
Active 1930?-1999

Worksop

The Worksop Cricket & Sports Club turned down the first application for a track at the Central Avenue Ground in 1937.
Despite the failure to open a track in 1937 it took just a further two years before one did open off Claylands Avenue.
Opened by Worskop Sports Stadium Ltd it was situated just behind the Gateford Hotel.
Racing initially took place every Monday and Friday at 5.30pm over distances of 425 & 500 yards, soon replaced by 325 yards.
There was a clubroom, a totalisator and a popular enclosure stand. The stadium closed on 18th April 1969
and the site today is industrial units on the Claylands Close Roads (1° 8′ 8.314″W 53° 19′ 6.650″N).
Active 1939-1969

Yardley Hastings

Yardley Hastings is a Northants village and was known for its greyhound track in the forties.
The track was located off the Bedford Road which runs straight through the village.
Known to have been operating in 1934 the small 500 capacity venue closed in 1949.
Active 1934?-1949

Yarmouth (North Denes)

Flapping took place in a field on the west side of the Yarmouth Road
opposite the horse racing course (52°38’05.8″N 1°43’26.2″E).
The first two meetings were on the Good Friday 25 March 1932. Grass track speedway was also held from 14 July.
When Len Franklin bought the field in 1939 he built Yarmouth Stadium in land adjacent to the field.
Active 1932-1939

Yeovil (Barwick Field)

Yeovil has a long tradition with coursing and actually had three venues for greyhound racing.
On Saturday 22nd August 1931 Barwick Field on Long Lane, south of Yeovil held their first meeting.
525 yard events were held and they continued until early 1932 when the racing seems to have moved into central Yeovil.
The location is believed to be somewhere near to Barwick Park.
Active 1931-1932

Yeovil (Larkhill)

The Yeovil dog track started in 1947 at the Larkhill Stadium off the Larkhill Road.
The stadium was able to accommodate a significant 20,000 people and there was a licenced club and bar .
Racing was on Tues & Fri at 7.30pm. Circumference was 430y with distances of 330, 530 & 730 yards.
Planning for housing arose in 1971, it closed in November 1972 and by 1974 the stadium had turned into houses.
Today the site is totally hidden by housing around the Larkspur Crescent area (2° 39′ 26.245″W 50° 57′ 10.902″N).
Active 1947-1972

Yeovil (West Hendford)

Greyhound racing took place around the famous sloping Yeovil Town FC pitch from as early as May 12th 1928.
Racing became more regular in 1932 when the track known as West Hendford seems to have replaced the Barwick Field events.
The football team at the time was called Yeovil & Petters United and the ground was called Huish Park.
Still active in 1947 it was then known as the Yeovil Football and Athletic club and could host 10,000 spectators.
The ground was bought by Tesco and demolished in 1990 as the football club moved to the new Huish Park.
Active 1928-1947?

Straights

Edgware Straight

In Brockley Hill, the Edgware Straight raced over 200 & 300 yards racing over a track width of 34 feet using a Drag hare.
Major races were the Champions Stakes, Derby and Spring Stakes but the track closed down in 1989.

Loudwater

Loudwater near High Wycombe raced six dogs behind a Ball hare over 400y at Derehams Lane and held the Loudwater Derby.

There were also straights in
Thirsk Racecourse
Feltham (West London)
Hounsfield (Edmonton)
Gillingham (Somerset)
Marshgate Lane/Pudding Mill Lane (Stratford)
Wolsingham (Co Durham)

1. 

   Most of the info above is reasonably accurate except for the reference for the casino. A full legal licence was…