An open letter to Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

Dear Mr Burnham,

We write concerning the extremely emotive subject of Manchester’s historic Belle Vue Stadium.

You will be fully aware by now, that our group has raised an online and paper petition in an effort to ‘Save Belle Vue’, the original home of greyhound racing in the UK, after its introduction from North America.

To date we have raised over 13,000 signatures in reflecting the depth of strength opposing the decision recently taken by Manchester City Council’s Planning Committee.

That support includes such celebrity backing as Derek Warwick (former Formula One driver), Nick Tandy (Le Mans winner), Stuart Smith (Stock Car World Champion) and Nicky Butt (former Man Utd footballer).

At this point, further to previous communications we have had from your office, we are fully aware that in your role as Mayor of Manchester, you were unable to influence the committee’s decision.

What we do feel though is that as Mayor of the city, housing is just one key element that forms a modern vibrant and diverse city in 2020, especially one known for its sporting history and prowess such as Manchester.

We do not deny that Manchester, like so many other cities in this country, has a housing an issue, but this is the wrong development, in the wrong location, at the wrong time.

To consider 247 houses in an area like Gorton, and for they not to be social housing is at best absurd. Instead, the expectation is that with just 16% of affordable housing mind and not social housing, this is a solution for Manchester’s housing needs.

For this all to be at the social cost of losing not only a historic and iconic venue, but importantly a financially viable one, at a time when we are seeing other sports flounder without profit such as Bury FC, seems crazy.

If this housing offer was for social housing, we would walk away fully understanding the concept of the reality, but this is a loss of important leisure facilities in the area for the sole sake of profit for one company’s pension fund.

As supporters of the Oval Racing that have been tenants of the stadium since 1999, after formerly the old Hyde Road stadium,  we have raised a petition to challenge what we see as a pretty poor decision by the planning committee, that has both ignored and dismissed the role of the current tenants.

Not only is Belle Vue stadium the last remaining attraction from the infamous Zoological Gardens, but as the first ever greyhound stadium in the UK, it reflects the classic era of British culture that one so often speaks of, that gave us so many wonderful and imperialistic stadia to be proud of such as White City and the old Wembley.

Given its importance to British society, it should be preserved for the nation to reflect its heritage, and not bulldozed to make way for an unnecessary development.

Some things are simply more important than profit. If this was to fall at the hands of those on Manchster City Council, the beauty and charm could never be replaced. The Nation would lose the last of it’s truly iconic venues that this country is so proud of when attracting inward foreign investment.

When do we say enough is enough?

The stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane, currently hosts greyhound racing and stock car racing (a body of sportsmen and spectators who I am currently representing), yet despite a recognition for sporting and leisure spaces from their own chambers, the council has approved the site to become simply further housing.

Is this what we really want in the city? The irreplaceable past demolished for the benefit of short term profit?

Since the decision was announced, we have jumped into action in a concerted effort to register our objections and to request to at least have our sport be heard, before it is consigned to the wilderness never to return to the City.

It is our aim to arrange a meeting with yourself where a select number of our members could both present the petition to you for the media’s benefit, and have a private discussion of our concerns.

We thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

Kind regards,

Michael A. Burnage MBE

Save Belle Vue Stadium Action Group

Merits of an open graded system

Reading the story on Arc vs SIS and the possibility that lack of trainers/ dogs in future could result in track closures in future , would it not be wise to have a voluntary open graded system ?

This surely would be most efficient in sharing scare resources that may just keep trainers/ owners and tracks operating in such a scenario. It would also help remove monopolies, encorouge owners and new trainers and at least provide some at least security to trainers who lose a track ?

Horse racing does similar and surely non attached trainers at least it would help in security and maybe help increase run money/prize money ! Geographical problems would be helped to trainers as it creates more opportunities to run at nearer tracks particulary small trainers ! A simple trial  similar to open racing could be operated every 4-6 weeks for grading !

The Greyhound Board could make it mandatory all tracks accept it to remove monopolies etc ! Surely win win all round keeps tracks open may even draw in new owners ?

Christine Livett