Wimbledon greyhound track received its last rites when London Mayor Sadiq Khan overturned Boris Johnson’s decision to call in Merton Council’s plans to close the greyhound track and replace it with a new football stadium and housing.
Businessman Paschal Taggart heard the news that his alternative option to retain greyhound racing and provide a higher percentage of affordable housing was angry but resigned when he heard the decision.
He said: “That’s it – we’re ******. I have often used odds of 100-1 and 20-1, which gives some indication of our chances – which is some indication in a two-dog race. The likelihood was always that Labour would stick together and so it proved. I would like to congratulate AFC Wimbledon on achieving a fantastic new football stadium, and I would like to wish them the best of luck in the future.
I hope Merton Councillors are around in two years time to see the results of their incredibly bad planning decisions. I love London and three of my best fiends are Londoners.”
Turning his attention to the final decision by Sadiq Khan, Taggart says: “He gained a landslide victory for London Mayor on the promise of 50% affordable housing. In his first decision he has accepted 9.6% affordable. With Sadiq in charge and the Brexit decision I can see nothing but difficulties for the London economy over the next 5 years.
“To the local residents both in Merton and Wandsworth I hope your serious concerns and expectations are not realised. You fought a great fight, but in retrospect you hadn’t got a chance, but you tried your very, very best. What can I say to the thousands of greyhound supporters throughout the world. Where we originally had 30 greyhound tracks in London we now have none. We tried our best but we were well and truly stitched up by Johnston, Galliards and Merton Council. To all my team, to the media, to our architects and engineers a very big thank you.
“Yes I am a very bad loser.”
