Report - Loomer Road Stadium, Newcastle Under Lyme - December 2019

[GRONK]

December 2019​

The Visit
Visited with @Choo Choo m8ty. I've had this one on the radar since its impending closure popped up on Facebook a few months ago, the stadium occupies roughly a 5.8 hectare site which includes several buildings, the main stand isn't currently accessible however many of the other buildings are, including the changing rooms, showers, first aid room and confectionary shop. There are a few vans parked on the car park however these just appear to be stored here as we didn't run into anyone whilst in the grounds. At the end of the day it is nothing special, but I thought I'd share it as we haven't seen it before.

History
Opened in 1973 at a cost of £200,000 as a speedway and greyhound track, with a track circumference of 390 meters and the capacity to hold 5,000 spectators. Also home to the Stoke Potters' speedway team the venue has played host to a number of other sports including Stock Car Racing over its 47 year history. Greyhound racing ended at the track in 2003, however there are signs of the venues heritage with the original 40 kennels still located in an outbuilding on the site [Photo 8]. Loomer Road held the last Stoke Potters' race on 14th September 2019 with the land being sold to a housing developer, it isn't clear how long it will be before the building and track are demolished however there are signs that the workers have been stripping the buildings recently.

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Cheers for looking
Canon EOS 70D, 10-18mm EFS​

 

[MotionlessMike]

Been here a few times while it was open, sad seeing it like this now!

 

[mookster]

Been here a few times while it was open, sad seeing it like this now!

To be fair it looked exactly the same when it was open!

 

[MotionlessMike]

To be fair it looked exactly the same when it was open!

Nahhh, it was never quite this depressing to look at when it was open. Be Birmingham Wheels next the rate they're dropping in the Midlands

 

[Calamity Jane]

No expense spared then. No seriously, its sad when something like this closes. Nice to see something different :

 

[Old Git]

Nahhh, it was never quite this depressing to look at when it was open. Be Birmingham Wheels next the rate they're dropping in the Midlands

Only too true mate.Just thinking the same myself. Hope for Leicester on the horizon from the same promotion.

 

[MotionlessMike]

Only too true mate.Just thinking the same myself. Hope for Leicester on the horizon from the same promotion.

Leicester would be super handy with the loss of Stoke, Coventry and Birmingham. Not heard about this but here's hoping something happens!

 

[Speed]

RIP Speedway!

 

[coolboyslim]

Yep something different and a nice mouch about. Definitely sad too see. And the greyhound cages where interesting cheers gronk matey for a nice Christmas mouch. Have a great Christmas everyone.

 

[mookster]

Leicester would be super handy with the loss of Stoke, Coventry and Birmingham. Not heard about this but here's hoping something happens!

Startrax who operated Stoke are planning on holding events at a stadium in Leicester from next year provided it all pans out.

In other stadium news there is a concerted effort right now to bring racing back to Oxford Greyhound Stadium, apparently the site has a covenant on it stating it can only be used for leisure activities so all the proposed housing developments have been a non starter. It'd be nice to see the trend of inner city stadiums closing reversed as recently Coventry and Stoke have closed and Belle Vue in Manchester has just had a demolition application accepted. Birmingham is hanging by a thread, all hope isn't lost there yet though because the owners are hopefully going to launching an enquiry into the council's actions.

 

[jones-y-gog]

Like the shot in the room with the coat hangers

 

[Rockermike85]

Nahhh, it was never quite this depressing to look at when it was open. Be Birmingham Wheels next the rate they're dropping in the Midlands

Unfortunatly its closing the end of next month

 

[Itch]

I think this is the place that a you tuber called Adam LZ used in one of his videos drifting an rx8 badly, lol, nice report

 

[Old Git]

Startrax who operated Stoke are planning on holding events at a stadium in Leicester from next year provided it all pans out.

In other stadium news there is a concerted effort right now to bring racing back to Oxford Greyhound Stadium, apparently the site has a covenant on it stating it can only be used for leisure activities so all the proposed housing developments have been a non starter. It'd be nice to see the trend of inner city stadiums closing reversed as recently Coventry and Stoke have closed and Belle Vue in Manchester has just had a demolition application accepted. Birmingham is hanging by a thread, all hope isn't lost there yet though because the owners are hopefully going to launching an enquiry into the council's actions.

0p

Startrax who operated Stoke are planning on holding events at a stadium in Leicester from next year provided it all pans out.

In other stadium news there is a concerted effort right now to bring racing back to Oxford Greyhound Stadium, apparently the site has a covenant on it stating it can only be used for leisure activities so all the proposed housing developments have been a non starter. It'd be nice to see the trend of inner city stadiums closing reversed as recently Coventry and Stoke have closed and Belle Vue in Manchester has just had a demolition application accepted. Birmingham is hanging by a thread, all hope isn't lost there yet though because the owners are hopefully going to launching an enquiry into the council's actions.

Hope your right mooks but im told there is no room for pits or parking at oxford. Be handy for you on your doorstep I was at the last meet at brum when colin north was killed which could turn out to be the last. Not a good memory.

 

[mookster]

0p

Hope your right mooks but im told there is no room for pits or parking at oxford. Be handy for you on your doorstep I was at the last meet at brum when colin north was killed which could turn out to be the last. Not a good memory.

Oxford won't ever be a stockcar track again for that reason however they want to bring it back into use for speedway or greyhounds if possible. I had a brief nose of it as a potential explore but it has a permanent security presence and is covered in infra red cameras which I guess is a good thing if they want to reuse it.