'in the racing post today page 100 there is a special report about smallmead stadium and it's impending closure' by October 08. Do not know how much of this is valid but as usual no smoke without fire. Still no news on the new stadium and knowing the construction industry there is no chance of that being ready for 2009 so what then? presumably we have to rely on a year by year extension but with pressure form the developers for the land how long will that continue.
Is it time to mobilise some heavy hitting support a la Swindons success to get their new home assured
The fact that this has now appeared in print means we really do need a statement from somebody. If the Racers bosses don't know anything, they really need to be finding out.
with all the politics that go on in a situation like this - the council, land owners, capital finance houses, stadia owners, speculators and uncle tom cobbly (who probably knows most) it is highly likely M&M are in the dark and unable to tell us anything. Who do we know is fighting our corner? Didnt we have a visit by the Mayor and the start of the season? Where is he on this. Who else BIG can we get onside - what about Mr Majeski now he only has the Champioship to occupy him?
Yes come on Mr Mejeski you could get this Ra-casino built you could even make some money out of it and make a lot of people in Reading happy, what do you say ?
You never know he might read this or someone that knows him, maybe hopefully.
Have any of you thought, that maybe Stadia UK were fully aware of this, and just had their fingers crossed that the other stadium would be built in time? I don't think this can be compared to what happened in Swindon, for one thing the new stadium in Reading has to have both, the one in Swindon didn't.
Forget Madejski, from what i have been told he was one of the people who objected in the first place because he wanted the casino at the footie stadium ! old enough to do it properly, young enough to still do it!
Looks like a bit of deja vu here. If you look back to the 1980's, Bristol Rovers played at Eastville stadium which was owned by Stadia UK. When they had trouble asking the Rovers to find somewhere else, the place strangely burnt down. It would be interesting to see what happenes.
reading marks statement it would appear that there is no guarantee of speedway being included at any new stadium that may or may not eventually be built. statements such as "i'm sure things will work out in the fulness of time" dont fill me with much confidence.
im damn sure if it was my buisness i wouldnt be waiting for things to just work out in the fulness of time i would be seeking answers from the people involved
maybe when mark too over he knew it was only short term ?? hope im wrong but that stament really didnt answer the question of when will the stadium be started /finished and will reading speedway be part of it
The conditions awarded to the planning permission for the stadium were that the stadium had to provide for greyhounds and speedway, one could not operate without the other.
does anyone know what 'planning permission has been granted' actually translate into practical terms ie does it require any further criteria to be satisfied/ sanctioned; is it now in the hands of the developers - if so who is that?; what is the planning permission contingent on (ie is it affected by the residential work opposite); has anyone seen a timetable of activity etc
This situation has been worrying me for some time. Now it looks like I was right to be concerned. 'I'm sure things will work out in the fullness of time' sounds to me like the Management are whistling in the dark to keep their (and our?) spirits up. 'So lets make our final year at Smallmead one to remember for all the right reasons' sounds to me as if the game is up. I think there is only one way you can read that statement. There are no ifs or buts there. This is the last season at Smallmead. So, what happens next? I agree filling Smallmead to the rafters won't make any difference as to the future. Action needs to be taken NOW. A petition is a good place to start, but lobbying M.P's may be even better. Finding out who exactly is responsible for the development of the new stadium might also be an idea, so we can bend their ears a bit.
does anyone know what 'planning permission has been granted' actually translate into practical terms ie does it require any further criteria to be satisfied/ sanctioned; is it now in the hands of the developers - if so who is that?; what is the planning permission contingent on (ie is it affected by the residential work opposite); has anyone seen a timetable of activity etc
Buildiing has to start within three years of the descision by RBC to approve the application, or the permission is withdrawn. this could be the whole thing built or just apart of it (unfortunatly RBWM is full of part built properties to satisfy this condition) but on the plus side just building the speedway track would keep the permission alive.
I seem to remember when BSI took over with John Posslethwaite and co that they to were excited about the new development due to take place. Words like will be the best speedway stadium in the country seem to be banded around at the time. I wonder-despite weekly losses in the Elite league under BSI-that the staleness of any kind of movement in building a new stadium(and planning permission)were the final straw for Posslethwaite and Jim Lynch??? I might be barking completley up the wrong tree BUT im sure i remember on more than a couple of times how excited Posslethwaite was about a new stadium,is that then possibly another reason why he purchased the Racers from Dear old Auntie Pat in the first place??? I would equally like to know how well Mark Legg and Malcolm are really doing financially wise with Reading.??? I know it's probably none of our business,but if the Racers under Mark and Malcolm are doing well all well and good. They certainly-in my opinion-are promoting and doing as much as they can and have come up with some splendid offers. If however they are not doing so well financially it to me throws up the issue to me that will them thereselves put us much pressure on the local council and important figures that are involved to get a new stadium by the start of March 2009 or an increase of using Smallmead for another season??? However i seem to have remembered that someone said the Racers have to vacate Smallmead by the end of 2008??? Having lossed my local club Wimbledon some years ago(i never went to the conference stuff) i'd hate now to see the Racers ( my team since 1993)close.
Does Reading Council own the Island Road site or is it privately owned?
The biggest problem if Smallmead closes is that if speedway stops for a year or two. The people who will move into the new buildings close by will stop it from coming back, because of noise and traffic. One solution would be to get planning permission for a part of the site (part of the proposed car park) for a basic track (this could be done whoever owns the land but is only worth it if we could build the track if the developers don't) and facilities to Conference League standard. If the money could be found, It could be built quite quickly and would keep speedway going.
