UK: Future Of UK Greyhound Racing Looks Bleak

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From www.gamblingkingz.com

Future Of UK Greyhound Racing Looks Bleak

by Renee Israel

The future does not look very bright for the UK greyhound racing industry,
considering the high number of race tracks that have shut down in the past
few years, and continue to shut down.

Last month, for instance, saw the closing of the fourth and final greyhound
track in the central southern England region, when Oxford's circuit shut its
doors for the last time. The tracks at Milton Keynes, Reading and Portsmouth
all closed down in this area over the past few years.

In the past 65 years alone, the number of greyhound racing stadiums has
dropped from 80 at their peak to a mere 25 today, showing clearly that the
future of UK greyhound racing is bleak.

The racing tracks have been snapped up by property developers for new
housing developments. One of the most iconic tracks in the area, the
Portsmouth track, opened its doors in 1936, but was eventually shut in 2010,
and is expected to be redeveloped later this year.

The Tipner track will soon be home to over 1,200 housing units and a
business park, while a leisure complex and 300 apartment units will be built
on the site of the Walthamstow Stadium in east London.

Greyhound Racing Glory Days

Greyhound racing was always a popular pastime for the crowds to watch and
wager on. The heydays of this sport were recalled by Mick Wheble, once a
greyhound racing commentator and race manager, who has been appointed MBE
for services to greyhound racing.

Wheble told the BBC that the '60s were the height of greyhound racing, and
he remembered crowds of up to 50,000 descending on White City track in
London.

Wheble said that "it's simply a question of economics" and that "there just
not enough money in it" now.

Speaking about the recently shut Oxford track, Wheble said that it was
"probably the most modern track in the Thames Valley."

"The cost of going went up, numbers slid down and then dwindled away," he
said.

However, Wheble remains optimistic that the popularity of greyhound racing
will return, albeit in a smaller way.

"Usually, every 5 to 10 years racing has a boom," he said. "I don't think it
would ever completely disappear, but the biggest danger of closing tracks is
if it went underground."

Online Betting Blamed for Drop in Attendees

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain has said in the past that the
popularity of online gambling among UK gamblers has led to the decline of
attendees at greyhound racing tracks.

The GBGB said that it was now up to the sport's managers to find a way to
adapt to new audiences, and showed the Owlerton Greyhound Stadium as an
example of a flourishing establishment which continues to draw the crowds
due to a major makeover and the addition of a casino.

"There is no doubt that greyhound racing is facing many challenges and,
sadly more track closures are probably inevitable," said Jonathan Kay from
GBGB. However, he remained cautiously optimistic about the future of
greyhound racing in the UK, saying: "I certainly do not think it is in
terminal decline."

"If I am still around, I expect to be celebrating the 100th anniversary of
the first British race at Belle Vue in 1926," said Kay.