Wheatley Hill Stadium
| Location | Wheatley Hill, County Durham |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54°44'55.0"N 1°24'57.4"W |
| Opened | 1930s |
Wheatley Hill Stadium is a greyhound racing stadium in Wheatley Hill, County Durham. It is situated to the west of Peterlee, near Thornley and Wingate.
It currently races on Friday evenings at 7.15pm and facilities include a club, bar and tote.[1] It is one of only seven independent (unaffiliated to a governing body) tracks remaining today.
Origins
The track was constructed for the mining community and is known to have been active in 1947.[2] It is known to have hosted whippet racing as early as 1936 and likely to have raced some greyhound racing as well.
The stadium is situated on the north side Black Lane that runs off the Avenue.[3]
History
Norman Fannon bought the track in 1965 and spent a large sum of money improving the facilities. A custom made hare called the McFannon (made from hundreds of ex-Army bedsteads) was Fannons favourite. The track was very tight, almost circular at the time.
During the 1970s racing was held on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 7.30pm over race distances of 270, 450 and 600 yards. There was an 'Inside Sumner' hare system and the track was all-grass. Facilities included a licensed club.[4]
Fannon remained the owner and by the late 1980s the track had become sand and had a McGee hare system. Kennels for 50 greyhounds were on site with car parking for 200 vehicles. The facilities included a bar, covered stand and refreshment room with racing on Wednesday and Friday evenings.[5] Fannon passed away in 2006.
References
- ↑ "Welcome to Wheatley Hill". Wheatley Hill Stadium.
- ↑ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1947.
- ↑ "OS Plan 1959-1959". old-maps.co.uk.
- ↑ Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House. p. 25.
- ↑ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 306. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.