No more greyhound racing for town stadium

Greyhound racing will come to an end in Swindon at the end of 2025, it has been announced.

Gaming International, which owns the town's Abbey Stadium, says the scheduled meeting on 30 December will be the last.

It brings into doubt the entire future of the stadium which used to host both dog racing and speedway - but speedway has not been held there since before the 2020 lockdown five years ago.

Clarke Osborne, Chairman of Gaming International, said: "It is with profound sadness that we make this announcement today, sadness for our loyal family of colleagues and for our Greyhound Trainers, some of whom have been with us for over 30 years."

"We understand that while some will welcome this announcement, there are others for whom this decision creates uncertainty for their futures," he added.

Mr Osborne said Gaming International will be "committed" to a sustainable and phased closure of the Blunsdon St Andrew venue.

The company also said costs have increased and there is no longer viable with a reliance on media rights revenues alone to cover the rapidly increasing cost of staging racing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Osbourne added: "I hope and have the enthusiasm to maintain our presence in the Swindon leisure market in the years to come."

A new speedway facility is being proposed next to junction 16 of the M4.

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