Greyhound racing track gets go-ahead for Wolverhampton Racecourse

ARC is the largest horse and greyhound racing group in the UK, operating 16 racecourses and five greyhound stadia alongside a number of golf courses and hotels, including the Holiday Inn at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

But the move is a further blow to Monmore Green Stadium which held its last speedway meeting this month.

Wolves Speedway Club launched a search for a new home after Monmore Green Stadium owners Entain refused to renew their lease after a century of speedway at the stadium.

In 2021 Arc and Entain signed a deal to share media rights of greyhound racing until 2029.

Speaking about the Wolverhampton Raceourse application, Matthew Pardoe, director of Moorside Planning – acting on behalf of ARC – said: “The greyhound track will be located within the main course opposite the grandstand and will be lit by relocating some of the lights serving the grass horse track. During racing, temporary kennels will be required which will be provided by using an existing building at the side of the course.

“There are likely to be four greyhound meetings per week – two evenings and two daytimes. Daytime and midweek evening attendance is low and the  potential schedule for next year is Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Wednesday and Saturday evenings, although this is subject to change. The number of meetings is unlikely to ever exceed five in any one week.

“Meets are normally comprised of 12 races lasting less than one minute each, with races taking place every 15-18 minutes. This means that the total racing time at each meeting is less than 12 minutes. Most meetings are attended by 50 to 100 patrons and the only exception would be a Friday or Saturday evening, when up to 500 people could attend,”

In a statement on the ARC website, managing director of the firm’s racing division Mark Spincer said: “Our aspiration is that Wolverhampton can become a landmark venue for greyhound racing, not just in the West Midlands but nationally.

“Greyhound welfare is a hugely important aspect of our business, and we are grateful to the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) for their significant input into the proposal. We look forward to working with them and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) on making sure that any new facilities offer the highest possible welfare standards.

“Wolverhampton is a busy racecourse in terms of horse racing fixtures, but we are used to holding popular racedays as well as major non-racing events. With many of the facilities already in place, we are confident that it would prove a popular venue with greyhound owners, trainers and fans alike,” he added.