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Portsmouth Greyhound Stadium

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What: Greyhound Stadium
Where: Tipner, Hampshire
Built: 1931 with later extensions
Architect: Unknown
Abandoned: March 27, 2010
Listed: No
Visited: 2010
Last Known Condition: Completely demolished, 2014
Page Updated: August 2014

Built in 1931 and one of the oldest of its kind, Portsmouth Greyhound Stadium is iconic. Seen from the M275 its brown scoreboard tower rises behind the old naval scrapyard on Tipner Lake and marks the gateway to the City. I don't know much about greyhound racing, but apparently it's gripping stuff. The 1,500 seat stadium has always attracted a wide demographic of spectators, winners, losers, and gamblers from across the South Coast. At the time of writing its website still proudly announces; "We race every week of the year and you can really get your heart racing as you watch your winner fly past the post!"
I was surprised therefore to see that the stadium was now closed and derelict: despite appearances, the track only closed on March 27, 2010 - almost exactly one month prior to my visit. With no site security and nothing much else to do in Tipner, vandals moved in quickly and inflicted years' worth of damage in only a few weeks. Built in the 1930s, the stadium has become the latest casualty of the Tipner Regeneration Project; a controversial redevelopment initiative which seems slowly, paradoxically, to be sucking the life out of Northern Portsmouth.

The iconic scoreboard tower Got my ticket Burger bar Burger bar Look at those prices Smashed plates Bar Last round Greyhound The track Part-demolished grandstand Grandstand bar Tote betting window Odds Paddock bar and scoreboard tower Office window Trophy When the track opened, scores were changed manually from inside the scoring tower Kennels Website, still advertising race meets as the stadium was being smashed by vandals

The South East England Development Agency had actually bought the land in c. 2008 but had agreed to lease it back to the Stadium for a £1,000-a-year peppercorn rent. Despite frantic negotiations, the lease expired in April 2010 and the stadium was forced to close mid-season with the loss of 47 jobs. Tipner is becoming a ghost town, surrounded by acres of wasteland and derelict scrapyards; plagued by crime and derelict properties. As I parked the car I saw a couple nonchalantly fly-tipping in the lane and as I explored a gang of kids began smashing up the stands at the opposite end of the stadium, aware of my presence but obviously unpeturbed. This town is quite literally dying to be rebuilt again. The only trouble is, no one knows when that will happen: New motorway junctions and 1,600 new homes don't come cheaply or easily, especially in a recession.

SOURCES:
http://portsmouthstadium.co.uk/ - http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Portsmouth-greyhound-track-set-to.6167570.jp

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The Derelict Miscellany: website and all content © D. A. Gregory unless stated to be otherwise.