Hazel Grove Greyhound Stadium
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| Location | Macclesfield Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Greater Manchester |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°22′24″N 2°06′43″W / 53.37333°N 2.11194°W |
| Opened | 1932 |
| Closed | 1960 |
Hazel Grove Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Hazel Grove, Stockport, Greater Manchester.
The suburb of Hazel Grove lies in the south-east of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. In 1932, a new greyhound track was proposed and the Building Committee of the Hazel Grove and Bramhall Urban District Council passed the plans in January 1932.[1] The track was constructed just south of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway viaduct and north of the Buxton line. The stadium was accessed off the east side of Macclesfield Road.[2]
The surroundings at the time were sparsely populated, but the track was able to include the town of Stockport within its catchment area; with sixty omnibuses passing the stadium every hour on a variety of routes, it was expected to be a success. The Stockport Greyhound Racing Co. Ltd. that initiated the construction was led by their Chairman J.W. Marples, a well-known dog judge.[3]
The build was subject to considerable controversy because the council was adamant that the site was required for future dwelling-houses and residential buildings. This led them to refuse planning permission and subsequently ban the work that had already started. Mr W Gardener acting for the new stadium owners stated that “The position is that whether the council approves the plans or not, the project can be carried through. We have secured a five year lease on the ground with an option to purchase, and should the council ever wish to make a road through this ground, as is suggested, the track can be moved to another position.”[4]
Opening
The first meeting was held on the Saturday afternoon of 23 December 1932. Originally there was no tote, due to government restrictions at the time, the racing kennels were situated parallel to the Macclesfield Road; the resident kennels were to be found a short distance from the track in Buxton Road. Stands were erected in each enclosure just in time for the opening although work continued afterwards to increase the capacity of the stadium.[5]
Pre-war history
The track applied for a licence with the National Greyhound Racing Society (NGRS) and it is known to have been granted but, in 1934, they were affiliated with the rival British Greyhound Tracks Control Society (BGTCS) when the track raced on Saturday afternoons. The main distance was 500 yards and a 'Sumner' hare system was used.[6]
During 1935, John Sharp, a businessman and bus company owner, purchased the stadium which also hosted a speedway meeting believed to have been on 5 May 1937[7]