My brother-in-law took my niece and nephew this afternoon. He just messaged me this:
"So they have 3 staff (bar, tote, kitchen). 4 security guards. 6 people who walk the dogs to the traps. 2 people driving tractors. The guy who waves the flag. The two people who operate the trap. Then four people sat in uniform in the bar area ( not sure what they are doing)
That's at least 22 staff. And there are 20 customers.
No wonder it is closing."
Those afternoon cards are just to provide the bookies with off course punting opportunities. When I went on a Saturday evening a couple of years ago the restaurant was very busy but, overall, it wasn't as packed as years gone by. Then Ladbrokes decided to stop those meetings possibly because they wanted a real excuse to close the place.
They’ve made no obvious effort to attract crowds to Crayford. We used to drive all the way to Wimbledon dogs on various Groupon deals (cheap entry/food & beer deals etc) which drew in a great turnout. I’d have gone to Crayford often if they’d offered the same but they didn’t. Definitely a missed opportunity as Groupon deals still exist for Romford so no excuse really for not trying.
Edit: so, I searched for deals at Crayford dogs and found that they do a superb £10pp deal that includes entry, beer and food which I had no idea about. Definitely needs marketing as I’m sure there’s demand out there for a good value night out. Probably too little, too late now though. Shame.
Thing is everyone wants to go on a Saturday night as a family night out or drinks with mates and taking that meeting away has killed it
Makes you wonder if it was deliberate.
Ultimately Ladbrokes (Entain) could have just announced the closure without any justification.
Obviously you are right but I was commenting on the transfer of Saturday morning and evening meetings to other tracks. For what it's worth I would have thought Crayford was the perfect bookmakers track with it's smack ups at the first bend creating unforeseen results. However it suits only a small minority of dogs and owners removing their dogs has resulted in meetings with reduced numbers of runners which is no good from a betting point of view.
Thing is everyone wants to go on a Saturday night as a family night out or drinks with mates and taking that meeting away has killed it
Makes you wonder if it was deliberate.
Ultimately Ladbrokes (Entain) could have just announced the closure without any justification.
Obviously you are right but I was commenting on the transfer of morning and evening meetings to other tracks. For what it's worth I would have thought Crayford was the perfect bookmakers track with it's smack ups at the first bend creating unforeseen results. However it suits only a small minority of dogs and owners removing their dogs has resulted in meetings with reduced numbers of runners which is no good from a betting point of view.
Just fodder for the shops/online and it's probably the lack of dogs as you say that has lead to closure. Yes, a very bookmaker friendly track.
Always had good times there and my youngest had his 10th birthday party there (his request and no surprise that both my boys work in the industry!) - tour of the kennels, race named after him and he presented the trophy. In a previous life I was the Management Development Manager for Ladbrokes and spent a lot of time at Crayford - Barry Stanton was the General Manager then - a great guy and a much respected man in the greyhound racing industry.
Greyhound racing is being banned in NZ over the next 20 months. This will give time for about 3,000 dogs to be re-housed into good homes. They make good pets apparently.
NZ is one of only 4 countries still greyhound racing, the others being UK, USA and Australia.
On a local Facebook page there was a big hoo haa last year as one greyhound owner posted that her greyhound had escaped. A while later another member commented that on her ring doorbell she had footage of the said escaped greyhound tearing her neighbours poor cat apart. Not very nice at all.
So point of my story is… keep your cats away from retired greyhounds.
On a local Facebook page Plumstead People there was a big hoo haa last year as one greyhound owner posted that her greyhound had escaped. A while later another member commented that on her ring doorbell she had footage of the said escaped greyhound tearing her neighbours poor cat apart. Not very nice at all.
So point of my story is… keep your cats away from retired greyhounds.
There's a reason they're muzzled when out on walks by almost all owners, like any hound they are bred and trained to hunt, the problem is in short bursts a greyhound will outrun anything furry and found on UK soil. We had a racer that then retired, used to run at Catford, Funny Fluff was his racing name, just Fluff at home, laziest dog you've ever met, wouldn't walk in the rain and wouldn't let you take him more than 20 mins away from home
Greyhound racing is being banned in NZ over the next 20 months. This will give time for about 3,000 dogs to be re-housed into good homes. They make good pets apparently.
NZ is one of only 4 countries still greyhound racing, the others being UK, USA and Australia.
Blimey is that correct? I’m sure on my jaunts to Prague that a visit to the dog racing was available and isn’t there racing in Ireland?
Take any set of statistics in isolation and you can make a case for your argument. This is largely what has happened in NZ. Figures are quoted for greyhounds injured or euthanised due to injury. No comparable figures for other breeds of any sort are quoted. How many Labradors running loose on a walk are injured, or killed… . ? Greyhound Racing around the world has largely moved massively forward in terms of welfare over the last 30 years. Yet the anti,s will quote you things that happened in the distant past, or produce pictures from countries who have awful animal rights history full stop. The British Greyhound board will not accept the export of dogs to those countries, and anybody found doing so, is up for a life ban from the UK sport.
An yes a retired greyhound retains its sight hound instincts. A the care that must be taken in this regard is drummed in by the re-homing centres. However, unfortunately it can happen. But, many other breeds can be as dangerous to a cat or small dog.
On a local Facebook page there was a big hoo haa last year as one greyhound owner posted that her greyhound had escaped. A while later another member commented that on her ring doorbell she had footage of the said escaped greyhound tearing her neighbours poor cat apart. Not very nice at all.
So point of my story is… keep your cats away from retired greyhounds.
Not all, as my retired greyhound lives happily with a cat. But your point is valid as some never lose their prey instinct.
Ladbrokes Coral Group plc was taken over by GVC in 2018 and is still owned by them even though they have changed their name to Entain. The decision will have been taken by the board of Entain.
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Edit: so, I searched for deals at Crayford dogs and found that they do a superb £10pp deal that includes entry, beer and food which I had no idea about. Definitely needs marketing as I’m sure there’s demand out there for a good value night out. Probably too little, too late now though. Shame.
Ultimately Ladbrokes (Entain) could have just announced the closure without any justification.
For what it's worth I would have thought Crayford was the perfect bookmakers track with it's smack ups at the first bend creating unforeseen results. However it suits only a small minority of dogs and owners removing their dogs has resulted in meetings with reduced numbers of runners which is no good from a betting point of view.
the council on subsequent redevelopment if they show it as an unused resource / amenity?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz6l1xjnd6xo
NZ is one of only 4 countries still greyhound racing, the others being UK, USA and Australia.
So point of my story is… keep your cats away from retired greyhounds.
I’m sure on my jaunts to Prague that a visit to the dog racing was available and isn’t there racing in Ireland?
An yes a retired greyhound retains its sight hound instincts. A the care that must be taken in this regard is drummed in by the re-homing centres. However, unfortunately it can happen. But, many other breeds can be as dangerous to a cat or small dog.
Catford
Haringey
Hackney
Aldershot
Exeter
Belle Vue
Slough
Wembley
Wimbledon
Walthamstow
Wonder if any of those still exist and host meetings?