SOMETIMES one has to wonder has Oxford gone crazy.

While other cities are building or have built new sports arenas to run sports like speedway, here at Oxford we are being asked to bulldoze down our stadium to build even more houses in an already densely populated area of the city.

Of course venture capitalists will always seek to maximise their profits, even if it means losing income in the short term.

Nor does it matter to them how many jobs are lost, or that a range of popular sport activities come to an end.

Stadium manager Clive Feltham denies that the stadium has been deliberately run down but the evidence suggests that the owners have been planning this ever since speedway was forced to close four years ago.

The high rent that speedway promoters were asked to pay for each meeting could not be met. Nor did they negotiate a sensible rent when promoters tried to re-open the track.

With the contrived uncertainty of the stadium’s future, the owners, Risk Capital Partners, have made dog racing unviable, as well as speedway.

The go-karting and all the other activities will also close with the stadium. The council is faced with the prospect of seeing the stadium left derelict, or to allow the housing development to go ahead.

Faced with the need for decent homes for working people, the decision will not be an easy one but they should seriously consider that once the stadium goes, it will be very difficult to replace.

Many will say it is impossible, so we need to “Save Our Stadium” so that we can all once again enjoy all the popular sports and activities it can offer our community.

JOHN FRAY
London Road
Wheatley