Victoria Pleasure Grounds

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Victoria Pleasure Grounds
Victoria Pleasure Grounds
LocationCarter Street, Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire
Coordinates 53°42′11″N0°52′51″W / 53.70306°N 0.88083°W / 53.70306; -0.88083
Owner East Riding of Yorkshire Council
OperatorGoole Town Council
Capacity 3,000
Surface Artificial turf
Construction
Built1888
Opened1888
Tenants

The Victoria Pleasure Grounds are a multi-use sports stadium in Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire. The grounds are home to Goole's two semi-professional sports teams, soccer team Goole A.F.C. and rugby league team Goole Vikings.

Contents

History

A football ground on the site, was first used by the town's rugby team in September 1883. [1] [2]

In September 1888 the ground was named the Victoria Pleasure Grounds and as well as football pitches, supported cricket matches and athletic events. [3] [4]

With the demise of the rugby section of the football and athletics club in 1902, the principle tenants of the ground became soccer clubs Goole Town F.C. (then known as Goole Amateurs) and Goole Thursday. [5] [6]

In 1925 the freehold of the ground was purchased by the Carter's brewery of Knottingley who wished to build an inn on the site. No inn was ever built as the Goole justices repeatedly refused any application for an alcohol licence. [7] [8]

Frustrated by this behaviour, the brewery decided to sell the site in 1932 for a minimum price of £2,000, after notifying the tenants that the lease was not to be renewed. [7] [9] Rejecting an offer of £1,900 from the athletics club, the brewery sold the ground to Barnetts, a Hull building firm. [7] Local opinion was that the ground should be retained for sporting use and in 1933, Goole Urban District Council purchased the majority of the site from Barnetts for £2,000 allowing sport to continue. [10]

Due to changes in local government ownership of the ground passed from Goole Urban District Council through Goole Town Council and Boothferry Borough Council to the current owners, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, although it is leased to Goole Town Council. [11]

Facilities

The grounds grass pitch was replaced with a artificial turf surface in 2025. [11] The athletics track is being relocated within the stadium so that it no longer surrounds the main pitch. A new pavilion is also being built with work due to complete in 2026. [12] [13]

Occupants

Rugby

Football

References

  1. "Football: Goole Football Club" . Leeds Mercury . No. 14190. 1 October 1883. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. Grillo, Rob (2022). West Yorkshire's Long Lost Rugby Clubs. p. 123. ISBN   9798846360754.
  3. "Opening of the Victoria Pleasure Ground" . Howdenshire Gazette. No. 1, 247. 14 September 1888. p. 6 via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Whitsuntide sports at Goole" . Howdenshire Gazette. No. 1336. 30 May 1890. p. 2 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. 1 2 "Goole Football Club" . Hull Daily Mail . No. 5259. 27 August 1902. p. 4 via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. 1 2 "Football Echoes" . Yorkshire Evening Post . No. 4060. 5 September 1903. p. 5 via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. 1 2 3 Spencer, Terry (2009). "Carters Knottingley Brewery, Vol 2, Chapter 8". Knottingley & Ferrybridge Online.
  8. "Other Points" . Yorkshire Post . No. 25451. 7 February 1929. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Goole Town's Ground" . Hull Daily Mail . No. 14475. 9 March 1932. p. 9 via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Goole Town's Home Secure" . Leeds Mercury . No. 29230. 28 July 1933. p. 9 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. 1 2 "Victoria Pleasure Grounds | Goole Town Deal". Goole Town Deal. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  12. Warrener, Lisa (4 February 2025). "Game on! £7 million Victoria Pleasure Ground refurbishment scheme officially kicks off". Our Goole | For Everything Goole. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  13. Warrener, Lisa (2 September 2025). "Another significant milestone has been reached in VPG redevelopment project". Our Goole | For Everything Goole. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  14. "Rugby League Reborn". Goole Vikings. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  15. "Collapsed football club owed £30,000" . Hull Daily Mail . 21 May 1996. p. 15 via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Club History". Goole A.F.C. Retrieved 22 October 2025.