Dillington Park Stadium

Last updated
Dillington Park Stadium
LocationHighstone Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Coordinates 53°32′37″N1°28′31.8″W / 53.54361°N 1.475500°W / 53.54361; -1.475500 Coordinates: 53°32′37″N1°28′31.8″W / 53.54361°N 1.475500°W / 53.54361; -1.475500
Opened1934
Closed1990

Dillington Park Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium on Highstone Road in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom

Greyhound racing is an industry in the United Kingdom. The industry uses a Parimutuel betting tote system with on-course and off-course betting available, with a turnover of £75,100,000.

Barnsley town in South Yorkshire, England

Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England, located halfway between Leeds and Sheffield. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town centre lies on the west bank of the Dearne Valley. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and its administrative centre. At the 2011 Census, Barnsley had a population of 91,297.

South Yorkshire County of England

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England. It is the southernmost county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region and had a population of 1.34 million in 2011. It has an area of 1,552 square kilometres (599 sq mi) and consists of four metropolitan boroughs, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. South Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. Its largest settlement is Sheffield.

Contents

Origins

The stadium was constructed north of Highstone Road, south of Bank Street and east of Bedford Street. [1] Dillington Park was originally a park and then a recreation ground named after the area known as Dillington in Worsbrough Common.

Worsbrough village in United Kingdom

Worsbrough is an area about two miles south of Barnsley in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Worsbrough is in the West Riding of the historic county of Yorkshire.

Opening

The official opening date for greyhound racing was on 25 May 1934 but it was originally a popular venue for whippet racing four times per week and was also used for significant boxing bouts. [2] A second track in Barnsley, the Dearne Athletic and Sports Stadium in Old Mill Lane, also hosted greyhound racing from 1934-1935 but a third venue at the Queen's Ground was refused a betting licence three times by the Corporation. [3]

Whippet Dog breed resembling a small Greyhound

The Whippet is a dog breed of medium size. They are a sighthound breed that originated in England, where they descended from Greyhounds. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound. Part of the Hound group, Whippets have relatively few health problems other than arrhythmia. Whippets also participate in dog sports such as lure coursing, agility, and flyball. The name is derived from an early 17th-century word, now obsolete, meaning "to move briskly".

Barnsley Metrodome sports and leisure facility

The Barnsley Metrodome is a sports and leisure facility that was opened in 1989 by Neil Kinnock.

History

The whippet racing gradually disappeared and was replaced entirely by the greyhound racing. The racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club) and it was known as a flapping track which was the nickname given to independent tracks. [4]

The National Greyhound Racing Club was a former organisation that governed Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom.

The stadium offered basic facilities with a fully licensed bar (serving Barnsley bitter), lounge area and snack bar in the main stand with panoramic views of the racing. The track was all-grass, 330 yards in circumference and used an 'Inside Sumner' hare system with race distances of 400, 500, 650 and 800 yards. All races were handicap races and there were eight on course bookmakers. [4]

By the 1980s the owners were Terrence and Marjorie Green and racing took place on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm. The track was now all-sand and had kennels for 48 greyhounds on site. [5]

Closure

In May 1990 a fire forced the closure of the stadium. [6] [7] The site today is housing known as Highstone View.

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References

  1. ↑ "OS Plan 1961-1962". old-maps.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Dillington Park Stadium". Box Rec.com.
  3. ↑ "Council's Decision on Barnsley's Greyhound Track Controversy - Saturday February 15th". Barnsley Chronicle and South Yorkshire News. 1936.
  4. 1 2 Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House.
  5. ↑ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
  6. ↑ Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-22-8.
  7. ↑ "Closures and openings over the past 10 years, July 1993, page 18". Greyhound Star. 1993.
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