Walthamstow Dogs: A video tribute

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On Saturday the 16th of August a few thousand of Walthamstow and Chingford’s diverse community enjoyed a cheap, fun and family night out at the dogs for probably the last time. For over 75 years “The Stow” has been Walthamstow’s flagship, a source of local pride and the constant reply of people when told you live in Walthamstow… “Oh with the dog track…that’s a great night out!”

The footage above from 1937, 1968, 1986 and this year looks back at some of the people that graced Walthamstow Stadium during its 75 years.

BAG will continue to support the fight to reopen the stadium and stop it being turned into 11 storey tower blocks (500 flats) but for the latest news head over to Saveourstow.co.uk.

The final Saturday was marked by hundreds marching on the town hall to present the 15,000 signatures gathered in just 2 weeks supporting the campaign to keep the stadium open.
Local MP’s Neil Gerrard and Ian Duncan Smith condemned attempts to portray the closure as unavoidable or as The Chandlers span it “regrettably we had no choice“. Echoing those that saw last years closure of Charlie Chan’s night club as a sign the owners wanted the stadium closed, they said the track had been under advertised, and systematically run down in order to portray its sale as tragic but financially unavoidable.

Campaigner Ricky Holloway saved the final shock till last, revealing that the Chandlers had agreed to sell the stadium on July the 6th 2007. For the following 9 months they (I’m struggling not to use the word lied here) denied there were any plans to sell when asked by MP’s (both local MP’s confirmed this), trainers and race goers. Trainers renewed leases on their kennels, remortgaged their homes and bought new dogs as a result of an emergency meeting in November 07 where Charles Chandler told them the track was not for sale, having agreed to developers “right to buy” some five months earlier.

WHERE DO THINGS STAND NOW?

London and Quadrant will take formal ownership of the stadium on September the 1st and initial plans show they want to create a circle of 11 storey tower blocks round the path of the racing track. There would be 500 flats, some of which will be “affordable“. No green space, parking, community or leisure facilities are planned. Pile ‘em in, stack them high.
A consortium wishing to continue dog racing at the Stow have already offered the developers a 1 million pound profit on their purchase and are meeting with L&Q and their legal team on the 17th September.

Local filmmaker Jonathan Brind reports that over the last week “seating and fixtures have been systematically stripped out of the stadium. It would now cost a relatively large fortune to refurbish it“. Not exactly the actions of people who have any interest in the Stadium remaining open, even on a short term lease, rather than let the site sit and rot while the current housing market collapse makes quick redevelopment very unlikely.

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The following is republished from Save Our Stow’s website detailing what you can do to help:

Things you can do to help and issues at stake
Every London Borough is extremely challenged for housing that the local population can afford and any chance to build affordable housing is jumped up. However, we feel the loss of the Stadium far out weighs the gain…

The dog track is one of the only major leisure facilities in the Borough with most people having to travel to neighbouring Boroughs for leisure and entertainment.

The Stadium puts Walthamstow and Waltham Forest on the map, makes it a destination and gives the local population a sense of place and of civic pride, important in building communities

The Stadium is a cheap, safe and friendly family night out

The Stadium is a major employer in the local area. Waltham Forest has one of the highest rates in London of people travelling out of the Borough to work. Its therefore vital to the Borough’s economy and employment opportunities.

The Stadium is built on flood plains. The Government has policies in place to discourage the building on flood plains. Last years devastating floods across the UK are largely blamed on building on flood plains.

The reasons for the Stadium low attendance levels was exclusively due to poor marketing and advertising and lack of other activities at the stadium outside of race times.

The Stadium could offer an even greater asset to our community by better use for the community outside race times.

What you can do:

Email your local Councillors voicing any concerns of opportunities about the loss of the Stadium. Find your local Councillors here: http://www1.walthamforest.gov.uk/moderngov/mgFindCouncillor.asp?J=2
They are duty bound to respond to you so please chase them up if the do not respond.

Email the Labour Council Leader, Cllr Clyde Loakes leader@walthamforest.gov.uk
Email the Liberal Democrat Council Leader Cllr John Macklin cllr.john.macklin@walthamforest.gov.uk
Email the Conservative Group Leader Cllr Matt Davies cllr.matt.davies@walthamforest.gov.uk

Contact the Developers L&Q Group and Yoo Capital
Email or write to Simon Baxter, Principal Development Manager for L&Q Group, sbaxter@lqgroup.org.uk and cc to Chris Middleton, Head of Communications CMIDDLETON@lqgroup.org.ukSimon Baxter
Principle Development Manager
L&Q Group
North Region
10 Grove Crescent Road
Stratford, London, E15 1BJAndrew Thorpe
Managing Director
Yoo Capital
2 Bentinck Street
London W1U 2FA
020 7009 0100

Write to the Mayor of London – there’s an easy online form to fill in here: http://www.boris-johnson.com/contact/

Finally, the Council is updating its planning strategy. This strategy will be in place for the next 15 years. The Council want our feedback and the deadline has been extended until 1 September 2008.
Filling in their response forms is a chance to get the Stadium written into planning law. The documents are long but worth reading and responding to. First read this document, and then print off this document fill it in and post it to address on the form. Please note the form has the old date on but the deadline is extended to 1 September. This may feel like a lot of work, but if you have time – this could really make a difference.

Please email info@saveourstow.co.uk if you have any questions at all.

The level of support is growing, together we can make a difference, thank you