Swindon speedway fans fear for future as building work on Abbey Stadium stalls

A group gathered outside the decaying and part-developed racetrack in Blunsdon and claim work on a promised new facility has stalled.

It is more than two years since council planners gave final approval for the £5m redevelopment of the site after a length process in which concerns over noise were dealt with.

It promised to give a new lease of life to a sport which has become part of Swindon's fabric since the club was formed in 1949.

Work started in September last year with this summer mentioned as a completion date.

But the new stand is still in pieces outside the stadium and only part of is has been worked on so far.

Swindon Robins supporters have grown frustrated over what they see as a lack of communication from land-owners Gaming International.

The team have not raced since 2019 - the season in which they won an historic Premiership and Supporters Cup double - because of the Covid pandemic and planned building work at the Abbey.

Cliff Williams from Lechlade, who organised the demonstration, said he wanted answers.

He told the Adver: "Nothing has been done to this stadium, nothing has been done for two months, we’ve had perfect weather.

“We would just like to have some answers from the council or Gaming International, anybody that’s behind the project.

“As it stands there will be no speedway next year if that’s the case we may not get the fans back after three years.”

The 64-year-old added that the speedway was a way of life for many people in the town.

“Swindon needs speedway and people would be lost without it,” he said.

“The last meeting I went to was during the 2019 season. You try and keep the spirits up, but when you see nothing going on for two months you’ve only got to fear.

“I just wish someone would say what is going on. One of those mobile units hasn’t been moved.

“We feel like we are being ill-treated and being kept in the dark.” 

Roy Hicks from Blunsdon has been watching speedway at the Abbey Stadium since the age of five.

He said: “My parents brought me to the second meeting ever and I’ve been coming ever since.

“I moved to within 400 yards from the stadium in 1981 and I love it.

“I worked as part of the track staff for about eight years, helping prepare the stadium for the evening’s racing and gave that up for reasons I won’t go into.

“Speedway is part of my life and I’ll be very sad if it goes.”

Mr Hicks added: “If Gaming International would come up with what’s going on, then I don’t think demonstrations like this would need to take place.

“We just want a decision, we just want to know one way or the other, people have been quiet for too long.”

Gaming International has yet to respond to the Adver's request for comment.