Ipswich Stadium
| Location | Ipswich, Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1930's |
| Closed | 1988 |
Ipswich Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium situated in Ipswich, Suffolk.
In the early 1930s the site chosen for a new stadium was directly north east of where the River Orwell and River Gipping meet and north of the London Road. It was originally called the Suffolk Stadium and independent racing (unaffiliated to a governing body) had already taken place before an official opening night got underway in 1935.
Promoter Mr Nat Shaw advertised and organised a first meeting described as being under official licensing on Wednesday 11 September 1935. The wording was a public relations exercise because the licensing was that of the County Borough Council and not the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) which was the official organisation to greyhound racing. Nevertheless, the stadium had been re-modelled, covered stands erected in the enclosures and the old kennels replaced. The reconstruction of the track was by Fisk & Co Ltd, the electric trackless hare was installed by H.Blann of London, safety hurdles and track equipment was supplied by Mortimer's of London and finally the wireless was by S.West of Ipswich.
Admission was free on opening night resulting in an attendance of 4,000 to watch the seven races. The first race was a 270-yard race and was won by a greyhound called Comas.
Totalisator turnover in the first two years after the war was £594,645 & £417,101. The track continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s with racing held mainly on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 7.15pm. The race distances were over 300, 500 and 700 yards and amenities included a licensed bar and snack bar and the totalisator was described as the Union Multi-speed wonder tote. The 405 yard circumference circuit had an 'Outside McKee' hare and the all-grass track was served by a spray watering system.
Major change arrived in 1974 when the NGRC offered the chance to independent tracks to race under the NGRC permit scheme, a scheme designed to allow official status at a fraction of the expected cost increases. Ipswich Stadium Ltd under the control of Ernie Wedon took up the offer. Wedon had also been responsible with Len Franklin for Yarmouth Stadium's construction in 1940 and was also Racing Manager at Ipswich. A new stand was built costing £100,000 and a new computerised tote was added. The Suffolk Derby and St Leger became the tracks major events and the first race held under NGRC rules was on 2 February 1974.
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