Beckham 'sad' at Walthamstow greyhound stadium closure as L&Q stage talks » Housing » 24dash.com

David Beckham today told of his sadness at the closure of Walthamstow dog track.

Before his rise to fame, Beckham, from Leytonstone, used to collect glasses in the east London stadium restaurant.

But tomorrow night the greyhounds will spring from the trap for a final time.

The former England captain, who now plays for LA Galaxy, said: "I always remember my time working at Walthamstow dogs. I picked up glasses at the track.

"It was my first job and I was so happy to be getting a wage for the first time.

"It's a real shame to see it go as it means so much to the area.

"Even though I haven't lived in the East End for many years, I have great memories of Walthamstow and I know many people will miss it, including me."

A last ditch attempt to save "Las Vegas at the end of the Victoria line" looks unlikely to succeed.

A consortium backed by millionaire businessman Richard Codd has been in negotiations with the new owners to either buy or lease the stadium back.

But today London & Quadrant Housing Trust said it had taken the lease option off the table.

An L&Q spokeswoman said: "We had to decline the lease option for a number of legal and business reasons."

She said the campaign group's proposal to buy the stadium back - eight lines via fax - was "very brief".

"We have offered them the opportunity to meet with us to present a more detailed business proposal.

"We are waiting for them to come back to us with a date.

"At the moment our intention is to continue with the development as planned."

The campaign group's offer was £1 million more than the price L&Q paid for the stadium.

The spokeswoman said about 50% of the development would consist of "much needed" affordable, rented or shared ownership housing.

The stadium's famous pink and red neon grade II listed sign - which has for so long presented the promise of gambling, fun and excitement - will be preserved.

Although a re-sale looks unlikely, campaigners are still chomping at the bit to save the stadium.

Save Our Stow's Rick Holloway said: "This track will reopen again. We will see greyhound racing brought back to the east end of London, back to the pride and joy it was in the 1930s.

"We've held the largest campaign ever in greyhound racing to save a stadium and we will save it."

The owner and trainer said 15,000 signatures against the closure have been collected.

A march will take place tomorrow from the stadium to Walthamstow town hall to hand in the petition.

A Facebook group to save the stadium has garnered almost 10,000 members.

The stadium has hosted names from Sir Winston Churchill to Lana Turner, Vinnie Jones and Brad Pitt.

It was opened in 1933 by William Chandler, a local businessman who started out operating as an illegal street bookmaker.

But William's grandson Charles Chandler, says rising running costs, as well as falling attendances and profits, have made operations unsustainable.

Paul Wynn, the stadium's marketing manager, said the abolition of the gambling tax and the explosion in online gambling took punters away from the trackside bookies.

"For this place to make money there have to be a lot of people inside the stadium," he said.

"But over the last few years the crowds have dwindled to the point that the stadium is losing money."

The loss of the stadium, which featured on Blur's Parklife album, will come as a blow to the racing industry.

There are only three - Crayford, Romford and Wimbledon - left within the M25 and, after tomorrow just 29 in the country.

The British Greyhound Racing Board (BGRB) says Walthamstow, with a capacity for more than 5,000, was just too big for today's marketplace.

And the board keen to emphasise the sport - attended by about 3 million people a year - is not dead.

Between £2.5 million and £3 million is wagered on and off course every year and £11 million in prize money changes hands.

Labour MP for Walthamstow Neil Gerrard, who will take part in tomorrow's march, said: "We need new housing, we need affordable housing, but at the end of the day we need other things as well.

"It's one of the big leisure facilities in the area, it's what the area is known for.

"The ideal outcome would be for the consortium to be able to buy the stadium back, keep on developing it and develop some different leisure uses there as well."

He said there was huge local support for the stadium, with the 15,000 signatures against the closure gathered in just 10 days.

And he said more than 400 part-time and full-time jobs would go if the stadium was closed.