Tony Taylor leaving Wimbledon

it has been heavily discussed on greyhoundscene
Catford

I think there is a real fear
Wimbledon will not have enough dogs to continue
and would have to shut

Yes I know it has been discussed on scene BG, thanks.
Some tool on there seems to be blaming Tony if the Don closes because they will be short of dogs.
Wanted to know what people on here thought. There's a few Don owners and regulars on here.
Its not good news for me but I support him all the way on this.

I agree Catford
..one cannot really go blameing trainers for the incompetence of the GRA imo

Hopefully they will muddle through
If he has more than one van and enough dogs
could Tony not supply runners for both tracks
(I know they race same nights..but even so)

They are talking about the Don having some opens so perhaps TT will enter a few.
Comes to something though doesn't it? When a trainer will give up a contract at the Don for one at the Bourne. No disrespect to Sittingbourne, which I consider a well run tack where they make visitors welcome. But it really feels like the manager of a Premier League team leaving to go to the Championship: you just know relegation, or worse, is sure to follow.

it is sad Catford

If Paschall Taggart does not get his way

One has to wonder about the future
it is rapidly turning into another Shawfield

Also hinted on Gscene that Doyle might be going to Oxford.

with gra tracks under a cloud
some trainers are looking elsewhere to train
just imagine if all the gra tracks closed at the same time,
what would all the unemployed trainers do then
cannot blame trainer as he is thinking about hmself, dogs and staff

Bernie not going anywhere,and Oxford woudnt want him....they sacked him for the Gibraltar coup years ago ;)

top many tony sorry to see him go nothing to do with him if don closes .tbh i dont see how it can survive dog number wise,what a tragic waste has  been overseen by the GRA over the years ,absolutely disgraceful ,as for bernie going oxo ,if that is the case THE END IS DEFFO FINNISH ..

When is tony going CAT ill have to pop have a small scotch with him

Steve173 on scene must be in Wimbledon/GRA management.

He is the only one that cannot see whats happeing at the track

The GRA are despicable
Clive Feltham condemed Paschalls Taggart plan
at the same time time as GRA have applied for change of use for Wimbledon..not to include Greyhound Racing
Pascalls Taggart is the only reason for trainers to stay
but it is far from certain
and probably at least 2 -3 years away
they would need a lot of faith

for all that I hope Wimbledon are able to muddle through for the time being

Yep muddle thru is the best we can hope for and if PT does not get it  HMMMMMMMMMM and also if he does what does everybody do for 2 years while its demolished and rebuilt  hmmmmm

I'll join you for that Case.
Thats the problem BaW; even if PT does get it the track will close for a couple of years. Who is going to buy new dogs if they don't know where they will run?
Is a mess and its all down Luke Johnson and the GRA.

I started off going to Slough. Used to go Harringay then Cartford and the Stow. If I show up at your track; be afraid!!

I think he said they would not be out of pocket

I dont why BAGS stopped there
not many went...but that was not the point, it generated income for the track

Catford

Sad but true. The GRA are owned by venture capitalists called Risk Capital..this says it all. Its no good moaning about how the GRA are behaving..the owners are in it to invest and make a profit. While a night at the dogs is a great night out and some tracks really promote and are run well and make a nice profit there comes a time when investors need and will cash in. Wimbledon will go the same way as the Stow because real dog people do not own tracks. The only way Wimbledon will be saved is if the dog people pay enough for the site. In this day and age no council is going to save a dog track when they are worth five times to them and developers as housing and commercial units. The Stow could have been saved if those that care and with enough dosh bargained it away from L and Q and the Chandlers but it was not worth circa 20 million as a dog track to any sensible business man. Wimbledon is the same...400 homes attracting nearly £800,000 per year council tax with government bonuses plus the S106 payment that developers pay is a far more attractive financial proposition than a dog track however successful it maybe. The loss of the Stow cuts to the quick but highlights the real problem..the dog industry owns nothing. Hall Green is and could be even better as a venue and the future of the greyhound industry if someone bought it NOW..not waiting for Risk Capital to negotiate it away for housing.

In this life thankfully everything is not always sold to the highest bidder.

Will he take his mac with him