Coventry Bees Speedway - Brandon Stadium

Coventry Bees have named Jack Parkinson-Blackburn and Jon Armstrong as their first two signings for their National League venture at Leicester. Parkinson-Blackburn joins the club after two successful seasons with Midlands rivals Birmingham, whilst the experienced Armstrong will skipper the Bees some 25 years after a spell at Brandon in the old British League Division One. Promoter Mick Horton said: "I'm delighted to be able to bring in Jack as No.1. He has a big reputation in the sport already, and deservedly so, and I'm confident he will be able to meet the expectations of his role in the team. "To have Jon as captain is also great news for the team. I've been in close contact with him over the winter so far, discussing riders and planning ahead, and this is a move which will also give him a new lease of life in the sport. "After all our troubles off the track, it is with huge satisfaction that both the BSPA and the SCB have given their full support to my quest of keeping the Coventry Bees racing. "I would also like to thank both Damien and Marc Bates for their help in allowing us to race at Leicester this season."

Afternoon all you Bees fans! I remember one of my sisters going regularly in the 60s and loving it. I'm wondering if there was still much going on in the 1980s at Brandon. I ask because I'm doing another Coventry Dirty Stop Outs Book - 1980s - to follow up the 70s one. I would like to include Brandon/Bees if there was something happening during that decade and your memories/pics. Look forward to hearing! Cheers, Ruth

Interesting article in today's Mail on Sunday by Oliver Holt In it, he says "On Friday afternoon, the developers submitted a planning application. I hope Rugby Borough Council do the right thing again. I hope the application is rejected and that the developers are told never to come back. I hope they are told that that land belongs to speedway, as it has done for nearly 100 years, and that it should be returned to speedway."

Coventry Observer report

PLANNING DOCUMENTS RELEASED Full details of the Brandon Estates planning application are now available from Rugby Council. You can view the documents via this link.

It's all going to go isn't it Very sad Cliff.

I think so, Neil

Objections to the planning application submitted by Brandon Estates can now be emailed or posted to Rugby Council and should be addressed to the Planning Officer, Ms Erica Buchanan. Her email address is: erica.buchanan@rugby.gov.uk and emails/letters MUST quote the application number which is R18/0186 and MUST also include one's own name and full address. Anyone who is uncertain of what they should write need only say that they are strongly opposed to these plans and urge the planning officer to recommend refusal. This will be sufficient to have it recorded as an objection (although of course there is no reason not to give all the reasons to make a point). When the Planning Committee meet to consider the application, the Planning Officer will state the total number of supporting emails/letters and the total number of objections and will give a selection of the reasons for both, which have been stated in them. It is important therefore, to try to overwhelm them with the volume of our objections. This was done in the fight to get speedway back to Birmingham and it was very effective.

My email to Rugby Council: Dear Rugby Council I write objecting to the plans to destroy one of Coventry and Rugby's sporting icons to develop housing. Housing can be developed elsewhere. Brandon Stadium is known throughout the world, as the home of the Coventry Bees - and has been so since I was born in 1947. From the age of 4 until I migrated to Australia in 1973, I rarely missed a meeting, and worked there as part of the track staff for both speedway and stock cars. Both sports regularly brought visitors to Coventry and Rugby in large numbers. Since moving to Australia, I have treasured the fact that I have been able to watch speedway from Brandon regularly on TV, and - being now involved in Australian speedway - I can tell you how the Bees inspire young riders over here! The city of Coventry gains worldwide recognition as a result of the Bees' magnificent record over the years. In the spectator crowds at last October's Speedway Grand Prix in Melbourne, hundreds of fans wore Bees colours, some of whom travelled from Coventry and others were Aussie Bees supporters. Can you imagine the impact on the city of Manchester if Man Utd were forced out of existence by greedy developers with no thought of the impact on the well-being of the community. In recent years, Coventry has effectively lost its Premier League football team to greedy asset strippers, and its formerly formidable rugby team has lost out to better financed rivals. The region is in danger of disappearing completely from the rest of the world. City of Culture?? Pardon me for laughing - everything that made Coventry a community is being destroyed!!!! The argument that the stadium was financially unviable is a simplistic and self-serving lie. Other development options, including commercial development AROUND the stadium, making the complex dual purpose, should be considered that would make the continuation of speedway viable as a community asset. I would recommend such a course of action, and - if I had the finances to do it - I would make such a counter-proposal. Please consider these fervently held views from afar! John Walker

Good on ya, JW. I have been waiting with bated breath for your comments.

Ron Bagley, who rode for Bees in 1965, has passed away at the age of 80. He is perhaps best remembered for his involvement with Ipswich Witches, as rider and later team manager.

Scott Nicholls' Brandon sadness

JW. I agree with you, yet at the same time wonder why over all the time that passed by the powers that be at Brandon did not seem to secure their future? 1950 and Brandon stood in acres of waste land.

Sadly Kaga - I think they were securing their future all along - waiting for the right time to sell off and make their profit.