Coventry Bees Speedway - Brandon Stadium

Belushi - There were public presentations in both Binley Woods and at the Brandon Hall Hotel in Brandon. They were organised by the then developers and were designed to show the local residents how wonderful it would be to have all of these new neighbours rather than a rather rundown stadium. In the event I am told that the locals turned up in droves at both locations to politely tell the developer that they preferred to keep the stadium and did not want hundreds of new neighbours. In addition the developers were surprised to find that there were speedway bikes and stock cars on display at both venues courtesy of local riders and drivers. Local residents also have the same rights as the objectors and can voice their enthusiasm to Rugby Borough Council as part of both the previous and revised planning applications. I think you will find that the previous application resulted in the council being swamped by objections with only a tiny number of people supporting the application. Those people who tell you that they would prefer green space or a housing estate must have moved to the area after 2016 when the stadium last staged Speedway and stock car racing or else must be very old because there has been Speedway at Brandon since 1937 and stock car racing since 1954. In short, they knew they had a Speedway stadium for a neighbour when they moved there. In recent years the only occasions when there would have been anything like heavy traffic would have been when the stadium staged a Speedway Test Match or the stock cars held their World Final meeting - one Saturday every other year. Despite what people tell you there would rarely be more than 2,000 spectators for the seven Formula One Stock Cars meetings held from April to October each year, and probably less than that for the weekly speedway meetings held mid-week from the end of March to the end of October each year. Compare those crowds to those who watch Coventry City or Wasps and they are very small indeed. Hopefully the stadium site will not be granted planning permission for housing but the chances of it becoming a green space are even more remote - it is a commercial site with restricted planning permission so has some value whether it is developed for housing or something else.

Thankyou NL. That's exactly the information I was looking for. My anecdotal evidence was based on talking to a few people who lived in Binley Woods; they seem to be in the minority.

Back to the Dave Busst situation... Dave Rowe has posted on a speedway forum: "After?? ?seeing this letter we arranged an urgent meeting with Dave Busst, which took place last Monday. He has since? clarified his comments to the planning officer. The position remains that the foot?ball club do not support the application."

The Dave Busst letter is still recorded as 'Signed letter of support' in the list of papers which accompany the planning application and the actual letter is headed 'Letter of Support'. The letter was probably a response to something sent to Coventry City FC by the developers. I would like to have seen both documents submitted with the planning application, not just the response.

Sad news today of the passing of former Bees team manager and co-promoter Colin Pratt

More sad news today is the passing of former Bees rider Chris Harrison

J Walker, Midland Red, In 1934 for my 7th birthday, two uncles and several of my cousins went by pony and cart to a motor-cycle race meeting. Could this have been Brandon or somewhere close?

Hi Kaga Coventry had a team in the national league in 1933, but not in 1934 - so you might have been taken to a match in Birmingham? (Source: Pre-war League Tables). Or it could have been a non-league meeting. Riders who rode for Coventry in 1934 were: Roy Dook, Bill Pitcher, Stan Dell, George O'Brien, Mike Erskine, Alec Statham, Don Stewart, Les Brooke, Arthur Timms and Jack Parker. On that basis, I'd say Coventry were dropped from the National League that year, and you were taken to a challenge match or an open meeting. 1933 NATIONAL LEAGUE Team Mts Won Drn Lst For Agn Pts 1. BELLE VUE 36 31 0 5 1358

Johnnie Walker is correct that there was no league speedway at Brandon in 1934 - they operated that year on an Open Licence. As you were born in July 1927, your seventh birthday would have been close to the only three speedway meetings staged at Brandon in 1934 - 26 July, 2 and 9 August - all challenge matches.

Thank you both. At seven years old It was just an event, that I enjoyed, no matter what sort. J Walker, if you were born in 47, then that was the time of of my near demise, for a suitcase bomb exploded close to me, peppering my face and shoulders with brick and concrete debris. Only a pillar saved my life, three were killed, many injured. Barclays Bank of all places, Haifa. I went to hospital.

Not sure on dates, but could it have been the Lythalls Lane stadium rather than Brandon? Especially if transported by pony & trap from Alderman's Green??

No, OddSock, Lythalls Lane only operated in 1928 and 1930.

Odd Sock - I guess the route to Brandon would have been down Lentons Lane, Woodway Lane, across the Ansty Rd at Walsgrave On Sowe, along what is now Farber Rd and then on lanes across to the back of Coombe Abbey and onwards on the lanes towards Binley Woods and Brandon Stadium. You could still do most of this on foot, on a bike, or on a horse, although getting a pony and trap over the motorway footbridge at Woodway Lane might be a problem.