Greyhound racing enthusiasts will bid farewell to Perry Barr on Saturday night when the Birmingham venue closes its doors for the final time, almost a century after it first opened.
The hare will run for one final time at 10.11pm as the historic track relocates its racing operation to Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton, which will hold its first customer fixture on Friday, September 19.
The track’s management have planned an End of an Era race night which will feature 12 live races, a selection of photos and memories of yesteryear on display and an after party for families and groups of friends to enjoy.
End of an era
It will mark the end of almost 100 years of greyhound racing in Birmingham after the track’s former venue – the Birchfield Ladbroke Stadium – opened its doors in 1929.
The present stadium opened in 1990 where greyhound racing has been held since, with prestigious competitions including the St Leger – an event originally held at Wembley Stadium – and the Laurels.
A bumper crowd is forecast trackside, and General Manager Chris Black plans to go out with a bang.
“It will be an emotional evening I’m sure,” said Chris. “We’ve known our long-term future sits in Wolverhampton for some time, but to be closing in on our final race night suddenly makes it feel real.
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Many great memories
“This stadium holds many great memories for the hundreds of thousands of people who have passed through our turnstiles over the years.
“This is our final opportunity to celebrate this ahead of our exciting move to Dunstall Park next month which will mark the beginning of a new era for our operation, and the sport generally as we engage new faces and bring greyhound racing to a wider audience.”
Historic moments
Perry Barr has been home to many historic sporting moments over the years.
More than 15,000 people attended the opening night where Town Square was declared the winner of the first race.
In 1954, Diane Leather became the first female athlete to run a mile in less than five minutes, achieving it only 23 days after the late Sir Roger Bannister became the first man to run a sub four-minute mile.
The track became home to one of sport’s most iconic moments in 2020 when on June 1 I’m Sophie won the first recognised sporting event to take place after lockdown restrictions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic at 10.20am.
A true celebration
Chris added: “We want Saturday to be a true celebration of Perry Barr.
“I’m sure there won’t be many dry eyes in the house when the greyhounds cross the line for one final time, but we’re determined to put on a good show and give her the sendoff she deserves.”
Tickets to Perry Barr’s End of an Era race night on Saturday, August 23, are available from £8 and can be purchased via www.perrybarr-greyhounds.co.uk.
