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Castle Road, Salisbury

It seems that the Wiltshire city of Salisbury has become the home to more than one greyhound racing venue during the sports pioneering years. This chapter describes the one known as Salisbury Stadium & Greyhound Track.

It was located on the west side of Castle Street less than a mile north of Salisbury’s city centre. Originally a straight course with the lure being pulled by the wheel of an old motor car fixed to a concrete base. Yet the venue began to develop during August 1931, with corrugated metal sheeting being erected to enclose the venue, a move which did not go unnoticed with local residents voicing their objections.

It is known that it opened for business on the 4th of October 1931, with events being staged on a 400 yard two bend course. In April 1932 plans were approved to erect a covered stand using a wooden frame and paneled by corrugated metal sheeting, with further installations soon following with a kennel block, urinals and a totalisator system added.

During the summer of 1932, excessive barking from the kenneled greyhounds created more complaints from local residents, which saw the proprietors receiving small fines from the local courts.

No evidence is found on how long the venture lasted for, but some write ups suggests that the track remained active until 1935, yet this date has yet to be proved. After its closure the site reverted back to arable farmland and by the declaration of the Second World War all evidence of the venue had gone.

Presently the site described is now a neat recreational patch of grassland with a black metal fence separating itself from the main road.