Entain and Ladbrokes confirm official closing date for Crayford Greyhound track

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The Crayford Greyhound Track has officially announced its closing date, and last race, after previously confirming the owners had pulled out of the site.

The famous greyhound racing track will have its last day of racing this Sunday 19 January, and it will officially cease operations on the following Tuesday on 21 January.

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Home of the famous Golden Jacket Competition, the closure of the track may see the historic event closed down, meaning 2024 winner Dazi Rolex would be the last champion of the race.

A spokesperson for Entain UK, the holding company of Ladbrokes, which played a big part in helping to build and open the track in 1986, put out a statement following a consultation period.

They said: “It is with great sadness that we are announcing today the confirmation of the closure of the Crayford greyhound track. “Since announcing our intention to close the venue, several parties have expressed interest in exploring alternatives.

“We held discussions with these parties and carefully reviewed and evaluated their proposals. Regrettably, none of the options put forward were viable.”

A statement published on the stadium’s website added: “All impacted colleagues have gone through a two-stage consultation process informing them of the closure of the track, with a view to relocate colleagues at alternative locations within the business or support them with their onward journeys.

“We will also continue to support all trainers impacted by the decision and hope that many of them will continue to race their dogs at other UK greyhound tracks.  

The owners have continued to back up their initial plans when it comes to rehoming and caring for the greyhounds, which is a positive amongst the sad news. 

The statement continued to state: “We remain committed to the highest levels of animal welfare. As such, every affected greyhound will be cared for through an enhanced investment and rehoming strategy.

“We would like to thank all those colleagues, trainers and customers who, through their support and dedication to greyhound racing, made Crayford the track it was for the past 30-plus years, and we wish them all the best for the future.”

All remaining fixture days up until Sunday will go ahead as planned, but any customers who have purchased tickets for events further down the line, will be refunded as soon as possible.

It was announced in November, that the company was to part ways with the venue, which is in Crayford, near the Dartmouth border, after 39 years. The owners came to the decision to shut down the track as they believed it was no longer financially viable due to lowering support and attendance.

The greyhound racing track has had to deal with multiple meeting cancellations due to a shortage of runners. People that work in the industry have noted that the business model has shifted, with the rise of online gambling and streaming, and the sport is still seen as popular as it has been before.

Entain UK have stated that their tracks in Romford, Hove and Monmore are not at risk of closure.