Entain announces permanent closure of Crayford Stadium greyhound track

Having been in operation since 1986, the Crayford Stadium greyhound track is closing its tracks for good.

Owners of the track, Entain, have confirmed that attendance has been on the decline and the business is no longer financially viable; as punters stray away from betting on greyhound racing.

This marks a sad day for the sport, as during its 38-year existence, Crayford Stadium stood to be the hub for greyhound racing in England and became home to the Golden Jacket competition. Due to the upcoming closure, the future of the Golden Jacket competition remains uncertain

2024’s Golden Jacket winner, Dazi Rolex, may well turn out to be the final champion of this legendary event.

However, turning a negative into a positive, Entain has since launched a greyhound rehoming programme off the back of the closure; meaning the dogs won’t be left astray. 

Additionally, Entain have stated that they will be committed to supporting any staff or trainers affected by offering assistance to relocate them to other tracks. 

Communications director at Entain UK, Simon Clare, commented: “We are saddened to announce the intended closure of the Crayford greyhound track. We have been exploring various avenues to avoid this decision for some time, but ultimately, it is no longer viable for us to continue operating the site.

“The dwindling support for the venue has led to insufficient trainer interest to fulfil our schedules, fewer competitive race days, and, therefore, lower attendance which has sadly driven our decision to close.”

Clare went on to further state that only 18% of races at the venue, this season, have been six-dog races, which is dramatically below their 90% target.