Poolstock Stadium

{{Short description|Greyhound racing venue in Wigan, England}}

{{for|the speedway and greyhound track in North Wigan|Woodhouse Lane Stadium}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = Poolstock Stadium

| nickname =

| image =

| location = Park Street, Poolstock, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England

| coordinates = {{coord|53|32|15|N|2|38|27|W|region:GB}}

| opened = 1932

| renovated =

| expanded =

| closed = 1973

| owner =

| operator =

| surface =

}}

Poolstock Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium on Park Street in Poolstock, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.

Origins

The stadium was constructed in 1932 on a plot of land on Cromwell's Ditch, west of Park Street and Baker Street and east of Poolstock Brook.{{cite web|url=https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/357619/404739/12/101328|title=OS Plan 1963-1967|publisher=old-maps.co.uk}}

Opening

The stadium situated on a ten-acre site opened on 9 March 1932.{{cite book|last=Barnes|first=Julia|title=Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File|year=1988|publisher=Ringpress Books|isbn=0-948955-15-5}}

Greyhound racing

The racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club). Five dog races were held on Saturday nights at 7.30pm on a track that had grass straights and sanded bends. Race distances were 314, 525 and 750 yards behind an 'Inside Sumner' hare system.{{cite book|last=Furby|first=R|title=Independent Greyhound Racing|page =45|year=1968|publisher=New Dominion House}}

Speedway

Speedway took place from 1947 to 1948 and again in 1960.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000711/19470329/136/0002 |title=Wigan Speedways |website=Lancashire Evening Post |date=29 March 1947 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=21 February 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19470117/091/0007 |title=New Speedways |website=Daily Mirror |date=17 January 1947 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=21 February 2025 }} Laurel and Hardy made a personal appearance at a meeting in 1947.{{cite web|url=http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/wigan.htm|title=Wigan Speedway|publisher=Defunct Speedway Tracks}}

{{main|Wigan (speedway)}}

Closure

Planning permission for 130 homes to be built was given to John Maunders Construction Ltd in early 1973. Racing finally stopped on 28 February 1973 and the track was demolished. The site today is an extension of the housing on Baker Street.

References