Walthamstow back in spotlight with rally

RICKY HOLLOWAY, the Save Our Stow campaign leader, has thanked those greyhound fans who attended a rally outside the famous stadium at lunchtime Saturday, and expressed himself particularly delighted with the response of the local community of Walthamstow  – for whom he hopes to return greyhound racing to in 2010.

Walthamstow last raced in August 2008, and Saturday’s rally was designed to keep the Stow in the public eye. And while Holloway was critical of those who stayed away and perhaps do not share his belief that the track will reopen following its sale to housing association London & Quadrant by the Chandler family, he remains more optimistic and sure than ever.

“I promise this will be done,” he vowed. “I wish the turnout had been better, and there were people missing today who might just be looking for jobs here soon, but we still had a huge number of messages of support from people who genuinely couldn’t make it. And that’s been great.

“This was the country’s premier track, and I remain convinced that the potential here is limitless. The Olympics are ‘being built’ just down the road, and this is an area which is crying out for something that ticks all the right boxes when it comesto leisure, and the attraction of a ‘night out’,” he added.

For more information, plus news on a possible latest bidder for the stadium, see Sunday's Racing Post