TOWCESTER FUTURE IN DOUBT
The future of Towcester racecourse has been plunged in to doubt with the news that the company which owns the track is taking steps to place the business into administration. The Northamptonshire National hunt venue, the scene of Sir Anthony McCoy’s 4,000th winner in 2013, also hosts regular greyhound meetings and cards scheduled for today, tomorrow and Sunday have already been cancelled.
The move to enter liquidation allows Towcester to protect itself against legal pressure from its creditors while an insolvency practitioner acts as administrator.
however, in a statement on its Facebook page, the course issued a bleak short- term prognosis, especially for current staff with a number of employees facing redundancy.
The statement read: ‘ Due to the financial difficulties, the majority of employees will be laid off with immediate effect pending appointment of administrators.
‘The directors remain hopeful that despite the current situation, given the significant history of horseracing and more recently greyhound racing at Towcester, there will be significant interest from potential acquirers.’
The greyhound stadium, built in front of the grandstand in 2014, has been the venue of the Greyhound Derby for the past two years, though its creation angered many jumps fans who found their view of the National hunt course greatly obscured.
The next scheduled horseracing fixture is on October 10.