Poole Stadium Guide

Believe it or not, not every greyhound stadium is actually located in the same place it’s named after. That isn’t the case with Poole’s stadium, however, as it’s based pretty much in the centre of the town. There’s a reason why it’s called Poole Stadium rather than Poole Greyhound Stadium, though, and that’s because, as well as dog racing, it’s also the home of speedway in the local area.

Head to the greyhounds in Poole and you’ll be in for a great night out. It’s a fast-paced and entertaining sport and you can have a drink, a bite to eat and a really good time. That’s because there’s not only a restaurant that can sit 300-people but there’s also a couple of bars, some places to get snacks and even a function room available to hire for those of you that like to make a special night out of whatever you’re doing!

Map

Race Days & Times

There are four occasions on which you can head to Poole Stadium to watch a bit of greyhound racing. The venue opens up on Tuesday evenings, as well as Saturday and Sunday evenings. They’re the main events, with a further meeting held on Saturday afternoons for people that like to watch dog racing in the day times.

When it comes to timing, it depends on which day you’re heading there. On Tuesdays and Saturday evenings, the first race is normally at around 7.30pm with doors opening an hour before. On Sunday’s, it’s a slightly earlier first race of 6pm, so doors open at 5pm. Saturday afternoons see the doors open at 2.30pm for a first race at 3.08pm.

Visiting

• Ticket Prices: The good news is that Poole Stadium has a pricing structure to suit everyone. If you want to go on a Tuesday, then it will cost you £6, whilst it’s £7 for Saturday evenings. Sundays are just £4 and Saturday afternoons are free for everyone. There are numerous deals and offers on a regular basis, so keep your eye out for them.
• Getting There: As mentioned in the introduction, the stadium is close to the centre of Poole, so if you can get there then you’re well on your way to where you’re going. The venue is just off the A350 – a short walk from Poole Train Station. Buses 128 and 744 stop really nearby, too.
• Parking The stadium boasts a large car park that is there for the use of all patrons.

History

The stadium opened in the 1930s and was initially used by the area’s semi-professional football side, Poole Town FC. They were actually based there until 1994, though greyhound racing was first brought to the venue in 1960. Charlie Knott Sr. and his son Charlie Knott Jr. were the ones who initiated the plans, having enjoyed success with their greyhound stadium in Southampton. They wanted to make it a multi-use venue by putting the greyhound track around the football pitch and the speedway track there.

The town’s Mayor, Alderman Bill Cole, opened the first ever meeting on the 8th of May in 1961. There were eight races with five dogs taking part in each of them. The first ever win of any race at the stadium was Count on Chippelgaun, which came home at odds of 5/1. Things remained much the same from a greyhound racing point of view until the Knott’s sold their rights to the stadium in 1980. It would lead to a tricky period of racing there with the whole operation actually shutting down in January of 1985.

The closure didn’t last long, however. In April of that year, TGV Ltd brought it back and decided to make some renovations. They built a restaurant that was large enough to accommodate 100 people, as well as two bars and a car park for up to 800 vehicles. They also put an Outside Sumner Hare in place and continued racing there every Thursday and Saturday evening. In 1990, the stadium was sold on again to a company named Playbell Ltd who finally put the nail in the greyhound racing coffin by removing the track in order to make the football pitch bigger.

In 1994, the same year that Poole Borough Council kicked out the football team for low attendances, greyhound racing returned to Poole Stadium. The rights to develop the venue went to BS Group and they changed the restaurant to a glass-fronted affair that could sit over 300 people. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, with the stadium resurrecting The Golden Crest competition in 2000 after it had been looking for a new home since the closure of Eastville Stadium in 1997.