Oxford Stadium reopening set to create 150 jobs (Saturday 19 June 2021)
ITV News reporter Mark McQuillan has been given an exclusive look around Oxford Stadium.
The new leaseholder of Oxford Stadium has told ITV News Meridian the reopening of the site is set to create 150 jobs.
The site, which hosted greyhound racing and speedway, closed nearly a decade ago and has fallen into disrepair since.
The stadium originally opened in 1939 and attracted around 4,000 people per week at its peak, but suffered a major setback in 2007 when the local speedway team stopped operating, and eventually closed in 2012.
New boss Kevin Boothby is going to invest about a million pounds renovating the site ahead of reopening the greyhound track next year.
He said: "When you come here on a Friday, Saturday night, it will be full. We'll be doing extra, different things here but we will introduce extra leisure facilities here so people are part of this place."
"For me, it's not in decline. It's a great sport, we love our greyhounds, welfare is paramount to us so, for me, this place will be the second-best track in the country."
- Kevin Boothby, Oxford Stadium owner
