Greyhound racing enthusiasts have shared memories of yesteryear from Perry Barr Stadium to mark Local and Community History Month ahead of the site’s transfer to Dunstall Park.
The Aldridge Road venue opened in 1984, but greyhound racing’s history in the city dates back almost a century to 1928 when the Birchfield Ladbroke Stadium – known as the old Perry Barr by locals - first opened its doors.
More than 15,000 people attended opening night where Town Square was declared the winner of the first race.
Since then, Perry Barr has been home to several high-profile moments.
In 1954, Diane Leather became the first female athlete to run a mile in less than five minutes, achieving it only 23 days after the late Sir Roger Bannister became the first man to run a sub four-minute mile.
More recently, Perry Barr was the first venue in the UK to host live sport following the COVID-19 pandemic when I’m Sophie won the Arena Racing Company Thanks to NHS and Key Workers Stakes at 10.21am on Monday, June 1.
Today, it hosts several weekly fixtures including Wednesday and Saturday evenings with the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks and Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger among the feature competitions.
Its history will be consigned to the record books later this year when Perry Barr’s greyhound racing operation is transferred to Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton as part of Arena Racing Company’s commitment to engaging new audiences to the sport.
Daniel Smelt has been a regular at Perry Barr for more than 25 years and said: “I have so many great memories of Perry Barr.
“I owned my first racing greyhound at the track – Fornaught Star. When he won, it was an amazing feeling – I can’t begin to describe the excitement.
“I’m really excited for the new track in Wolverhampton, but equally it will be sad to see Perry Barr go. I love greyhound racing and a lot of us will miss the place.”
Les McGrath has been watching greyhound racing for more than half a century, but his best night trackside happened in 2024 when Kilwest Ranger won the Arena Racing Company Laurels after starting the competition priced 66-1.
He said: “He was a no hoper to many, but he did us proud that evening and it’s a night I’ll never forget – the best I’ve experienced from more than 50 years watching greyhound racing.”
Another racegoer Gary Pinney added: “I always went to Perry Barr’s sales whenever I could, I’d even take a cheeky day off school or college to be trackside!”
And Jessica Fletcher said: “I have loads of DVDs of the racing at Perry Barr. My dad spent many days stood on the terraces, and I went when I was a child too – happy days.”
The closure of Perry Barr’s greyhound operation will make way for the UK’s newest track at Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, which is due to open by late autumn.
The track will be positioned inside the racecourse in full view of the venue’s 25,000-capacity grandstand. The introduction of greyhound racing to Dunstall Park will extend the site’s existing provisions which include 83 annual horseracing fixtures, a 672 square-metre conference and wedding reception facility, a 54-room Holiday Inn Hotel and grandstand restaurant.
