Businessman Howard Wallace first put forward his plans to build a greyhound stadium in 2001 and it was approved by East Lothian Council four years later.
At the time Mr Wallace also had plans to build houses on the site but was told that could not go ahead until work on the stadium began.
So he threw up the iron framework for a stand which more than a decade on can still be seen from the A1 as a giant white elephant on the hillside.
Mr Wallace has been given approval to build more housing which he says he needs to sell to fund the stadium.
Most recently he was allowed to build another 94 houses on the land and given approval for a 293-space car park, reportedly to serve the stadium.
How the new owners of these luxury houses will feel about welcoming coachloads of stag parties and boozy work nights out every weekend for a ‘night at the dogs’ remains to be seen.
Then of course there is the underbelly of the racing industry itself which has been exposed time and again as a magnet to criminal behaviour – doping dogs etc.
Wallyford, where the greyhound stadium is to be built already has an overprovision order flagging up that it has too many licensed premises and off-licences.
It would be irresponsible, not to mention against their own policy, for East Lothian Council to ever grant a stadium such as this a drinks licence.
And any suggestion in these cash-strapped times that the stadium will be monitored by animal welfare inspectors or council staff is simply unrealistic. They will not have the staff to visit a rural county and make sure the dogs’ welfare is being addressed.
Our petition calls on Howard Wallace to abandon his plans to build the stadium, for East Lothian Council to uphold their responsibilities re animal welfare and to decline any application for a drinks licence without which the stadium will be less viable. Please help us to help the greyhounds and sign now. Thank you!
Guest blog by the Say No to Greyhound Racing at Wallyford campaign.
greyhound racing is a cruel sport and time it was stopped, these gentle dogs are regarded as old rags, just thrown away when considered useless, its dirty money, and needs to be stopped,
greyhound racing is cruel and needs to be stoped, there is no place for it today, we are supposed to be an animal loving nation, this is a cruel sport where dogs are kept in filthy kenels with no light, care or proper food, killed if not fast enough, not got enough chase in it, for what ever reason, shot anr put down , over bred with its barbaric the way this industry is run, and has no place in society today
When we are conditions like those of the Dorset 7 we must do everything to stop this cruel greed fuelled industry. These dogs are one of the most sensitive breeds and are being treated like tools and commodities!.
Ban greyhound racing now and close down all the tracks. We don’t need this in the 21st century!!
Animals are NOT meant for our entertainment, this has to be stopped. Greyhounds are gentle and loving dogs and should be our pets and nothing more.
This. barbaric so called sport should be banned ,it is cruel , greed for money keeps this alive