UK PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK BACKS BID TO BRING SPEEDWAY BACK TO COVENTRY

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak gave his backing to the campaign to restore speedway to Coventry’s Brandon Stadium during Prime Minister’s Question Time on Wednesday.

Efforts continue to bring the sport back to Coventry Bees’ storied home, which previously hosted the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain before the event moved to Cardiff, as well as various FIM Speedway World Cup events, the FIM SGP Challenge and rounds of the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship to name just a few.

Stadium owner Brandon Estates applied for planning permission for a proposed development comprising 124 houses and a 3G football pitch. 

This application was rejected by Rugby Borough Council, with a recent appeal against this decision also turned down, boosting hopes that speedway may be restored, along with stock car racing.

Following a campaign to bring both sports back to Brandon, led by the Save Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign group, Rugby MP Mark Pawsey raised the topic with Sunak in the weekly Prime Minister’s Question Time.

He asked: “The Prime Minister likes to attend live sport, and so I wonder whether he would join me in welcoming the decision of the Planning Inspector in upholding Rugby Council’s rejection of an application for development at Brandon Stadium in my constituency, to keep the doors open for it to remain a sporting venue, so that future generations will enjoy the thrills and spills of motorcycle speedway and stock cars.”

In response, Sunak commented: “I join my honourable friend in paying tribute and being proud of Britain’s rich history in the automotive and motorsport sectors.

“The stadium that he talks about is a historic motorsport venue, and whilst it’s been a shame to see it fall into disrepair, I hope that the decision he refers to enables the possibility of both speedway and stock car racing to return. 

"And I know that my honourable friend will rightly continue to champion this cause.”