UNCERTAINTY still surrounds the future of the Coventry Bees, despite the BSPA’s latest deadline allowing the club to confirm their participation in the SGB Premiership passing on Friday.
In the past 24-hours it has emerged Bees owner Mick Horton has considered moving the Bees to Leicester for the start of the upcoming season, which starts in less than three months.
The possible move would mean Coventry will be racing 29 miles away from their historic Brandon home – which has hosted top flight international motor speedway since 1928.
Fans of the club have voiced concern about participating away from Brandon, with some against the idea of travelling up the M69 to watch their team compete.
Bees fan James Isom, who has been attending race meetings since 2010 – a year which Coventry won the Elite League – said moving to Leicester wouldn’t be the best situation for fans.
He told The Observer: “I think for a lot of fans it wouldn’t be the best situation but if it meant we raced in 2017 then I wouldn’t mind.
“I don’t think racing at Leicester would work out well on a permanent basis as fans wouldn’t be too happy about travelling to watch the Bees.
“As a temporary solution I wouldn’t mind moving to Leicester, I just want to see the Coventry Bees on track competing.”
Crowds of 25,000 used to watch the Bees race in the sports heyday between the 1950s and 1980s.
Despite only watching the sport for seven years, James struggled to pin-point his favourite memory of seeing the Bees in action – though did admit the blockbuster signing of international superstar Emil Sayfutdinov in 2011 was a highlight.
He said: “The 2010 play-off final against Poole was special.
“Emil Sayfutdinov’s arrival was a standout moment too – it’d be a massive shame if we were left without a track to race on.
“A friend from school got me into speedway and I’ve been hooked ever since.
“The Coventry Bees will always have a place in my heart.”
However Lee Marsh, whose family regularly go and watch the Bees compete at Coventry Stadium, said he’d still go and support the team should they move to Leicester.
He said: “I’d still go and support the team, it’s not ideal but speedway is speedway.
“I understand some people wouldn’t be as accommodating as myself but to have the Bees on track would be a relief, I’ve been supporting the club for years and it would be a terrible shame to lose it.”
SpeedwayGB are fully aware of frustration coming from fans of the Coventry club and earlier this week tweeted: “We appreciate many want to know the Coventry situation. We are looking at more information passed to us and will update further when we can.”
The sport’s governing body this morning released the 2017 SGB Premiership fixtures, which Coventry feature in – though a TBC mark sits next to each home fixture.
Meanwhile Brandon Estates have dismissed rumours suggesting the stadium may be turned into a car storage facility after an email circulated around social media on Monday (January 23) night.
The email read: ‘We are pleased to be able to offer on behalf of our client, a 13 acre site in Coventry’.
It then listed what the site offers and concluded by stating readers to call or email for further information.
The email which circulated around social media on Monday night is not true, according to Brandon Estates.
The Coventry Observer has attempted to contact Mick Horton on multiple occasions for a comment, though we are yet to receive a reply.
Some Bees riders and mechanics have told The Observer they are unaware of any planned move to Leicester, though they remain hopeful they can race when the season is due to start.
Coventry’s opening SGB Premiership fixture is due to take place on April 7 at home against the Kings Lynn Stars.
