Saffron Lane Sports Centre - The End of The Velodrome

The End of The Velodrome

Once regarded as one of the best cycling facilities in the country, the track has been empty for nearly a decade and the velodrome is being demolished. The 3,100 seater velodrome on Saffron Lane in Leicester was built in 1978 and was a state-of-the-art cycling track attracting top cyclists from all over the country. At the centre of the track was an all-weather pitch, once home of the Leicester Panthers American Football team and hosting the national British American Football Association's annual finals Bowl Game for nearly ten years in a row, until 2002 when it was relocated to Lee Valley Park.

Since 2001 the story of the stadium has been one of decay, vandalism and even arson. A decision about its future had to be taken. BBC Leicester's Julie Mayer spoke to people who are both for and against fighting to keep the velodrome. The City Council decided that the stadium should be razed to the ground and the demolition plant moved in, but the decision proved controversial. Cllr. Dale Keeling who represents the area said "The residents and I have had to fight extremely hard to convince the city council to invest in the velodrome to make it a centre of sporting excellence again. The location is ideal and it has a large car park."

A local resident, Zelda Rubinstein who has watched the velodrome's decline with sadness said: "I've been here for about eleven years and I'd be very sorry to see this facility go. It could be used for young people. We need open spaces. We're quite built up here. I look out of my windows and I see what's going on. There was a constant stream of fire engines. There has been little in the way of security."