The White Ghost

Eric Watson says: Question : Was the Entertainment Tax the reason for no Speedway at Newcastle for 9 years (from 1952 to 1960) ?

1. To answer this I should like to give you my background experience to show that I have some sort of  answer for you. I first saw Speedway at the age of 12 in 1947, in my home town of Southampton, at Charlie Knott’s Banister Court Stadium, just two years after the War and with Food Rationing still in force. After 6 years (1939-1945) of Cinema entertainment, Speedway Racing was a ‘God’ send, with its ‘Thrills & Spills’ and the smell of Castrol R oil fumes. For 3 years up to 1950 we reveled in this fantastic new sport. But in 1950 it all changed, yes the Entertainment Tax of 45% in the £1, was to be a MAJOR contributory factor in Speedway’s decline for the next 10 years until 1960 when it was abolished. The Tax caused Gate Prices to almost double overnight – bringing a rapid fall in attendances, with the consequential closure of 24 Tracks between 1951 and 1958. Four Tracks closed down forever, 14 more didn’t re-open again until after 1960 when the Tax was stopped.  

 2. However it wasn’t entirely due to the Tax, the British Isles had a new form of entertainment to counter the sport of Speedway, in the form of Television and where previously TV sets had been very expensive and beyond the means of the working man, they were suddenly available to everyone to rent from Radio Rentals, for a reasonable weekly fee. So every one was viewing the new media in the comfort of their own homes. Another thing that didn’t help the lost Gate attendances, was that Petrol (rationed all through the War & for several years after the War) became de-rationed in May 1950, so allowing Families to use their Car again to travel long journeys all over the Country and on Holiday.

3. At Newcastle the distress signals came all season and it was only the sensational riding of newly discovered Star Rider Derek Close that kept them in business. The third New Management in as many seasons, were constantly demanding bigger crowds by July 1950, to be viable. Rumours of closure in August 1950 were denied – but they did sell popular veteran rider Frank Hodgson to Glasgow-White City.

 4. It was much the same in 1951 and Roy Dook was appointed as Team Manager. But the Team performance was so bad, that Roy put his leathers back on and started riding again. But the Speedway was virtually dead in Tyneside and any hope of revival went with the Transfer of Derek Close to Motherwell. Even with Close the Team performances were bad, with only Derek Close, Son Mitchell & Don Wilkinson escaping any criticism.

 5. A further nail in the coffin was that the Government increased the Entertainment Tax from 45% in the £1 to 52% in the £1, arguing that it was classified as a sport of speed rather than of skill. Needless to say Newcastle finished bottom of the second division National League table with only 15 points from 30 matches winning 7 with 1 draw and 22 losses. They had 1039 Match points for them and 1472 Match points against them. This was so sad for a quality side like them. They were (when at their best) an exciting Team to watch and rode very well against Southampton ‘Saints’Banister Court (a Match I saw) in 1950 although ‘Saints’ won 53-31, the ‘Diamonds got their revenge at Brough Park beating Southampton 46-38. In those days (at Southampton) the League Matches Matches were over 14 Heats, with 6 Main Riders and 2 Reserves per side. Then a 2^nd half of 6 to 7 Heats of Scratch Races, with 2 Heats always dedicated to Juniors/Novice Riders. 

6. I know this is no consolation but in 1951 Southampton closed down a lot earlier than your Newcastle did. ‘Saints’ only rode for 7 meetings before closure. Although we were lucky as we re-opened the following year in 1952 in a lower Division in the newly formed Southern League. We had 3 seasoned Riders plus a lot of Juniors & Novices in our side, which of course kept the cost of wages down, and running Speedway in a lower Division was also cheaper. I was amazed that we didn’t fail in that return year. But we developed a lot of good Riders that got better with each season. We lasted until our final closure in 1963. The Stadium plus Ice Rink Arena (with the Southampton ‘Vikings’ Ice Hockey Team) all closed down with site being sold for Housing Development. The closure was so unexpected because the year before in 1962, the ‘Saints’ had just won the National League Championship Title, with top Riders such as Barry Briggs, Bjorn Knutsson, Peter Vandenberg plus strong support riders Alby Golden, Cyril Roger and Dick Bradley. Sadly Southampton has now been without  Speedway Racing, Ice Skating & Ice Hockey for 46 years. If I want to see Speedway now I have to travel to Poole in Dorset or Swindon in Wiltshire.

 7. As to why you didn’t have Speedway in Newcastle for 9 years (1952-1960) I don’t know. I have given you the cause for closure (Tax & TV viewing) so I can only assume that because of the crippling Tax 52%  most of  the prospective Promoters, couldn’t persuade their Financial backers to open their purse strings and take a chance on the situation getting better – which of course it did in 1960, and by 1961 you were back in business. I am sure the Council would have supported any application to run Speedway again as would have the Speedway Control Board Authorities. Because after all the Brough Park Stadium was still there, intact and ready to go.  As the re-opening in 1997 by Promoters George English & Dave Rowlands proved when they opened up on behalf of ‘Newspeed Ltd’.

 8. I hope this throws some light on the topic for you, and allows you to put some snippets into the Web site to show why Newcastle was without Speedway for so long.

Best Regards,

Eric Watson

Mike Parker, Ivan Mauger, Brian Craven, Peter Kelly, Don Wilkinson, Mike Watkin, Jack Winstanley, Ray Day and Maurice Morley

Peter Craven was killed in a track crash in 1963 at Edinburgh's Old Meadowbank, this affected Brian badly and he missed the whole of the 1964 season.  He was back at Brough again for the 1965 season and he retired for good at the end of '65.

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