New Writtle Street Stadium was a football and short lived greyhound racing stadium located in Chelmsford, Essex, adjacent to the Essex County Cricket Club ground.
Location | Chelmsford, Essex |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°43′52″N 0°27′56″E / 51.73111°N 0.46556°E |
Owner | Chelmsford City F.C. |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Opened | 1922 |
Closed | August 1997 |
Demolished | 1999 |
The stadium was constructed on spare land on the north side of New Writtle Street in 1922.[1]
Chelmsford moved into New Writtle Street in 1922.[2][3][4]
The football club continued to play at the New Writtle Street ground following the formation of Chelmsford City as a professional entity, which the club purchased in 1939. During the early parts of World War II the ground was shared by Southend United,[5] before it became a barrage balloon site in 1942.[6] The record attendance of 16,807 was set for a local derby with Colchester United on 10 September 1949. Floodlights were installed in 1960 and several plans were made to increase facilities at the ground, including installing a swimming pool and building office blocks or a hotel, but none came to fruition.[6] The club's first floodlit game was against Wisbech Town on 21 September 1960, with the official opening coming in a friendly against Norwich City on 3 October 1960.[3]
In 1997, the site was sold to developers and the club had to move out of Chelmsford. A housing estate now occupies the site.
On 23 September 1927, the London and Provincial Greyhound Racing Company bought land in Chelmsford to build a track, but stiff opposition resulted and the planned construction failed to materialise. However, on the 20 May 1932 the Mid-Essex Greyhound Racing Club raced for the first time at the stadium on New Writtle Street, home to Chelmsford Football Club and next door to the County Cricket Ground.[7]
One year later, director AH Bradbury-Pratt began regular racing on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings over 440 and 550 yards. The racing continued irregularly during the years 1935 to 1937 before finishing. A second spell of racing was submitted for planning by promoter Flight-Lieut CR Thomas in March 1946, finally starting in 1949 but once again the racing only lasted a few years. On both occasions the racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club).[8]
Between 1976 and 1978 prolonged plans to bring greyhound racing to the stadium failed.[9]