The Gladiators are all set

The winter may have been very cold and wet, and will go down in history as the time of a great Global Pandemic (Covid 19) but it has not stopped some incredible work being completed by a Team of Volunteers at The Coliseum to set Plymouth Gladiators up not only for the 2020 season but also for the seasons to come, in the hope that we can build a secure and profitable long term future, and we hope, persuade the BSPL (British Speedway Promoters Ltd) who run the Sport in the UK, that we would be worthy Members of the higher Tiers of the Sport.

Having knocked down the old Stand work commenced on building a completely new Structure that will run from The Pit Gate the full length of the Straight, right up to the Track Shop and Sponsors Lounge. Here are a few pictures that show the structure.

Home Straight Stand

Click to enlarge

The Stand will be finalised by the addition of 400-500 seats and Mark has launched a Crowd Funding Appeal to help to Fund these.

The Stand is designed for use as a Standing or Seated Area, but our aim is to make The Coliseum as comfortable as possible for all Spectators and Visitors.

Click here to view the Crowd Funding Appeal

The building of the New Stand necessitated the relocation of Disabled Stand/Platform and this has been done.

Disabled Stand / Platform

The Platform has been completely renovated and been given a prime location with a superb view, possibly one of the best in Speedway anywhere in the UK, on the exit of Turn Two.

There has been a lot of work to give ease of access and the location is also much closer to both Toilet and Food/Bar Facilities on the First Bend.

The location has been sited to be outside of the line of any flying shale from the first Bend; to further assist comfortable viewing and directly adjacent to the Stadium Car Park Area to ensure ease of access.

Here are some pictures:

Click to enlarge

The Track

The Track was underwater for most of the Winter (literally) but as the water-table has fallen and thanks to a lovely dry April, a lot of work has been done to aerate, re-grade and tyre pack the Track and the following pictures will show that it is billiard table smooth but with a lovely dirt line and plenty of grip:

Our Thanks

Mark; Gill; Mattie; and Ian would like to publicly thank the wonderful regular helpers and weekend volunteers without whom this project would not have been possible, with many many man/lady hours and lots of other assistance. Truly the best Support Team in the world of Speedway – THANK YOU…

Philip Smallridge, Ed Lee (Quiche man), John White, Barry Mills, Gary Andrews, Rod Hart, Viv Bath,Margaret Jollands, Kai Ward, Richard Andrews Lewy, Brian Royle (Pastie Man) Pete the Carpenter, Arthur the Painter, Ross Lawson, Richard Hemings, Helen Charlesworth and Mark Crittenden the Electrician

and to anyone else we may have inadvertently missed out (sorry)