South Yorkshire Times, October 1, 1949
Bigger Dog Track Gates After Conisbrough Protest
A reply was given to the “South Yorkshire Times ” this week by Mr. Stanley Breakwell, of the George and Dragon Hotel, Mexborough, to the protest by residents in the vicinity of Minneymoor Field, against the greyhound race meetings which Conisbrough Agricultural Society are sponsoring on that site.
Instead of doing the venture harm, said Mr. Breakwell, an organiser of the meetings, the publicity given in this newspaper had benefitted the meetings to the extent of causing the attendances to jump by nearly 100.
When asked what he thought of the protests, Mr. Breakwell said he was rather glad of them, because of the publicity. He considered the allegations that the noise of the dogs kept the children awake at nights ridiculous, since racing was over well before it was dark, at about 7.30 p.m.
While he had been in the neighbourhood of the track nothing had been said to him in the way of protest, nor, he said, to the police when they were there.
Mr. Breakwell added that he had seen many of the occupiers of the houses overlooking the field, assembled in their bedrooms or gardens watching the sport. “Any way,” he commented, “Conisbrough needs a bit more sport, it’s such a dead place there.”
The ” South Yorkshire Times ” learned this week that by Tuesday the petition of protest being organised among the residents had secured more than 200 signatures, calling upon Conisbrough Urban Council to end this ” unmitigated nuisance.”
The Petition, which is to be forwarded to Conisbrough Council in time for their next meeting, draws attention to the unsightliness of the hoardings, the danger to road safety, and to the inconvenience caused to children and shift workers by the yapping of dogs.
On Friday it was possible to hear this noise and that of the relay system half-a-mile away.
Local residents are most concerned about the road safety problem and agree with Coun. J. A. Booth, who told us on Tuesday: “I have no desire to interfere with any man’s sport, but I feel that the site is not suitable and it is hardly an edifying spectacle for children.”
Children are being attracted to the wall on Doncaster Road which borders the field, and some youngsters who have been put to bed are getting out of bed to look into the field to discover what all the excitement is about.
Some of the young adult residents in the neighbourhood are not opposed to the innovation, but, said an organiser of the petition: ” We are getting dozens of signatures in favour.”
The petition is being circulated in the Doncaster Road, Old Mill Road, Drakehead Lane, Crookhill Road, Worthing Crescent and Minneymoor Lane districts.