Curtain Comes Down on Greyhound Racing at Perry Barr
It’s the end of the road for greyhound racing at Birmingham’s Perry Barr Stadium, but Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, will take over with a new track opening in September.
Perry Barr survived the Covid years that closed four tracks, but its greyhound operations will now move to Dunstall Park. © Getty Images
Key Facts:
- Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium will cease racing at the end of August.
- Closure leaves Birmingham without a greyhound track for the first time in almost 100 years.
- In September, a new replacement track will open at Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton.
Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium will join the long list of closed greyhound tracks when it stages its final meeting on Saturday, August 23rd. The circuit in the north Birmingham suburbs first raced in 1990.
Birmingham, with tracks in Kings Heath (1927-1971), Hall Green (1927-2017) and an original Perry Barr circuit in Birchfield (1928-1984), was a significant hub for greyhound racing during the sport’s halcyon days.
The closure means Birmingham will be without a greyhound track for the first time in almost a century. However, operations at Perry Barr will be transferred to Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton, where a new track is set to open on September 19th.
Famous Races and Champions
Both Perry Barr tracks were central to Birmingham’s sporting culture. Major races staged at the newest circuit included the Birmingham Cup, St Leger, Laurels, and Oaks. The original stadium, owned by Ladbrokes during its final years, staged the TV Trophy in 1981.
In 1931, the legendary legendary greyhound champion Mick The Miller raced and won at Perry Barr. British and European record win-streak holder Westpark Mustard was another champion that graced and won at the track.
Closures Add Up – Oxford Next?
While the blow of Perry Barr’s closure will be softened by a new track within the confines of Wolverhampton’s Racecourse, greyhound racing fans know the sport is in severe decline. Poole, Peterborough, Shawfield and Belle Vue all stopped racing in 2020.
Henlow closed in January 2024, and Crayford followed 12 months later. Looking to the future, Swindon has set a December 2025 closing date, and racing at Valley Greyhound Stadium in Wales will not continue beyond mid-2026.
Alarmingly, social media has been awash with suggestions that Oxford Greyhound Stadium’s closure is imminent. The track is currently operated under a 10-year lease by promoter Kevin Boothby. He resumed racing at the circuit in 2022 following a decade-long hiatus.
Good and Great Greyhound News
There is some positive news coming from Mildenhall’s Suffolk Downs racetrack. It has been closed since a major fire destroyed parts of the stadium in July 2024. This week, Greyhound News UK reported that repair work is ahead of schedule and the venue could be racing again by the end of the year.
The impending opening of a new dog track within Dunstall Park’s horse racing track has been met with open arms. A “commitment to greyhound welfare and homing, to ensure all greyhounds can enjoy a happy, healthy retirement when their racing careers end,” has been prioritised by owners Arena Racing.
Once open, Dunstall Park will host four weekly fixtures: Wednesday and Friday evenings, plus Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons. The track’s first major race will be the Oaks final. It is scheduled for October 24th. It is one of four Category One events the track will host annually.
