Park Royal Stadium
| Location | Park Royal, London |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°32'00.0"N 0°16'25.2"W |
| Opened | 1931 |
| Closed | 1969 |
Park Royal Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Hendon, London.
The Royal Agricultural Society of England built showgrounds in 1903 intended to be used every year for their annual show. It served as the home stadium for Queens Park Rangers F.C. but was sold in 1907. The site attracted industrial companies and buildings began to be constructed in the area which became known as Park Royal. In 1931 just east of the old showgrounds and north of an athletic ground and engineering works a new stadium was constructed on the Abbey Road. Next door to the stadium was the newly built Park Royal coachworks that would also become a very well-known business.
The stadium had two very large covered stands that ran the length of the home and back straights and a third stand with terracing was constructed at the north end, on the south end was the totalisator with more terracing. There was a first class restaurant facility with enclosed glazed and centrally heated licensed clubs.
In 1935 it was enlarged further for additional use by Acton and Willesden rugby league club in 1935. In 1939 the stadium introduced the Guineas competition and the Crowley trained Musical Duke provided Park Royal with their first major success after winning the Laurels in 1939. During the war years the public witnessed the wartime superstar Ballynennan Moon win the Guineas in 1942.
In 1946 a company called London Stadiums Ltd brokered a deal to takeover Wandsworth Stadium Ltd, Park Royal Stadium Ltd and Charlton Stadium (1936) Ltd. The three companies that were taken over all received shares in London Stadiums Ltd. All three stadia were served by the Sunbury kennels which were located in a rural setting on Hamworth Road in Sunbury-on-Thames twelve miles from Park Royal Stadium. The kennels sat in fourteen acres and had accommodation for 600 greyhounds; in addition to the kennels there was a veterinary surgery including X-ray, Ultraviolet and Infrared ray apparatus with the kennel staff and veterinary surgeon living on site. The self-contained exercising grounds included over three quarters of a mile of special track for road work.
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