Historic Brandon stadium put up for sale...

[dutchman]

The home of the Coventry Bees speedway team is up for sale.



Potential buyers are being invited to make unconditional offers for the freehold of Coventry Stadium, in Brandon.

Adverts in the trade press declare the 26-acre site has “re-use or re-development potential” subject to planning permission.

The sale is being handled by Birmingham property firm GVA, who said the adverts had been placed by stadium boss Avtar Sandhu.

In a statement issued last night, Mr Sandhu said: “This decision was taken after careful consideration and, after a lot of hard work over the last ten years, we now feel the time has come for new owners to take over the stadium freehold.

“Two of the three businesses operating out of the stadium are currently leased out, and the possible sale of the freehold does not affect either speedway, stock cars or greyhounds. They will all continue as normal, hopefully, for a long time to come.

Brandon Stadium sale subject to legal wrangle

“At no time have we applied for planning permission, nor are we seeking to apply for planning permission at this time.

“It is not the right time for planning and no development is in place. It is my decision to put the freehold on the market, but the businesses that run at the stadium will carry on as normal.”

Jeremy Heaver, the stadium’s former head of operations and now stock car promoter at the venue, also insisted any sale would not affect the stadium’s tenants, including the speedway team, and stock car and greyhound racing.

He said: “It’s for sale as freehold as an investment opportunity. If someone buys the freehold, in many years time when the lease has run out, you could redevelop, but there’s no need to be concerned because they are quite long leases – we’re talking tens of years each.

“It’s a lot like buying the freehold on a block of flats – it does not make a difference to the people in the flats, it just means they have got a different landlord.”

Mr Heaver added: “I think Mr Sandhu is just trying to gauge interest.

“He has tried a lot of things and has been blocked by planners, residents and the BSPA (the British Speedway Promoters Association), and he may have just got fed up.”

Coventry Bees spokesman David Rowe, speaking as their season has drawn to a close, said: “It would depend on who was buying it, and what their plans would be.

“There is no reason it could not continue as a successful sporting venture, but I am concerned about the suggestion for redevelopment.”

Writing on Twitter, Paul Burbidge, chief news writer for the Speedway Star, said: “Coventry’s Brandon Stadium is one of the best, if not the best, speedway facilities in the UK.

“If this goes, it’s a hammer blow for us all.”

[dutchman]

Coventry Stadium sale plan questioned by customs officials

Plans to sell the home of Coventry Bees speedway club have been thrown into doubt after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said it had frozen the asset.

The HMRC said they acted because a convicted money launderer, the subject of a £2m confiscation order, owned 50% of the freehold of Coventry Stadium.

They said any sale needed consent from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

However, venue chief Avtar Sandhu said the stadium is "100% owned" by his family and denies they have partners.

HMRC said Jatinder Singh Batth, from Birmingham, had several assets frozen on 3 August including a half share of Coventry Stadium, two properties in London and a number of bank accounts.

Batth, also known as Micky Singh, was jailed for 18 months in 2009 for laundering money from organised crime gangs.

He has until February next year to repay nearly £2m or serve a further 10 years in prison.

Jennie Kendall, from HMRC, said they would restrain assets, including the stadium, until the confiscation order had been fulfilled

Ms Kendall added they had contacted the CPS after being notified of Mr Sandhu's intention to sell the track.