Greyhound racing ban could see venue miss out on £15 million

Wales’ only greyhound racing track could miss out on £15 million over the next five years if the sport is banned in Wales.

Valley Greyhounds, in Ystrad Mynach, has an agreement with Sports Information Services Limited (SIS) to provide exclusive greyhound racing content.

Richard Brankley, head of greyhound operations at SIS, said the £15m goes towards supporting the care of racing greyhounds, as well as the employment of 85 people – including trainers, kennel staff, vets, licensed track officials, maintenance workers, and hospitality workers.

He also said the payments further support the local economy through the indirect supply of goods and services that support the stadium.

However, the Welsh Government has introduced a draft law to ban greyhound racing, leaving the Valley Greyhounds Stadium facing closure.

The prohibition of greyhound racing Bill, published in September, would make it an offence to operate a track or be involved in organising greyhound racing in Wales.

The ban would be phased in – coming into force no sooner than April 2027 and no later than April 2030, if the Bill is approved by Senedd Members.

The ban has been welcomed by a number of animal welfare charities, including Hope Rescue – which submitted a 35,101-name petition to the Senedd in 2021 calling for a ban.

A counter-petition, which supported greyhound racing in Wales and raised concerns about the potential impact of a ban, received 10,601 signatures.

More than 2,000 greyhounds died and nearly 18,000 injuries were recorded on licensed UK tracks between 2018 and 2021, according to evidence from the Cut the Chase coalition of campaigning charities.

‘This is not how good law is made’

The Welsh Government’s approach to the ban has been criticised by the Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee.

The committee said: “The shortened timetable has meant there has not been enough time to get timely answers to key questions, and some confusion has remained.”

South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell, who chairs the committee, said: “We’re all agreed that animal welfare must be the top priority in any decision about greyhound racing, but a lack of clear evidence has made the work of scrutinising the Bill more difficult.

“We were asked to scrutinise a Bill with incomplete and contested evidence, and within a shortened timeframe. That is not how good law is made. The Welsh Government should have taken more time to gather robust data and consult widely.”

Ms Jewell continued: “The welfare of greyhounds must remain paramount. We heard serious concerns about injuries, fatalities and systemic welfare issues that regulation could never fully resolve. At the same time, we must acknowledge the potential impact on those whose livelihoods depend on the sport and this has not yet been fully assessed.”

The committee has called on the Welsh Government to undertake a “comprehensive assessment” on the economic and social impacts of a potential ban before the Bill is brought into force.

The Senedd’s Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee also raised questions about the Bill – leading to Mark Bird, CEO of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, to declare the Bill was “in tatters”.

Mr Bird said: “Pressure is mounting on Welsh Government to drop this botched process. From insufficient evidence and public consultation, to the failure to consider the human rights of those who would be affected, every aspect of this Bill continues to be torn apart by those tasked with its scrutiny.”