Walthamstow Greyhound Tracks History Ends

Walthamstow greyhound track prepares to close its doors after 75 years Wednesday, 13 August 2008 Walthamstow greyhound track, London icon After 75 years, Walthamstow greyhound track in east London has run its course, and on Saturday, the dogs will burst from the trap for a final time.Many of them should be more concerned with finding new homes than catching the hare.The boisterous east London stadium - which has hosted everyone from Sir Winston Churchill to Lana Turner, Vinnie Jones and Brad Pitt - has been sold to housing developers.The stadium featured on the front of Blur's album Parklife.The pink and red neon of the stadium's famous sign will no longer glow with the promise of gambling, fun and excitement.Walthamstow was opened in 1933 by William Chandler, a local businessman who started out operating as an illegal street bookmaker.