The owners of Swindon Stadium, the greyhound and speedway track in Blunsdon St Andrew, have said rumours which have been circulating about its imminent closure are ‘without foundation’.

Forums concerned with greyhound racing and speedway have carried posts suggesting the last day of operations of the stadium, also known as Abbey Stadium would be December 26 this year.

And a greyhound trainer told the Swindon Advertiser he had been explicitly told that the last meeting would be December 22.

But Gaming International, which owns the stadium, says these suggestions are not true.

Clarke Osborne, chairman of Gaming International, said; “We have no idea from where this rumour has emanated or why, but it is without foundation.”

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, whose constituency encompasses the stadium site suggested one reason for the rumours of closure might have been an announcement by Taylor Wimpey that it was soon to start work on 127 houses in Lady lane, near the racetrack.

When permission for the houses was given, a condition was imposed that work may not start until the construction work to rebuild the stadium was completed.

Work has stalled on the stadium, with the building of a new grandstand and a new noise bund still to take place as well as some more minor works.

Although there have been recent signs of progress, the completion of the stadium is some way off, and some may have thought Taylor Wimpey’s announcement meant the condition has been dropped because of the imminent closure of the stadium.

Mr Tomlinson was categorial this was not the case.

He said: “Ever since 2008 when we initially saved the stadium there have been rumours and many false statements.

“We have seen some progress on the site in the last 12 months and we know for sure that Swindon Borough Council has not changed the condition which rightly says work on the stadium must be completed before the final houses are built.

“As ever, we are keeping a very keen eye on progress.”

It has been a long and convoluted route to even got to this point where the old, and rather shabby, main stand at Abbey Stadium is still standing, but the components of the new stand are being assembled in the car park.

Planning permission for the redevelopment and a housing scheme of 450 houses to pay for it was first given in 2012, with detailed consent for the stadium plans approved in late 2018.

It had been hoped the work would have taken about 18 months, but there were delays even before the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.

It has meant Swindons speedway team The Robins have not been able to compete in the 2022 SGB Premiership.

Swindon were the league champions in 2017 and 2019, when they last raced.