Swindon Stadium

Abbey Stadium (also known as Swindon Stadium) is a closed greyhound racing and speedway track in Swindon, England, adjacent to the civil parish of Blunsdon. From its inception in 1949, the stadium was home to the Swindon Robins, a speedway team who later competed in the SGB Premiership. Three years later in 1952, greyhound racing was introduced and raced under regulation from the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) from 1968. Since July 2006, the stadium's footprint has been the subject of numerous redevelopment proposals. In November 2016, housing developments began on disused land towards the rear of the stadium. On 17 October 2019, the Swindon Robbins raced at the end of the season, and did not return due to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty regarding the stadium's future. In June 2022, permission was granted to build houses on the majority of the stadium's car park. In March 2025, its owners announced the stadium would close at the end of the year. The stadium hosted its final public greyhound racing event on 23 December 2025, and its final greyhound racing event was held on 27 December 2025, behind closed doors. Following the refusal of a planning application in March 2026 to demolish the stadium and replace it with a housing development, the site's future remains uncertain. Councillors and local residents have campaigned for the continued use of the grounds for leisure services, while some have specifically advocated for the return of Swindon Robbins.