Layhams Farm Closed

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With great regreat i am letting everybody know that Layhams Farm has closed its gates for the last time and there will not be any more racing there again.
i am absolutly gutted, as are many others and we will all need to find a new place to race. the track was starting to pick up with more new drivers and visitors and is such shame to see it go.

Below is a copy of the letter that had been sent out to all registered croydon motorsports drivers

Dear Member,

It is with great regret that we have to inform you that the motor racing at Layhams Farm will have to cease and the circuit will have to close.

As you know many people have put a great deal of work into the circuit and the running of the club, however, our new landlord has made our position at the farm impossible.

Our annual rent for the past few years has been between £6000 and £7000. Our new landlord is asking for at least £20000. This is not financially viable. Also he has made it quite clear that he does not want any form of motor racing to take place at Layhams Farm as he wants it to return to a working farm.

We do have legal rights as tenants at the farm but do not have the funds to go through the courts and fight it. We have already spent hundreds of pounds in solicitors fees researching our position but it is an impossible situation.

We did submit a proposal to the landlord just before Christmas outlining our request for a licence to run for three years at a slightly increased rent. Unfortunately this proposal was declined.

Although we will not be racing at Layhams Farm we have decided to renew our affiliation with SEGTO for 2009 and have purchased the new rule books. If you would like to continue racing at one of the SEGTO tracks at SAA, TMC or Oxford, Please send a stamped addressed envelope to the above address and we will send you a rule book / Licence free of charge.

Our friends at Arena Essex / Rolling Thunder are also hoping to come to some arrangement with us to enable you to race there in the future.

Please be assured that the Oval Racing Expo 2009 at Arena Essex will still take place on the 17th and 18th January and we hope you will still support us. The presentation night on the 24th January will of course still go ahead and we hope to see you all there.

Once again we very much regret having to make this decision but it really is out of our hands.

Yours Sincerely

Peter, Simon and Stuart