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Introducing the New Drumbo Park: Conference Venue with Refined Amenities

Published: 28th February 2020 15:54

Introducing the New Drumbo Park: Conference Venue with Refined Amenities

Weekend events at Drumbo Park are back online in the stadium steered by a former employee, John Corner. John was among 44 others who lost their job after the venue shut down in January 2019 after 11 years of operations.

Despite the many challenges surrounding the venue, John’s passion for racing drove him to buy the site and get the business back on track. The race track venue has now been repositioned as a conference venue for locals and businesses in Lisburn.

Drumbo Park is among the only two stadia hosting greyhound racing events in N. Ireland. However, at the period around its closure in 2019, losses had accumulated to unprecedented levels. Attendance was near zero at the venue, and the former management had to shut it down, laying off 30 part-time and 14 permanent employees. 

Former director Michael Adams confirmed in a media interview that restrictive licensing laws were to blame for the stadium’s woes. These among others included a prohibition on the sale of alcohol at the venue on Sundays.

The manager also pointed out the site had been forced to operate with no government funding for a long time, unlike other greyhound race track in the Republic.

At the time of the closure in early 2019, Drumbo Park had recorded a £10,000 loss. The downtrend for the stadium, according to the former director was a trickle-down from the 2008 recession.

A tightening economic situation meant that greyhound owners in the building sector lost their jobs and could no longer keep their dogs.  The number of dogs available to race on the weekends then started declining drastically, eventually making it impossible to fill a race card.

A new lease of life and a new direction

The new business approach by John and commercial director Nick Rose allows for a revival of the weekend racing activities but also an introduction of business and social events hosting.

The 800 sitter capacity stadium features refreshed amenities and improved services. Drumbo Park is located between Lisburn and Belfast, and a few minutes from the M1 motorway. The stadium’s location makes it an ideal venue for hosting various business and social functions.

The bar and restaurant are now fully operational with or without racing events. The glass-fronted a la carte restaurant can seat 250 guests and features Tote operators for sports betting. The paddock similarly accommodates 750 spectators with bookmakers’ booths on the track sides. Gamers can also capitalize on Drumbo Park betting sites on www.greyhoundbetting.co.uk among others.

This facility can be converted into a meeting or private events venue on weekdays. Both the Drumbeg and Lagan suites feature full air conditioning and fast WiFi. The Drumbeg Suite seats up to 80 people theatre-style and can be used for receptions, product launches, presentations, and breakfast seminars.

The Lagan Suite seats up to 160 guests theatre-style and is complete with a modern audiovisual system. The venue can be used for auctions, trade shows, exhibitions, and staff events.

Doggie men of the North will have their racing and betting thrills on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. The newly re-invented venue also caters to entertainment seekers. Karaoke Fridays and after-race dance parties hosted by live DJs continue till 11:30 pm on weekends.

Private functions get the rest of the days, where locals and businesses can expect consistent services from the onsite facilities, including the restaurant and retreat spaces. The venue’s new management has promised discounted rates on a majority of its offerings.

Saving jobs and history

The improvement and rebranding of Drumbo Park greyhound track save one of the oldest N. Ireland’s tradition—greyhound racing. The site has been operational for around four decades, bringing people together in the weekly dog racing events.

The stadium’s new leadership now has a revamped mission to make the stadium a favorite venue for sports, meetings, and recreation. That means new job opportunities, and so far, the venue has brought on 30 new employees.

“We are excited to bring Drumbo Park back on the line, with refreshed and expanded services. Our strategy is to put this venue back on the map as the best for sporting and private events.

This time we are working with equally committed partners to guarantee that we build meaningful and memorable experiences for everyone in Lisburn,” said John.

The football stadium remains unchanged

Even during the shutdown, the venue was still home to the Lisburn Distillery Football Club. Football is considered a separate enterprise at Drumbo Park, and during those events, the site takes on a whole new name; the New Grosvenor Stadium. The football arena accommodates 7000 people, with 540 seated. 

Drumbo Park’s conference venues and facilities, including the restaurant, remain exclusive during football marches. New Grosvenor is closed during greyhound races and private events. Similarly, amenities associated with football remain closed during greyhound racing and meeting events. 

The introduction of conference and events hosting makes this site a multipurpose venue for businesses, families, event organizers, and greyhound racing and football fans.

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