It "may not be all doom and gloom for the supporters of Hereford racecourse, which held its final meeting for the foreseeable future on Sunday," according to David August of the London DAILY MAIL. Racecourse owners Arena Racing Company, which also runs Folkestone (due to race for the last time on Tuesday) claims it is "still open to negotiation and that the track could re-open at some stage in the future." Assistant Racing Dir Jim Allen said, "There are still 17 years left on the lease and any racecourse or body can come and talk to us about it." Disputes with the local council over the lease "have led to Arena deciding to curtail a business which it says is not financially viable." Even if this is the case, any of the remaining races of even vague importance "have long been transferred elsewhere." Recent investment in the facilities at the venue "is non-existent, with the bar for owners and trainers, for example, housed in a fairly dilapidated shack." A decent crowd of 2,600 watched the last race Hereford's 241-year history (DAILY MAIL, 12/16).
