Weather Tonight: 8°c Light showers Morning: 13°c Light showers

News

HEADLINES:

Legacy fears over Bisley as 2012 venue for shooting

Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent
29.01.09

OLYMPICS chiefs have raised concerns that the national shooting centre at Bisley could become a white elephant if chosen as a Games venue.

A letter seen by the Standard shows that legacy fears could stop the Surrey site replacing Woolwich as the shooting venue.

Bisley is back on the agenda after the cost of converting the Royal Artillery barracks at Woolwich doubled to £42million over the price of securing the site for shotgun events. Backers of a move to Bisley, which was the original venue in the 2012 bid, say it can be converted for £28million to £30million.

Shooting groups have backed Bisley as it would leave the sport with a venue, unlike the planned temporary ranges at Woolwich.

However David Higgins, chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, wants reassurance the site near Woking could pay its way after the Games. The letter to the owners of Bisley says: "We would look to the [regional development authority] to provide lasting capital funding to support a legacy."

An ODA spokesman said no final decisions had been taken.

Reader views (12)

 Add your view

At least if Bisley is chosen there will be a legacy. The Woolwich site is a safety nightmare (buildings within the 275 metre safety zone) and the 'legacy' is nothing tangible, just a memory. £40m for a memory seems steep, when even if we kept 50% of the Olympic developed Bisley venue for shooting (and used the rest for income generating activities post 2012) we would have a world class facility and be able to host World Cup events in the future. Just look at Beijing, which has 2 World Cup Rifle/Pistol events in 2009, using the Olympic venue.

- Bob, Northants

It's quite obvious that with the dithering over the shooting venue and disgraceful cut in funding by UK sport announced yesterday, this Government does not want shooting as a sport to succeed. It is tantamount to descimination for a sport that has previously delivered Olympic success on a shoe-string budget. There is no all year round facility within the UK for target sports, the 2012 Olympics was that opportunity to deliver a proper lasting legacy for the Sport of Shooting both in terms of venues and a proper World Class system to support the talented althletes that we already have,sadly it is all going Pete Tong. UK Sport and the Government should feel deeply embarrassed on their handling of such a noble sport with a tremendous tradition of winning against all odds.

- Geraldine, London UK

you already have a venue at southern counties which is 18 miles from weymouth and are holding the world cup in 2010 and could hold the event for a fraction of the costs, but locog want to spend 42 million of public money to keep it in london.

- Kevin, dorset

The NSRA very nearly went bust under the strain of supporting the legacy building from the 2002 Commonwealths.
Given the size of shooting in the UK, they definitely couldn't support another at Dartford.

However, with the lessons learnt, Bisley could handle the Olympics no problem. They know now to look at the morning after, and make a realistic assesment of the income they'll need to find afterwards to maintain the facilities.
After 7 years they established income streams from a host of external users - Roller-hockey, dance & drama groups, corporate entertainment, etc, etc.
With a modern athlete accommodation block and uprated facilities these could all be expanded upon - conferences, training camps with all number of sports groups using the multi-purpose halls, as well as for the GB shooting squad.

You could really make something of Bisley. But the ODA won't, because the government hates shooting and wants the facility demolished to leave no legacy, which will only happen if it's at Woolwich.

- Richard, Southampton

The DLR extension was built for people to get to the shooting events, what a waste of taxpayers money that will turn out to be if Bisley is chosen. I thought they said no white elephants?

- Anna, London

Having spent a day at Bisley for the 1st time its crazy not to use the venue for the 2012 event (or scrap whole event as a better idea) no doubt a few developers and M.Ps will make money if it is held at Greenwich. The funding could keep the history of Bisley for another century or more.

- Mike, London England

It would be complete nonsense NOT to choose Bisley. The legacy would be a world-class facility for generations to learn and train for shooting (a sport at which, incidentally, we tend to do very well unlike some which are recieving massive budgets pre-2012). How could a temporary facility in Woolwich costing £12m more EVER be a more attractive option?? If Bisley was good enough (and close enough) for the Manchester commonwealth games it is good enough for the London Olympics and it would be a complete waste of tax-payers' money to host the shooting events anywhere else (especially in the midst of a recession).

- Jon H, London

Bisley has always been the home of British Shooting Sports, and doesn't need much cash to upgrade to 'Olympic' standards.

This will leave a better facility for a legitimate sport - just the thing this Government doesn't want to encourage on the face of it.

- Cap, London

It's perfectly clear: The government does not want a lasting legacy for shooting sports as the government is inherently anti-shooting (target and hunting). The government would like to destroy shooting as a legitimate sport in the UK.

- James, London

What a lot of nonsence. It's a no brainer. Spend £30m on a facility that will provide a state of the art shooting venue going forwards in a place that is near a train station that is 25 minutes from central London, 25 minutes from Heathrow and 45 minutes from Gatwick or £42m on a facility that will be immediately demolished. Looks like David Wiggins can't see the wood for the trees!

- Colin Brightwell, Woking, UK

Why does it need to pay its way? In what way would having a permanent feature in Bisley be less economic than a throwaway venue in Woolwich?

The people in the ODA need to get a grip on reality and should have to justify every penny of expenditure to an independent authority, preferably staffed by taxpayers.

- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one

Whatever the Bisley authorities do , it would be a better legacy than having a temporary venue in Woolwich.

- Simon, London UK


Add your comment

 

Your email address will not be published

Terms and conditions make text area bigger You have  characters left.


 

Don't Miss

Steamy scenes for Purnell in Turkish bath

Scheming over the future of the Labour Party continues even in the most unlikely places

All stories


Promotions

Environmental initiatives

Find out how you can help to meet the challenges of climate change in London.


The Open University

Every year The Open University helps thousands of professionals progress in their careers.


Win the Best Seats

In London theatre when you vote for your favourite celebrity spec wearer.


Breast Cancer Care

Donate £1 and leave a message of support for a loved one in the Swarovski Garden of Wishes.


Win an iPodTouch

With Courvoisier when you share your thoughts on this week's cocktail.