Athletic club urges council to fund track repair

An athletics club has said it has been "pushing for years" for the council to resurface its track to enable it to host competitions again.

Cheltenham Harriers has been using the Prince of Wales Stadium as a training ground since 1981 but it failed the TrackMark accreditation test by England Athletics in 2022, meaning it could no longer host licensed competitions.

Chairman Crispian Webb said the situation was having a 'huge impact' on the club which he said does not have "the facility it deserves".

Cheltenham Borough Council said it did plan to replace the track but it estimated it would cost about £600,000 which it said it currently could not afford.

The club has more than 600 members, most of them under the age of 18.

Members have to travel to other parts of the country in order to compete.

Club member Maddie Thomson recently became the under-17 Gloucestershire cross country county champion.

She said not being able to compete at her home ground had restricted her.

"It's such a pain," she said.

"I'd be able to compete a lot more if I didn't have to travel so far because I have other stuff going on like homework and it's just so difficult."

Mr Webb said the club pays £4,000 a month to Cheltenham Trust to rent the track but he said they now have to pay at least an extra £2,000 a year for coach travel to competitions.

"I think in terms of the future of the club, it is definitely worrying," Mr Webb said.

The track failed its inspection by England Athletics in 2022 across several areas which meant it was deemed not fit to be used for competitions.

England Athletics has labelled the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham as a "priority facility".

Club support manager Rich Ayling said: "As one of only two tracks within the county and as a key facility in the South West, England Athletics consider the resurfacing of the Prince of Wales to be of huge strategic importance for athletics in the region."

Jo Wilkie, who has been a member of the club for 25 years, said not hosting competitions at the club had had a negative impact on her.

"I can't compete locally and I'm past my peak," she said. "I'm not going to be travelling nationwide.

"I want to do my local club races so I've missed out."

Councillor Izaac Tailford said the borough council needed "substantial funding" to replace the track.

"The track remains safe and suitable for training and most events," he said.

"Any safety defects reported to us are repaired promptly."

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