Can Mallory survive?

Circuit future further clouded as BARC quits talks | by Paul Lawrence

The future of the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire has been thrown further into doubt after the British Automobile Racing Club, the organisation running the venue, announced that it was walking away from negotiations with the land owner, Titan Properties Ltd.

The track, which opened in 1956, has been battling against noise and planning issues with the local authority after complaints from nearby residents in the village of Earl Shilton. This culminated in a court hearing at which the track was found to be in breach of the 1985 noise notice.

Following the court hearing in August, all track days at the circuit were cancelled and Mallory Park Motorsport Ltd started incurring significant losses that left the company in an unsustainable situation. Hopes for a solution were pinned on landlord Titan Properties, owned by former racer Chris Meek, agreeing to a reduced rent. However, when no agreement could be reached, there was no option but to put the company into administration. Now the BARC has left the negotiating table, saying that it is unable to pursue any future involvement with the circuit.

A BARC statement said: “The BARC announces with considerable regret that it believes it has now exhausted all discussions with the administrator in respect of Mallory Park. The BARC has been informed that the landlord, Titan Properties, will not reduce the rent by half as widely previously publicised and in fact will only offer terms for the next 12 months without any commitment towards necessary capital expenditure on track works moving forward.

“Clearly the BARC is committed, as it has been over the previous months, to continue operating motor sport at Mallory Park, but is not in a position to do so with continuing uncertainty in respect of contractual arrangements with Titan Properties and HBBC.

“Therefore the BARC has come to the conclusion it is unable to pursue any future involvement with Mallory Park.”

Prior to this, the administrator, Ian Robert of Kingston Smith & Partners, said he was hopeful of finding a solution “to ensure that racing can be enjoyed at Mallory Park for years to come”.