SANDRACER.COM - Musselburgh All Weather Hopes Dashed

All Weather Track Rejection Pleases Hool
The Scottish Execitive have certainly pleased the Hool (hands off our links) group who said: "HOOL are delighted that the Reporter to the Public Inquiry has recommended that the Floodlight All Weather Track proposals at Musselburgh Racecourse should not be given Planning Approval and that this recommendation has been upheld by the Minister.

This must be considered a victory for democracy as we believe that the vast majority of people in Musselburgh were opposed to the proposals.

We recognise that the management of Musselburgh Racecourse have done a first class job in the development and improvement of the Racecourse. (The previous Racecourse Board are on record as saying that Musselburgh was "the best small racecourse in the country".)

There is no reason why the Racecourse and the rest of the community should not continue to co-exist provided that a balance is maintained over the various uses of the Links which remain Common Good Land. We wish the Racecourse well in the future and we look forward to renewing the 150-year-old excellent relations between the Racecourse management and the community of Musselburgh.

HOOL would like to thank the very many people and groups who supported us during the campaign. In particular, we would like to thank John Caldwell and the Community Council for coordinating and conducting the opposition at the Public Inquiry. Members of HOOL were proud to be included in the team and to be a part of what has proved to be an effective opposition."