After 50 years, Woodvale Rally Board have been forced to cancel the 2019 Rally on Victoria Park, Southport, and any other rallies in the future.



We were informed by Andrew Edwards, the Southport Flower Show (SFS) Chairman in October 2018, that due to an incident concerning a fairground ride that occurred during the set up of the rally, the Trustee's of the Southport Flower Show Company have taken the decision not to allow the Rally to be held on Victoria Park again.

Several times we asked for meetings with SFS to discuss the reasons for the exclusion all without answer until we were informed finally by letter on 5th December by Mr Edwards that there would be no meetings and no further correspondence would be answered. We have been accused, convicted and excluded without a fair hearing.

Councillor Pugh met with Mr Edwards and others from SFS, on 21st November 2018 to put forward our case, to no avail. We asked Sefton Council for assistance but were informed by them that the running of VP was leased to SFS and we would need to deal with them.

Over the last 7 years we have built our event around the park facilities, benefitting local hotels, restaurants and traders. We provided entertainment and facilities for 1000s of visitors, all profits going to local charities. To move it elsewhere is impractical and would incur huge financial loss. We therefore see no alternative but to cancel 2019 and any further shows.

We believe Victoria Park should be not be run by a vested interest with the ability to penalise others and make money for a private company from a public asset. The decision to exclude us from the park is not in the interests of the residents and public but is driven by the desire to turn the park into a Caravan Site, which is not what was intended when the park was gifted to the people of Southport.

Because of the above events we will send copies of this notice to all Sefton Councillors and Southport MP Damien Moore. We call on Sefton Council to institute a full public enquiry into the mismanagement of Victoria Park, and the false accusations levelled against us.

Such a shame it ever moved from RAF Woodvale for more silly reasons, was a fantastic weekend. Sad !!

'Not silly therefore, just sensible and too risky, particularly with the litigation culture we now have.[/QUOTE]'

Exactly, litigation.........went every year for years and I've not known anyone have any asbestos related problems due to 3 days enjoyment! And why are the RAF staff still allowed on there 365 days a year???

for gods sake,,the pc correct brigade will bring britain to a standstill,,,i spent my youth roaming woodvale airfield with my pilot father,,,there is utterly no issue there,,its all bull,,,woodvale is as safe as the housing estates built in kew on the toxic rubbish tips, or the town centre shops and homes subject to vehicle pollution or the marshside homes subject to nuclear waste from windscale/sellafield, or the council houses built with toxic pcb waste from power stations in birkdale and southport etc, if there was such a real risk from woodvale the raf would not be there.....just someone take control and reinstate a proper woodvale rally at woodvale and everybody live in the real world

When Woodvale airfield eventually closes and is sold off to a major property developer I bet the asbestos contamination issue will have been overstated "due to testing errors" and the land will be perfectly safe for residential development.

The Asbestos is just a 'Red Herring'....If there was any more than 'acceptable background' it would be sorted out or dealt with to reduce risks to operational and University Air Sqdn personnel etc.

As stated it is quite a 'strategically placed' installation not least because of it's location, size if runways and proximity to Northern Ireland.

I strongly suspect someone has decided that given the raising of 'threat level' in the UK due to Terrorism is was a good excuse to kick the show off the site and avoid the massive risks/security issues of Policing several thousand members of the public wandering around un supervised on a military site.

The Police Helicopter was vandalised twice at Woodvale causing massive embarrassment as it is......Imagine the questions that would be asked if terrorists carried out an attack on an RAF base amid thousands of civilians and the Kudos they would make from it.

What complete crap.There about 30 years ago was an issue relating to Beta emitters which are harmess unless you sit on a hot patch with bear skin,That came from Springfield and not Sellafield,Get your facts strait as for Woodvale its whats underneath the airfield that concerns the RAF and the security risk it imposes,Get your facts right.The asbestos is just a cover story nothing else.

Originally Posted by thediscovolante

for gods sake,,the pc correct brigade will bring britain to a standstill,,,i spent my youth roaming woodvale airfield with my pilot father,,,there is utterly no issue there,,its all bull,,,woodvale is as safe as the housing estates built in kew on the toxic rubbish tips, or the town centre shops and homes subject to vehicle pollution or the marshside homes subject to nuclear waste from windscale/sellafield, or the council houses built with toxic pcb waste from power stations in birkdale and southport etc, if there was such a real risk from woodvale the raf would not be there.....just someone take control and reinstate a proper woodvale rally at woodvale and everybody live in the real world

Originally Posted by nosobored

What complete crap.There about 30 years ago was an issue relating to Beta emitters which are harmess unless you sit on a hot patch with bear skin,That came from Springfield and not Sellafield,Get your facts strait as for Woodvale its whats underneath the airfield that concerns the RAF and the security risk it imposes,Get your facts right.The asbestos is just a cover story nothing else.

I never knew Guards used to be based at Woodvale, they are the only service that use bear skin aren't they? As for what is underneath Woodvale like most properties in the area it is SAND. Christ I've never heard such rubbish as some feeble minded people believe.

Originally Posted by nosobored

What complete crap.There about 30 years ago was an issue relating to Beta emitters which are harmess unless you sit on a hot patch with bear skin,That came from Springfield and not Sellafield,Get your facts strait as for Woodvale its whats underneath the airfield that concerns the RAF and the security risk it imposes,Get your facts right.The asbestos is just a cover story nothing else.

please im interested,,whats a beta emitter?, where would you get a bear skin?,is springfield where homer simpson lives....i found woodvale airfield a magical place in my youth, i learnt to fly, drive a fire engine etc, and i would love the public to share that experience,,the airfield should be used to benefit the town and the rally is the perfect vehicle,,please someone with infuence get woodvale re instated as a rally and dont let the pc brigade stop all our pleasure

What is conspiracy theory, the asbestos is a cover storey a cover storey for what?

Originally Posted by gsgsgs

What is conspiracy theory, the asbestos is a cover storey a cover storey for what?

It's a cover story for the Commanding Officer not wanting Joe Public wandering about at any rallies. As someone has already pointed out if there was such a danger from asbestos it would have been got rid of pronto.

Oh by the way if the poster looking for "Nuclear" (or newkiller as dim wit George Dubbya called it) reasons why mention Springfield (non Military) and not Capenhurst.

What is Woodvale used for, it's called RAF Woodvale is there a RAF presence, I know you can learn to fly from there.

Is the police helicopter stationed at Woodvale? I seem to remember it being vandalised there a few years ago

As usual spewing your torrent of bovine effluent with your uninformed and small minded bs,Woodvale has 3 strategic bunkers underneath,it is also a strategic airfield rated in the defence review as essential,But then you wouldn't know this because your a unskilled uneducated rail worker with a penchant for absolute peasantry and you dont even come from southport,But i am still waiting for you to come and put me in hospital like you promised *****..

Originally Posted by Little Londoner

I never knew Guards used to be based at Woodvale, they are the only service that use bear skin aren't they? As for what is underneath Woodvale like most properties in the area it is SAND. Christ I've never heard such rubbish as some feeble minded people believe.

Springfield is the very large white collection of buildings on the far bank of the Ribble east of Freckleton,An example of a common beta emitter found in our marshes is ceaseum 137,you must be thick not to know that and as for you having a PPL pull the other one,And without a doubt one place the Woodvale rally should of never been allowed after LDMAC pulled out as they were the only reason it was held there in the first place.

Originally Posted by thediscovolante

please im interested,,whats a beta emitter?, where would you get a bear skin?,is springfield where homer simpson lives....i found woodvale airfield a magical place in my youth, i learnt to fly, drive a fire engine etc, and i would love the public to share that experience,,the airfield should be used to benefit the town and the rally is the perfect vehicle,,please someone with infuence get woodvale re instated as a rally and dont let the pc brigade stop all our pleasure