BACK IN BUSINESS!

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So here we go!

Eighteen months after the double-defeat of Monarchs and Tigs, we’re back in business!

Brummies and Colts on the menu on Saturday – and all systems are set to go to bring back the fans……

Which is the thing. While watching racing streamed from empty stadiums was better than nothing, it is the feeling of ‘being there’ that is required to make a night complete.

One colleague stated – and I agree – that it would be better to stand at Shielfield with your mates and experience a Bullets’ fixture in the NDL ‘live’ than watch a Grand Prix transmitted on a stream from an empty stadium in Poland..

Think about it – and go back to the last meeting at Shielfield we were able to watch live, the double-header I referred to above.

If you were there, you must – must — have been caught up in the incredible atmosphere that night, culminating it what was quite possibly the noisiest, highly-spirited, enjoyable ten minutes or so of speedway-viewing I can recall for a long, long time…….

Would it have been the same had the stadium been empty and we were watching it unfold on a screen? I think not.

In this digital age there may always be a demand for the convenience of watching events from afar, but the enjoyment will surely always be less than if we are actually present, and – further — it will be better watching a screening of a meeting taking place with an actual crowd in the stadium than one taking place before empty stands and terracing.

Which brings me back to this coming Saturday, and the easing of restrictions that will allow both Bandits and Bullets to strut their stuff before paying punters……

Of course, you can’t just stroll up to the turnstiles at half-past six and plonk down cash – the government, and the local authorities have laid down the conditions under which spectators may be admitted to meetings, and everything – including where in the stadium you want to sit or stand – has to be pre-booked.

If you’re reading this, you’re already hooked up to the right website for tickets, so I don’t need to direct you to the booking page – but I would direct you to a couple of the conditions we will be facing on Saturday night, to allow the meeting to proceed………

You will have to wear masks while moving about. No ifs, no buts.

At the end of the night, the club are required to operate a staggered departure from the stadium to avoid any build-up of people in potentially-congested areas, which might be a minor inconvenience but is again necessary to allow us to have you in the stadium in the first place. Again, it’s for your own safety, for the good of public health and common sense.

The conditions under which we are permitted to admit the paying public to speedway are firm but fair. The stadium staff will, like you and me, be doing this for the first time on Saturday night and it makes sense that we all help the situation by following their instructions in every way.

Failure to comply with instructions will bring the inevitable consequences. You might be removed from the stadium, banned from future meetings and reported to the authorities – which might lead to a fixed penalty fine.

Not worth it, I’d say – so let’s stay within the rules, stay safe and enjoy our speedway again at last….

You know it makes sense!

Disagree with Dick – as so many do? He is always be happy to hear from interesting people at dick@crystalfm.co.uk