THE future of Chelmsford City’s all-weather racecourse in Essex is in doubt following a decision taken this week by the British Horseracing Authority to refuse to give the new operator a licence.

Originally known as Great Leighs when it opened in 2008, the track closed due to financial problems a year later. It reopened under new investment in 2015 and now hosts weddings and music events, including a festival headlined by Justin Timberlake last July.

However, that event was spoiled by car parking issues and the venue has since been banned from hosting music events with more than 10,000 people.

That company, Great Leighs Estates Limited (GLEL), was placed in administration last month. A new tenant, Golden Mile Racing Limited (GMRL), applied for a fresh licence, but the BHA refused the request on Wednesday, immediately cancelling the fixtures due to be staged there on Thursday and Good Friday, as well as next Thursday. “The reasons for this decision are confidential,” the BHA said.

Numerous trainers and jockeys expressed anger over the timing of the decision and Chelmsford issued a statement describing the BHA’s actions as “unforgivable”.

The BHA subsequently said it disagreed with Chelmsford’s version of how events had unfolded and added that the racecourse has the right to appeal the decision to the independent Licensing Committee.

“This was a difficult decision given our understanding of the regrettable impact on the racing community,” the BHA said. “These are sensitive commercial matters which are confidential. The process cannot be played out in public.”

Acknowledging the inconvenience caused by Chelmsford’s closure, the BHA has scheduled an additional all-weather fixture at Wolverhampton next Thursday. The card will include two £30,000 races which would have been run at Chelmsford on Good Friday.

Chelmsford’s closure is a further blow to all-weather racing in Britain, following news last December that there is a strong possibility that Kempton Park in London could be sold to developers. Owned by the Jockey Club, the Kempton site is under option to purchase by building firm Redrow since 2018.

While previously it had seemed unlikely that Redrow would get permission from local authorities to build housing there, the recent passing of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill means that it will now be easier to override local planning objections in areas where housing is badly needed.