Closure of Drumbo Park will have '˜no impact' on Lisburn Distillery, says company director

The race track and associated hospitality business, which was deemed no longer viable, closed today with immediate effect with the loss of more than 40 jobs.

Lisburn Distillery FC, which plays its home games at the site – known as New Grosvenor Stadium – released a statement on its Facebook page saying it was trying to find out more information about the situation, and stressed that until it does “it’s football as normal”.

According to Drumbo Park director Michael McAdam, the closure of the greyhound racing business will have “no impact” on Lisburn Distillery FC’s use of the privately-owned stadium.

The statement issued by Lisburn Distillery said: “As most of you will be aware Drumbo Park Greyhound Stadium, with whom we ground share, has announced this morning that is to cease trading with immediate effect.

“Lisburn Distillery Football Club only became aware of the news this morning - as such we are not in a position to make any further comment until we find out more information -

“The club will make a statement once we are more aware of the situation and until then no further comment will be made other than to say it’s football as normal.”

Speaking to the News Letter, Mr McAdam said the 44 full and part time staff who worked at Drumbo Park, some of whom had been with the business since it opened over 10 years ago, were “devastated” by the news of its closure.

Describing it as “a numbers game”, he revealed that the race track needed 600 or 700 punters each week to make it viable, but revealed that over recent weeks the number of customers had dropped to around half that figure.

• Read related story - Drumbo Park closes: Greyhound stadium shuts with loss of more than 40 jobs