ABANDONED

Arena Leisure, which took control of Pitchcroft in 1999, wants to reduce the rent it will pay the city council because the proposed £11m improvements - including a new grandstand and hotel - have been abandoned.

It's another blow for the racecourse, rated the UK's worst in 2003 by The Times newspaper.

After the 2000 floods, the Environment Agency vetoed any building on the site, which falls into the city zone most at risk of flooding.

But Arena's negotiations with the council are the first admission they have ruled out their original plans.

"The intention of Arena when it took over was to provide a fairly significant redevelopment to enable the site to be used 365 days a year. That became quite impossible because of the extent of the floods," said the company's chief financial officer, Bob Mercer.

The council sold the London-based company an 81 per cent stake of the racecourse and is due to receive an annual income thought to be about £100,000 beginning this year, as part of the deal.

But Arena say that now the revamp has been put on hold, they want to renegotiate the rent.

Mr Mercer said the meetings with the council should not be seen as the beginning of the end for the racecourse and an overhaul of facilities would take place.

Safeguard

The council has said it wants to help Arena in a bid to safeguard the future of horse racing in the city.

"There are a lot of courses and the racing industry would be happy to see a few go down the pan," said council deputy leader, Coun Simon Geraghty.

"By sticking our heads in the sand and not looking at the situation, that could happen.

"There can be some redevelopment there but not in the great, expansionist view they had."

Former city mayor Coun Derek Prodger, a director of Worcester Racecourse Limited, said Arena has set aside about £100,000 to begin improvements - including the stable block and public toilets - this year.

"Arena will support us provided we get backing from the council for the new arrangements," said Coun Prodger.