Lothians+Racing+Syndicate

=Lothians Racing Syndicate Limited=

Company Number:SC002032 Date of Incorporation: 19 July 1890 Contact Details: Musselburgh Racecourse, Linkfield Road, Misselburgh, EH21 7RG Operating Details: Active (Private Limited Company) Other names (if known): Lothians racing Club Limited Function of Company*: Operate sports arenas and stadiums (9261), other recreational activities (9272) Headquarters/Base of Operations Location: Musselburgh Racecourse Area of Operation: Musselburgh Racecourse


 * Taken from Standard Industrial Classification 2003, as used by Companies House in 2010

Records
Held By: privately held, contact above address

Scope/type: Minute book 1938-1989

Conditions governing access/use: Discretion of owners.

Related records: See BT2/2032 for records in National Archives of Scotland

Company History
Racing at Musselburgh links began in 1816 with the start of the ‘Edinburgh races’. It appears that the racecourse was initially built and managed by the Lord Lieutenancy of East Lothian- the stand that stood at the track before 1911 was owned by the Lieutenancy. Lothians Racing Club was incorporated in 1890 to manage race meetings at the course, though by 1923 it had changed its name to Lothians Racing Syndicate Limited and had begun to manage the operation of the racetrack itself. The Racecourse website notes that racing was the sport of kings, and that courses did not have to be commercially operated. They were also the only venue for legal betting until the 1960s. However this meant that by the 1930s the syndicate was responsible for a racecourse that needed considerable modernisation and refurbishment.

From the 1930s until the 1970s the major figure at the syndicate was the 6th Earl of Rosebery, who oversaw many important developments including the building of a new course in 1938, the installation of electricity in the stands and bars in 1956, and massive improvements to the stands themselves in 1970. During this time the Lothians Racing trust was founded in order to purchase all the shares in the syndicate to allow it to push any profit back into the racecourse operations. Such was the success of this scheme that in 1975 it gave a donation of £200 to Hamilton Park racecourse to do the same thing.

However by the late 1980s the racecourse faced closure due to increased costs and dwindling attendances. However East Lothian Council (succesor to the Lieutenancy) took the racecourse under its control in 1991, and was able, through the efforts of John Lindsay, to turn the track into a position where it could break even, Since then the syndicate has become a dormant company, while the racecourse itself has enjoyed a £5 million refurbishment and redevelopment, and has doubled its race-day attendances.

Thanks and acknowledgements to Mr J Prideux and Mr Bill Farnsworth for their help with this entry