Wed 14 Jun 2017

Originally opened in 1937 it consisted of eleven hard tennis courts, ten grass courts and four squash racket courts. At that time the Brighton & Hove Herald  described it as the new Wimbledon, but residents did not seem to have much interest in tennis.

Used as a Mortuary during the war it was re-launched as the Brighton Olympic Stadium. The zoo was opened in 1948 by the film star Jean Simmonds however some wallabies escaped and were found in a neighbours garden. Thinking back it was at the zoo that I had my first recollections as a child. I can remember sitting up in my perambulator and I can remember there were bears and wolves. The wolves I believe were not popular with locals as their howling could be heard for quite a distance. The zoo closed in 1952 and was reconstructed as an athletics venue in 1955. Steve Ovett opened the all weather track in 1980 and Brighton & Hove Albion used the stadium from 1999 until moving to the Amex in 2011. Who knows what might be in store for the stadium in the future.