Pelaw Grange


Pelaw Grange Stadium is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track located at North Lodge in the English county of Durham, between Chester-le-Street and Gateshead. The stadium has a restaurant and a number of bars and is owned by Star Sports.
Racing takes place every Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday evening. Occasionally Saturday nights & Bank Holiday Mondays.
Competitions run at Star Pelaw Include Rose Bowl, Stewards Cup, Star Sports On-Course Vase, Alan Dobbin Derby.

Origins and opening

A greyhound track situated north of Chester-le-Street was constructed and named after Pelaw Grange a nearby country house and farm directly to the east. It was reportedly built in 1944* by a man called George Towers to the south of Drum Road and directly next to the railway with the back straight running parallel to the east side of the railway. It served the local population in the area with independent racing. The entire area was a hot bed of greyhound racing with links to the mining communities that lived in the county of Durham. It is also believed that there was a larger greyhound stadium just to the north in Birtley.
The stadium was taken over by Joe and Joyce McKenna in January 1965, racing every Thursday and Saturday. The racing consisted of level and handicap races over distances of 241, 410 & 570 yards with an inside hare. The McKenna's son Jeff eventually became the track promoter and he continued to offer independent racing taking the role of General and Racing Manager combined. Facilities improved over the years with the 360y circumference track becoming all-sand in the eighties. Competitions were introduced called the Newcastle Rose Bowl & Whitfield Oaks. There was computerised tote, car parking for 200 vehicles, three bars and two glass fronted stands.

Licensed racing

In 2005 Jeff McKenna and his wife Theresa changed over to race under rules after sixty years as an independent track. The application to the National Greyhound Racing Club was passed and the switchover took place on Monday 22 August with the first racing on Thursday 25 June 2005.
The track installed Graeme Henigan as Racing Manager and there was also success from local trainers in National competitions including a National Sprint title for Clounlaheen trained by Mick Hurst. The track today runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunchtime with the current Racing Manager being David Gray. The track celebrated fifty years under the McKenna's in August 2015 by hosting a Sky Sports television fixture for the first time featuring a meeting sponsored by Pin Point Recruitment.
In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race every Sunday evening. In 2021, Jaguar Macie trained by Pelaw Grange attached Graham Rankin won the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby and the Northern Puppy Derby.
In 2024, it was announced that the stadium had changed ownership with Star Sports purchasing the site from Jeff McKenna. Star Sports renamed the stadium Star Pelaw.
In 2025, the stadium took delivery of Crayford's hurdles following its demise and Pelaw would become the only track in the United Kingdom to hold hurdles races.

Track records

Current

MetresGreyhoundTime DateNotes
245Brynoffa Pippy14.2827 June 2025
435Blue 25.1326 December 2007
590Emilys Superstar35.474 October 2025
780Calzaghe Lisa47.8811 August 2015

Former

Distance
metres		GreyhoundTimeDateNotes
245 Craan Fleece14.7824 March 2008
245 Mill Pearl14.578 September 2008
245 Lampard14.5128 May 2011
260Stouke Society15.524 February 2006
435 Family Title25.4623 September 2006
435 Maglass Legend25.3510 September 2007
590 Travelyans Corn36.4824 March 2008
590 Malden Flight36.0525 August 2008
590 Malden Flight35.868 September 2008
590 Droopys Freda35.7515 September 2008
605 Zigzag Kit36.8426 December 2005
605 Beren37.5126 December 2005
605 Amolee Classic37.2824 July 2006
605 Joyous Leader37.2028 August 2006
605 Blue Tom Cat36.9830 October 2006
605 Stretching Out36.9627 August 2007
605 Droopys Freda36.8126 December 2007
780 Schofield Bertie48.465 May 2008