Owners of family-run Derbyshire bike track face battle for their future with court date this week

Jenny and Barry Dring, the owners of the Butts Quarry Bike Track in Ashover, are appealing the decision by North East Derbyshire District Council to serve them an abatement notice in December 2020.

Their appeal is being heard at Chesterfield Magistrates Court on Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1.

Currently, the track only opens for five hours every fortnight. The abatement notice, however, would only permit them to open once a month, and force bikes to pass a static noise test of 96 decibels.

Jenny previously told the Derbyshire Times that they would have no choice but to close the track if their appeal was unsuccessful. She said: “We wouldn't survive if we lose. It isn't just financially, it is the decibel of noise they want us to operate at which is totally unachievable. Bikes don’t run that quietly.

“Look at the amount of businesses that haven’t survived the pandemic, and we’re just going to work to pay our solicitors costs. It’s soaked every single penny up that we have earned out of that track.”

There has been strong support for Butts Quarry from those who live nearby, with over 16,000 people signing a petition urging the council to allow motorsports to continue fortnightly at the venue.

Jenny said: “We’re one of the oldest tracks in the UK, and a lot of local people are saying this is part of our heritage, part of Ashover. For many people in the village, it’s part of their childhood.

“The thousands who signed the online petition have given us a lift, and we’ve got support from the local horse riding community, who say the track keeps bikes off the bridleways they use. The rural police even come down here and train for free.

“We’re a recreational facility and we are very important with regards to men’s mental health.”