I cannot really comment on dog tracks and speedways, but I do know about ice rinks!
To be fair, I think there are probably more ice rinks than there used to be! In Scotland anyway, where old rinks were demolished new rinks were built (for example Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen). There are also brand new rinks such as Elgin. In London alone I can think of rinks at Streatham, Lee Valley, Richmond, Alexander Palace plus the season ones that spring up around Christmas in outside areas.
Ice hockey is doing quite well in GB as well with 11 teams playing in the professional Elite League (Fife, Dundee, Glasgow, Belfast, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Coventry, Cardiff, Milton Keynes and Guildford) plus semi-pro leagues in Scotland and England/Wales. On top of that there are recreational teams and a number of university teams as well.
There are women's leagues too.
This year, the GB men's' team were promoted to the top group of the World Championships which means we will be playing the likes of USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden etc.
So, not all doom and gloom - and that is before you consider curling which is a big sport in Scotland.
McC
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