Campaign for Croxteth Park Riding School to become “community focused attraction” in restoration bid

A campaign has begun to reopen the closed and dilapidated Croxteth Park Riding School, which has been locked in a bitter Council dispute for nearly 4 years. 

‘Friends of Gellings Riding School’ have started the campaign which is urging the council to accept a proposal they have submitted which will allow them to take over the running of the riding school at Croxteth Park, with plans to reopen it for the community. 

Croxteth Park Riding School was forced to close in late 2021 following the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, there have been several plans outlined for the land, but ‘Friends of Gelling’ have consistently remained the most promising buyers with a feasible business plan and strong intentions for the site. 

Debbie Linder, Director at Friends of Gellings Riding School, said: “If we get to reopen Croxteth Park Riding School, it’ll open it up to a wider audience and enable us to do more community activities like wellbeing sessions, which we can’t always do here.

“By having another base, it would be less about lessons and more about spending time with the ponies, being able to go out with them and take them into the public, so it would be more community focused.”

The site of Croxteth Park Riding School is in an increasing state of disrepair, however, and has recently been victim to an arson attack which completely burned down one of the receptions and damaged some of the fields, causing an estimated £10,000 worth of damage. 

Ms Linder said: “We’ve indicated to the council that if someone’s not in there before the summer holidays, there’ll be nothing left.”

Bridget Griffin, Director of the campaign, said: “We’re advocating for support of equine activities within Merseyside, and our aim is to make Liverpool the first equine friendly city in the country.”

Ms Griffin, who has been a member of the riding school for 20 years, stressed the positive impact of being a part of the horse-owner community: “You’re outside in the fresh air, there are no screens, it’s all the things you know are positive and you’re doing them.

“There’s a stereotype that people who own horses are all well-off and posh. We try to break that stereotype because horses attract all kinds of people. We’re one big eclectic family.”

Miss Linder, who owns two horses of her own at the riding school, said: “I’ve had one of my horses for 17 years, and if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have met some of the amazing people I’ve met. It’s not a hobby, it’s a way of life.”

If you’d like to get involved, you can find the petition HERE.