A popular Essex karting venue has closed after 24 years, bringing more than two decades of racing at the site to an end.
Lakeside Karting, on the A1306 Arterial Road in Grays, shut following its final race on September 23.
The venue opened in September 2002 and became known as one of the largest and fastest outdoor karting circuits in the South East.
Over the years, it hosted thousands of visitors, including families, birthday parties, group events and regular racers.
Announcing the closure, the team behind the venue described the decision as difficult after “a lot of years, a lot of laps and a lot of memories”.
They invited former customers back for a final visit during the last weeks of operation.
No formal reason for the closure has been confirmed.
However, the wider site has been earmarked for redevelopment, with plans linked to a new Google data centre at the former Arena Essex Raceway.
Lakeside Karting has now closed permanently, while Brentwood Karting remains open for customers looking to continue racing.
