Council hits back in football club eviction row

West Berkshire Council rubbishes Newbury FC's lease claims

WEST Berkshire Council has rubbished claims that it put a clause in Newbury FC’s temporary two-year lease which would enable it to boot the club out with six months’ notice.

Last week, the Newbury Weekly News reported that the council was seeking a court order to evict the club from its Faraday Road ground after the club declined to sign the lease.

A source close to the club accused the council of using ‘strong-arm tactics’ and said one of the reasons it decided not to accept the new agreement was due to the apparent clause.

But this week the council has come out fighting and ridiculed the claims and, in correspondence seen by the NWN, senior staff categorically state there is no such clause.

The council says there is a clause in the lease – but that it allows the club to terminate with six months’ notice – not the other way around.

Councillor James Fredrickson (Con, Victoria) this week reaffirmed the council’s position saying: “There is no six-month break clause that would enable the council to evict the club before the two years were complete.

“The offer of a two-year extension was exactly that.

“We made the offer in good faith following months of negotiations, meeting the club’s requirements on exactly the same terms as the previous agreement.

“For the club to change their mind at the last minute, without reason, makes a mockery of the progress that had been made.”

Newbury FC’s solicitor, Simon Barrett, said he was unable to comment on the terms of the lease.

The NWN also contacted several other representatives of the club to address the council’s comments, but did not get a response before this paper went to press.

West Berkshire Council originally wanted to kick the club out of Faraday Road in June so it could go ahead with its controversial plan to redevelop the London Road Industrial Estate.

But after a public outcry, the council promised to review the timing of the club’s departure and subsequently offered a two-year extension, until June 2018.

It was thought that the club would sign it, but, after receiving legal advice, it has opted not to.

The council says the offer of a two-year extension is still on the table should the club want to sign the lease.

But if it doesn’t, the council will take legal steps to secure possession of the ground.