Ooops! Council blunder over signage for football club...

... it evicted from Faraday Road earlier this year

WEST Berkshire Council has included Newbury’s football club as part of newly-erected signage around Victoria Park – even though they no longer play in the town.

The new signage has been installed around Newbury’s iconic green space and near the canal tow bridge under the A339.

It signposts passers-by to Newbury’s new bus station in the Wharf – which is due to open on Sunday, December 2 – the train station, the town centre and the town hall.

In the opposite direction, a sign has also been included to the town’s ‘football club’, directing walkers along the Kennet and Avon Canal towards Faraday Road, where Newbury FC’s former ground is located.

But Newbury FC no longer play there.

In June, the club were forced to end their 55-year stay at their Faraday Road ground after the council refused to renew their lease.

The council said it needed the site to be ready for redevelopment of the London Road Industrial Estate and unveiled plans to transform the site temporarily into a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA).

But plans for the regeneration have since been stalled after the council was found to have entered into an unlawful agreement with a multi-billion pound developer.

Newbury FC are currently playing their league fixtures at Brimpton FC – which is a one hour and 56 minute walk away from where the sign stands.

Martin Dunscombe, head of communications at West Berkshire Council, said: "New signs have been put up recently to help both residents and visitors find their way around Newbury, and which supports the relocation of the bus interchange adjacent to Victoria Park.

"The scheme was designed some time ago and the signs were not updated following recent changes to the football ground.

"This was an error and we are making arrangements to have the signs updated."

See this week’s Newbury Weekly News for more.