Spalding United say town centre businesses could benefit from huge plans to invest in the club if it can take on a lease for the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
The club has played there for decades but no club has leased it due to the land having been gifted to the town in 1951 on the condition it’s for all the community to use.
Now South Holland District Council, which oversees the Sir Halley, says it has taken legal advice and is for the first time able to lease it to a tenant for seven years on the proviso the land should still be open to all.
Currently Spalding United and Pinchbeck United play home games there.
Anybody would be able to take on the lease, but if Spalding United are successful, investment will follow, said the club’s chief executive Leigh Porter.
A report to SHDC’s Joint Monitoring Performance Panel states that Spalding need updated floodlights costing £25,000 or they would be ‘demoted’ though Mr Porter told The Voice that wasn’t the case.
However the Sir Halley would need substantial work if they were to be promoted, something they missed out on in the last game of last season.
Without the lease Spalding United FC cannot access funding streams from the FA which could see huge improvements to the ground allowing for future growth. The club has already spent £40-£50,000 this year in re-laying the pitch after complaints that it wasn’t level.
“We had to do that, we couldn’t leave it as it was,” said Mr Porter. “We have the best interests of the club and the town centre at heart. We are a successful football club with 20-odd junior teams and taking a lease would be a fantastic opportunity that we can’t ignore. We are passionate about the game and the area which we love. We have an unbelievable group of volunteers and an incredible businessman behind us. If we were to get a lease it would take the shackles off and we could really take off,” he added.
Whoever takes on the lease would have to pay market value rent, something Mr Porter said Spalding United were prepared to do.
An upgraded ground with investment in the club house and other facilities would ensure the community has an asset for the future, he said.
“We are currently losing money and are aiming for promotion all the way to National League. It would be good for the town as we are in the centre, and attracting people will help us and local business. We could create a big story for Spalding. The ground is a neglected facility and Spalding needs better.
“It’s a misconception that it’s just for football – we already have a running club and pigeon club using the facilities. We want more community groups involved and want to make the town proud.”
The panel is recommended to accept the new proposals but the final decision will be made by Full Council.
Task group member Coun Paul Redgate said the aim was to have a ‘strategic partner’ to enable to enable the ground to move forward and create a secure future for all involved. It needs to be an open process and we need to ensure the legality is correct.”
