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The latest from Stonebridge Road
Discussion Thread
Gravesham Borough Council buys Stonebridge Road for Fleet!
(70 posts)-
Posted 10 months ago #
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Excellent news!!!! I will just wait for all the negative comments and moans now!!!!
Posted 10 months ago # -
I think you will be a long time waiting...
This is nothing but great news for the club...
Posted 10 months ago # -
I also hope that the "buy the ground" fund goes towards redevelopment of the stadium - new roofs, new stand etc.
Very exciting times!!!
I wonder if our letters to GBC made a difference?Posted 10 months ago # -
This is supposedly a bridging loan for the new company set up to buy it when it has raised the money so the council are just doing the Fleet a favour for now
Gaz i like that idea that the council own it on the grounds if they sell it would be to get us a new ground , and we use the monies raised to improve the san stonbridge and chuck Liam a few bob for players and we would be bloody happy
Posted 10 months ago # -
This will at least allow the buy the ground option to gather pace. Maybe we could turn this into a fund where you can make a bi-monthly contribution. As my original pledge was severely affected but a change in terms at work, leading to less money in my pocket.
It is a great gesture by a council but we need to own the ground. Is there any way we could turn the ground purchase into a standing order option? I would be able to contribute £25 per month. What does everyone else think.Posted 10 months ago # -
This is supposedly a bridging loan for the new company set up to buy it when it has raised the money so the council are just doing the Fleet a favour for now
Gaz i like that idea that the council own it on the grounds if they sell it would be to get us a new ground , and we use the monies raised to improve the san stonbridge and chuck Liam a few bob for players and we would be bloody happyI still believe the best course would be to ring-fence any money already in for ground development. At present, the stadium teeters on the brink of being unsafe, it needs serious investment in the near future to keep it going. Remember how quickly the authorities shut the Plough end because of crumbling terraces - rusty roofs and rotting wooden stands will soon give those same people a reason to close other areas of the ground.
With grants available for new building work, I look forward to a substantial refurbishment within a couple of years.
It is good to see GBC coming onside - perhaps they realised they made a bad decision by not going with the new stadium and are now righting a wrong.
If that is the case , well done to all who complained to the people that matter.Posted 10 months ago # -
This surely means an extra £5399 per annum to the club as currently it is paying £5,400 per annum rent.
"The deal the club has agreed with GBC means the council will purchase the ground and will grant Ebbsfleet United FC a lease which gives the club security of tenure and a peppercorn rent of £1 a year."
Posted 10 months ago # -
This is supposedly a bridging loan for the new company set up to buy it when it has raised the money so the council are just doing the Fleet a favour for now
Gaz i like that idea that the council own it on the grounds if they sell it would be to get us a new ground , and we use the monies raised to improve the san stonbridge and chuck Liam a few bob for players and we would be bloody happyI still believe the best course would be to ring-fence any money already in for ground development. At present, the stadium teeters on the brink of being unsafe, it needs serious investment in the near future to keep it going. Remember how quickly the authorities shut the Plough end because of crumbling terraces - rusty roofs and rotting wooden stands will soon give those same people a reason to close other areas of the ground.
With grants available for new building work, I look forward to a substantial refurbishment within a couple of years.
It is good to see GBC coming onside - perhaps they realised they made a bad decision by not going with the new stadium and are now righting a wrong.
If that is the case , well done to all who complained to the people that matter.That can't possibly happen HG.
If someone has invested money to buy a share in the ground with an expectation of getting a return on their investment you cannot say someone else has bought the ground but we will keep your money and use it for a different purpose.
How would you feel if you bought a house and when you went to move in you found that somebody else had bought it and used your money to build an extension?
Posted 10 months ago # -
The key point is that the club retains the option to buy the land off the Council within an unspecified period of time.
The money raised so far was specifically and solely for this purpose and I am happy to continue to support this initiative.
However, the suggestion that this money should be put to some other use, like ground redevelopment or team building is a complete non-starter. You can support team building already through the Friends of the Fleet scheme.
Whilst I would not be against forming a new fund for ground redevelopment, this is a very different investment to what has been proposed already.
Posted 10 months ago # -
The only aternative will be to either return any money or to ask if the money can be used as n investment into the ground.
Few would have expected a big return short term anyway - the share issue can still be made - and a return will come if and when GBC decide to sell SR to the club - which is then sold to buy the new stadium.Posted 10 months ago # -
Excellent news.
Many congratulations to Brian Kilkullen and all others involved in discussions/negotiations with Gravesham Borough Council. It would seem that all the hard and no doubt increasingly frustrating work, commitment and patience has paid off.
Well done also to everyone that pestered KCC, GBC and indeed our MP by letter and/or by e-mail and generally made the lives of some of our local politicians hell for what was a very poor decision over the proposed new site. Certainly both KCC and GBC must have under estimated the level of ill-feeling and indeed bad publicity that their decision would cause.
It really is amazing what a little bit of bad publicity does to politicians.
Posted 10 months ago # -
We will never know whether Mr Holloway brought any pressure to bear on GBC, but well done to him anyway for always being onside and for his support.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I believe the strength of feeling over the A2 and the communications made to the council have definitely helped us, so thanks very much to all those that did so.
It is good to know that the views of fans and the electorate do matter.Posted 10 months ago # -
Well done Brian, and to all who brokered this deal.
Best news for Fleet for a very long time!!
Posted 10 months ago # -
Makes the 30mins i spent writing my emails worth it!!!!! excellent...
Posted 10 months ago # -
I didn't see this coming! Thankyou GBC, this is fantastic news.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Makes the 30mins i spent writing my emails worth it!!!!! excellent...
I spent considerably longer.
Just checked my e-mail - I sent 26 letters!!!Posted 10 months ago # -
I read this bit
'The deal we have agreed with the Council is that if we can raise the £500,000 plus VAT and Legal costs in the next 60 days we can take over the deal,
if we can't do that the Council we grant us a 50 year lease with a 50 year extension and a peppercorn rent of £1 a year . We believe this is a win-win situation for the club and gives us numerous options to take the club forward . 'I am a bit confused. Why would we want to but the ground if the council will let us use it for the next 100 years for nothing?
Posted 10 months ago # -
I am a bit confused. Why would we want to but the ground if the council will let us use it for the next 100 years for nothing?
Because if land prices increased in the next 10-20 years, we would be free to sell the ground on and pocket the million(s)-plus to build/move to a new ground.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Which is why I think it would be a prudent long term investment to leave the ground fund intact - or at least allow the share issue to go ahead.
Posted 10 months ago # -
The ground fund can only be left intact for 60 days whilst efforts are made to reach the £600K target.
If this fails, it will have to be refunded to investors who might then choose to support a new fund for ground development, for example.
Posted 10 months ago # -
'Because if land prices increased in the next 10-20 years, we would be free to sell the ground on and pocket the million(s)-plus to build/move to a new ground. '
This bit only works if the land values at Stonebridge Road go up more than wherever the new ground would be. Or if the club folds and doesn't need a pitch anymore.
I think we would do better to lease it for nothing for 100 years and spend the money raised on improvements and preferably on improving the team
Posted 10 months ago # -
Hi Guys (and Gals) - first post from a Gills man who comes along to support the Fleet about 6 or 7 times a year (when Gills fixtures allow). This is great news and I will be there with my daughter on Saturday to cheer you on (will try to drag my cousin along too as every entry fee counts). I was also at the Cambridge game although I am not just there for the big games (honest!).
I agree with a previous poster that I would take the relative security of 50 years at £1 a year and maybe review at a later date. If the club and finances pick up significantly in the future I think the Council will always consider an offer to purchase the ground from them (irrespective of any deadline they may have imposed).
Let's hope this great news and a bumper crown can galvanise the team to a first home win on Saturday!!
Good Luck to all at the Fleet (btw - I have always wondered why the Fleet and Gills don't have a regular pre-season friendly to help each other out).Posted 10 months ago # -
I think we would do better to lease it for nothing for 100 years and spend the money raised on improvements and preferably on improving the team
Lets be quite clear – if we don’t purchase the land from the Council then there is NO money for any other purpose.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Indeed this is great news for the club and now which ever way you look at it the long term security of the ground has been achieved. We now have a bit longer to try and raise the 600K ourselves and purchase the ground or we leave it to the council.
We have already rasied 175K towards buying the ground in 3 days of collecting money, I would hazzard a guess that this will be over 200K by the end of the day. Given we now have longer buying the ground may indeed become a reality.
Money has been invested from far and wide with money coming in from America, Norway, Germany, Australia, All over the UK and of course Kent.
Also just to further point out if we do not purchase the ground then every penny that was invested will be returned. The money is held in trust for the purpose of purchasing the ground only. I can not imagine that we would get anywhere near this amount if it was for ground maintenance.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Just want to say brilliant news, also a big thank you to all those behind the scenes, who have given us something to believe in. I would like to, also say well done to the guys & girls who hassled the council with there Email's.
If the supporters & other backers club together to buy the ground, will the club be run by two separate entities?
IE the new ground owners (supporters for lack of a name), and MYFC.
As MYFC will not hold the shares in the ground unless they buy the majority of shares of course.So does that mean they will no longer have control of the ground.
I don't understand the politics, so am asking if anyone has the knowledge to be able to answer the question for me.Posted 10 months ago # -
My thoughts, too! Well done all. And just to add to the points above - I put in a fair whack to help buy the grounds for the long term security of the Fleet. That deal btw gives the Fleet 75% of any future profits on a ground sale, AND only makes a sale possible if the Fleet have a new ground to move to.Just want to say brilliant news, also a big thank you to all those behind the scenes, who have given us something to believe in. I would like to also say well done to the guys & girls who hassled the council with there Email's,
J
I would NOT be happy to see that investment go into a playing budget binge (I've already contributed what I can to that), NOR would I want to see it going to repair stands that the council owns. The Fleet needs to push forward for the next 60 days to raise the full £600K and buy the grounds as self sufficiency and a long-term view is the way to go imo.Posted 10 months ago # -
Well done to all a dream come true.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Just want to say brilliant news, also a big thank you to all those behind the scenes, who have given us something to believe in. I would like to also say well done to the guys & girls who hassled the council with there Email's,
JMy thoughts, too! Well done all. And just to add to the points above - I put in a fair whack to help buy the grounds for the long term security of the Fleet. That deal btw gives the Fleet 75% of any future profits on a ground sale, AND only makes a sale possible if the Fleet have a new ground to move to.
I would NOT be happy to see that investment go into a playing budget binge (I've already contributed what I can to that), NOR would I want to see it going to repair stands that the council owns. The Fleet needs to push forward for the next 60 days to raise the full £600K and buy the grounds as self sufficiency and a long-term view is the way to go imo.
My sentiments entirely, especially the last paragraph, and if we do not raise the £600k in the next 60 days as Rugbyswift states ALL investers monies must be returned, Then a new fundraising programme can be set up for re-developing the stands etc for people to contribute to if they want to.
Posted 10 months ago #
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