Bristol Rovers still looking for stadium funding
Bristol Rovers are yet to secure a deal which will fund the long-awaited redevelopment of the Memorial Stadium.
The football club's chairman Nick Higgs has announced that hard work is continuing behind the scenes to finalise 'financial and legal agreements to allow the redevelopment to move forward'.
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Bristol Rovers are still looking for stadium funding
It has been 26 months since the club won planning permission to redevelop the stadium in Horfield, but Mr Higgs says the club needs to be cautious in its negotiations to avoid putting the Pirates' future at risk.
In a statement to supporters, Mr Higgs said: "Things will be ready to start as soon as the agreements are finalised.
"We were expecting to be able to make a further announcement around now, and I am sorry that we do not have more to tell you.
"I appreciate it must be very frustrating for you as fans, but the one thing I am not going to do is make any rash decisions that could put the future of the club in danger.
"We must make sure we get things right, and that takes time. I am not prepared to put the club at risk.
"Too many clubs have gone ahead with stadium regeneration projects and ended up saddling themselves with huge debts or going into administration.
"Hopefully we will be able to tell you more in the coming weeks."
In October, the Bristol Post reported how Bristol Rovers announced they were planning to stay at the Memorial Stadium during the redevelopment instead of moving to Cheltenham Town's ground for home matches. The club says this will minimise disruption to supporters.
Planning permission was granted for a £35-million redevelopment in January 2007 and the club hopes to begin work in the summer.
Plans have been revised and there have been several delays since the original plans were given the green light.
But the club insists the 18,500-seat stadium – which was put back a year by the credit crunch – will still be built, complete with a hotel and student accommodation, which will help fund the project.
It is expected that the redevelopment will still take about two years as planned and be complete by the start of the 2011-12 season.
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by Dave Larkhall, larkhall Bath
Friday, April 03 2009, 5:45AM
“Can't disagree with anything you said there Bertie.
All good leaders deserve a faithful following, and of course vice versa.”
by Bertie, Northville
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 10:37AM
“Dave Larkhall.
Credit where it's due dave but Bradshaw ran a mile from the club before it left Eastville and only returned when it returned to Horfield. Higgs has recently come on the scene just as a new stadium was dreamt up by another director who has since left the club. Credit to the Dunfords for helping to keep the club alive but without the support of the fans it would have died years ago.”
by Dave Larkhall, Larkhall Bath
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 6:22AM
“The owners of Eastville Stadium ripped the soul out of our club before the Dunford family stepped in as saviours. Together with Messrs. Craig, Andrews, Bradshaw, Higgs and others, they guided the club on the most tortuous road encountered by any club in the land, culminating in our own ground and a safe, sound base to work from.
I concede, it's not a grand all singing all dancing stadium, but it is ours. So rejoice in the fact that we still have team to watch and a place to call home. In these times of the worst recession since the second world war I am so pleased we still have a leadership at the club that follow the prudent parameters as set down by the Dunfords all those years ago. They are not liars. They act in the best interests of the club depending on the circumstances that face them in these turbulent times.”
by trevor, keynsham
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 11:32PM
“They are only waiting to sign contracts as the funding is in place and has been for some time”
by Ernie, Eastville
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 10:27PM
“Parrot's predictions about the result were about as much use as those predicting that the stadium will be built on time. It ain't going to happen. The whole thing was based on using the profits gained from selling on planning permission for the hotel, flats, etc etc. The property bubble has burst, and anyone looking to invest in property development will only look at the very best opportunities, not some desperate scheme squeezed down a back alley around the edge of a football ground. Wait ten years and things may have changed, but of course the planning consent will have lapsed by then and the whole process will have to be gone through again.”