Bristol Rugby's UWE Stadium move is still alive, insists Nick Higgs
BRISTOL Rovers chairman Nick Higgs remains optimistic that Bristol Rugby Club will move to the UWE Stadium with the Pirates.
But he told shareholders at the club's annual meeting that they were already looking at "alternatives" if the rugby club do decide to go elsewhere.
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Bristol Rovers chairman, Nick Higgs addresses the annual general meeting last night Picture: Dan Regan
Bristol Rugby confirmed earlier this month that they have been taken over by Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown.
And although they have signed a contract to continue their groundshare arrangement at the Memorial Stadium for next season, Lansdown has not ruled out a move to either Ashton Gate or possibly City's proposed new stadium at Ashton Vale some time in the future.
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Higgs, however, has again made clear his hope that the ruby club will follow Rovers to their proposed £40 million 21,700-capacity stadium in Frenchay, which they hope to move into in 2014 – and confirmed it would be 100 per cent owned by Rovers.
Higgs said: "I have had several conversations with the rugby club chairman Chris Booy, who continues to express an interest in coming with us.
"If they did go somewhere else, it would mean some loss of income for us in terms of events, bar takings and catering.
"But we are looking at alternatives if that were to be the case and talking to other people who could take their place – although I can't go into details as they are confidential.
"But the rugby club have been good tenants and I do hope they come with us – I would be disappointed if that wasn't the case."
Higgs was asked whether there was any possibility that Lansdown could buy the Memorial Stadium – which is key to funding Rovers' new stadium project – and allow Bristol to remain at their spiritual home.
But the chairman said: "That is simply not possible. We have signed a contract with Sainsbury's for a mixed-use development. Even if we were offered double the price, it is a binding contract and we can not walk away from it, so it isn't an issue."
Rovers' latest annual figures – covering the year ending last June – showed an operating loss of almost £2 million and overall losses of £3.4 million, but director of finance Toni Watola told the meeting the club had since made "a dramatic reduction in players' wage costs commensurate with League Two."
Manager Mark McGhee told supporters he still felt the budget available to him was "competitive" for the division and he was optimistic about the club's future – although he admitted he had to overcome "a psychological barrier" before opting to take his first job in the Football League's bottom tier.
"Whenever I have managed in League One before, I have got out of it fairly quickly and the clubs have returned to the Championship," he said.
"I did have to overcome a bit of a psychological barrier to come here, but I had a phone call from a friend of mine who knew more about the club than me and said I ought to consider it.
"When I met the board and saw their ambition and heard their vision for the future, I was impressed – especially with plans for the new stadium."
Comments
by SpinyHedgehog
Friday, February 17 2012, 9:37PM
“@CityClarky
"But seriously, if this doesn't happen, I would seriously open the field gates and hope the traveliers move in. It will take plus 5 years to move them on and will be a classic 'what goes around' situation."
It's better than that. The only person who could apply to have them moved on is the owner, one Steve Lansdown - and why should he want to do that if the new stadium is banned?”
by CityClarky
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:44PM
“Pllllleeessse stop talking about the 'new' city stadium. Its depressing, this should be now open and 300 plus jobs should have been created. But seriously, if this doesn't happen, I would seriously open the field gates and hope the traveliers move in. It will take plus 5 years to move them on and will be a classic 'what goes around' situation.”
by THEIRONS
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 6:17PM
“MIZZER -So when exactly will Bristol City be moving into their new ground,granted Bristol Council has granted planing permisson,but no stadium has been built has it,as for your point about the £5million worth of land given to Bristol City ,so how much on the open market would the land given to the dog walkers of Ashton Vale be worth.”
by mizzer
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 5:58PM
“Julala. Rovers were given permission to develop the Mem. and who suggest Sainsburys wont get planning permission. Not this article. As I'v pointed out, Council fully supportive of the new City stadium and spent a fortune in the vane attempt to bring World Cup football here. Glos. rejected because the flats were too big. You can bet they will revise scheme and get their permission. You are making up stories just to discredit the Council. Not part of the new campaign for a Mayor by any chance?”
by julala2000
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 2:07PM
“Yep Gloucester CCC are in exactly the same boat.
If Bristol City Council wont allow its sports teams to re-develop or build new grounds. very quickly there wont be any major sport left. This goes for a top flight music venue too!!
Rovers/City will be stuck in lower league football, with small outdated grounds dreaming of bigger revenues and a better standard.
Bristol Rugby will be a hugely supported rugby team (hopefully playing top flight rugby) in a stadium far to small for the kind of support it generates.
And Gloucester CCC will be stuck playing second division country cricket, with no hope of staging more ODI's and zero chance of hosting test cricket.
Great work Bristol City Council. really know how to kill potential tourism opportunity's and beat down on your own citizens all at the same time.”
by mizzer
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 1:58PM
“Julala. Don't let the facts get in the way of your argument. The Council have given planning permission for a new stadium at Ashton Vale, have given permission for Sainsburys to build at Ashton Gate, have overturned the Town Green decision, have basically given Ashton Gate Ltd. £5 million pounds worth of publicly owned land to build expensive houses with no affordable homes, and waived any S106 money. So, hardly "doing the same to Bristol Citys' hopes of a new ground." And I'm not a Rovers fan, although I am happy when they win!”
by manchestergas
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 1:44PM
“julala2000 - Add Gloucestershire Cricket Club to that list.
BCC seem to have a small town mentality. I'm not sure they realise they are in charge of a 1/2 million people sized City; the 7th (?) largest in England.”
by julala2000
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 9:22AM
“Bristol City Council need to be held accountable.. They've made it almost impossible to redevelop the mem, they are likely to make it just as hard for Sainsburys, and what a surprise they are doing the same to Bristol City's hopes of a new ground.
What do the council think each club is supposed to do given there total disinterest in allowing the 3 biggest sporting clubs in Bristol to grow in the future.
The mem gates will be preserved. and rightly so, but ultimately both the council and rovers/rugby have left either side with few options.”
by Pixielott
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 9:04PM
“Surely the man with the money now SL should be doing the Media chat here and not this bloke whoever he is?”
by manchestergas
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 4:47PM
“exactly and that is precisely why your off the cuff comment offended me. I doubt many people in our country, our cities and our villages have NOT been affected by war, in what ever shape or form, whereas you came across as if you were the only person to get touched by it. I'm not from a 'military' traditional at all but even with my family my grandad was a regular in the RAF (I have his 5 medals from WW2), my dad was shot in the head and almost killed on national Service in Cyprus, and I was nearly bored to submission in the TA, which I think goes to show that the mass of our population still care a lot about such memorials, even if they, like me, hate war and violence.
Unfortunately I really don;t see this one lasting as a sports ground in a City that has grown hugely since 1921.”