A football club has been told it is not allowed to play matches at home because its changing rooms are too small. Newbury FC returned to council-owned Faraday Road on 9 November, six years after being evicted ahead of potential redevelopment work. But West Berkshire Council has been informed the changing rooms do not meet the standards required by the Thames Valley Premier League, meaning the team can only use the site for training.
Who was the architect? Who at the council approved the plans? Someone dropped the ball here!
The club was evicted from Faraday Road in 2018 when the then-Conservative run council said it wanted to use the site to redevelop the London Road Industrial Estate. The site fell into disrepair and most of it was destroyed in an arson attack three years later. The Liberal Democrats pledged to bring Newbury FC back to Faraday Road when they took control of the authority in 2023.
Oh. Lib-Dems. What a surprise.
Nigel Foot, the councillor in charge of sporting facilities, said the council had "worked extremely hard... to get proper league football back on Faraday Road". But he said a "breakdown in communication" meant the changing rooms did not meet standards, something that was only flagged in an inspection after the first match had taken place.
Surely they have an inspection before opening? This is about as believable a story as Louise Haigh's missing mobile!
H/T: Ian J via email
Nigel Foot, he's a leg end now.
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