Gedling Southbank FC Club Announcement
As many of you are aware the Football ground at Stoke Bardolph previously used by Gedling Town was given to Real Utd a city based team on a one year lease last may in order for the Spirit Pub Company who lease the land an opportunity to put a more permanent lease in place. During the past month we have submitted our business plan for the site based on the Spirit Pub Company’s guidance that they were looking for, in their own words ‘a sound Football Development Plan which shows how they engage the community with football’
Yesterday I received notification that the 10 year lease had been awarded to ‘Real Utd’ clearly this decision shows that we misunderstood the requirement of ‘engage the community’ believing they meant the local community of Gedling.
We and the other bidder, Carlton Town FC, find the decision by the Spirit Pub Company bemusing to say the least, the club has no issue with Real Utd, in fact we wish them every success, but how they engage the local community of Gedling Borough when they are a city based club will be interesting to see.
Personally my issue is with the Spirit Pub Company who appear to have wasted a great deal of my time on coming to a conclusion that a club that is Charter Standard Community status, has opportunities for youngsters from age 2 to 18, provides girls football, disability football and has 5 senior squads and is constantly recognised for the work that it is doing in the local community is not what they are looking for.
I have listed below the pubs run by Spirit in Gedling Borough, personally I will have trouble in future providing any of these locations with my patronage, and I hope many of you feel the same way. Please ensure that you pass on this announcement to the many hundreds of people connected with this great club as we continue to move forward despite the barriers put before us.
For your information, CEO Mike Tye, Spirit Pub Company, Sunrise House, Ninth Avenue, Burton upon Trent, Staffs, DE14 3JZ, 01283 498400, mike.tye@spiritpubcompany.com
Wheatsheaf Inn – Burton Joyce, Travellers Rest – Mapperley Plains, Old Spot – Daybrook, Ferry Boat Inn – Stoke Bardolph, Gedling Inn – Gedling. Others The Arrow – Arnold,
Starting Gate – Colwick.
Regards
Adrian Hall
Club Chairman
