Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Enfield Town FC has now moved to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. This page is an archive of the articles regarding the move which have been published in the club programme.
How to get to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Queen Elizabeth Stadium: The Case For Enfield Town FC (PDF file, 2.3MB)
Proposed plan of the stadium (December 2008) (PDF file, 2.7MB)
Photos of the QE Stadium on Flickr
If you have photos of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium on Flickr which you want to turn up in the search, please tag them with
enfieldtown qestadium
They should then show up.
10th September 2011
Last Tuesday we attended a Queen Elizabeth Stadium Project Board Meeting and were brought bang up to date with progress. Read on, and you too, will be fully aware of what is going on.
The original project end date, i.e. when we would be allowed access to the building, was September 9th. Unfortunately, there has been some slippage in this date for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the need to satisfy the rigorous requirements of English Heritage in regard to the final look of the Listed Building.
However, the slippage has not been too great and it now seems likely that the building will be ready for our occupation by about 7th October, although there is a slight risk of further delay.
The other, enabling works, to the car park and Donkey Lane itself are progressing well. It is estimated that works to Donkey Lane will be completed by 10th September and the car park will be operational by 30th September. Parking restrictions will be put into place along Donkey Lane but, because of the statutory procedures involved it is likely that these will not be fully applied until late November.
The seats for the first floor grandstand in the Listed Building have been on order for some time. Our suppliers, Arena Seating, have been extremely busy on various contracts to supply seating for Olympic venues but they have now delivered our order. The 105 seats will be fixed into place by our volunteers over the coming weeks.
As some of you will know, Ronnie Sturgess, our senior groundsman, has unfortunately suffered from ill health recently but Jack Lucas has stepped in and has clearly done a marvellous job in getting the pitch up to scratch. The team is now able to train on it and will do so every Thursday until we can gain access to a nearby Artificial Pitch.
Our floodlights will become operational on 15th September. The final lux values will not be known until meter readings are taken when the lights are on, but we believe the lighting will be over 200 lux. This is well above the requirement for our level of football, which is 120 lux.
Our volunteers continue to press on with the many tasks that require to be done. Dave Farenden is now leading a more focussed approach so that priority will be given to those jobs necessary for the ground to get its appropriate grading before we play our opening 1st Team fixture.
At the time of writing, we are expecting to hear, any day now, about the outcome of our latest funding application for assistance towards the cost of our dug outs. These really do look good but will require a bit of man power to put them together as they come as a flat pack.
As always, may I remind you that all of this, together with works to the bar area, which I will not detail, is costing a great deal of money so, please, if you can, support Dave Hicks' money making efforts or make a simple donation to him or any member of the Board.
You have our absolute assurance that anything you give will be used to build our ground and nothing else!
Up The Town
Roger Reed
23rd August 2011
As we edge ever closer to picking up the keys for our new ground, it is time to bring you up to date with the work still to be done before we kick-off at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. We are negotiating the lease and have engaged a Solicitor to assist us with this aspect.
- We must devise a way of ensuring that individuals cannot view the game from outside the ground. This could be done by putting cladding on the gates and fences on the Playing Fields side though another idea is being considered.
- Move our furniture, equipment etc into the bar area.
- Install an infill onto the boom gates that cross the athletics track.
- Check the condition of our corner flags and posts. Purchase new if necessary.
- Complete the marking out of the pitch and technical areas.
- Purchase and install two covered trainers' boxes each to seat 11 people. Home/Away signs to be fixed to them.
- Arrange a test of the floodlights and provide a certificate to the League.
- Install and test the PA system
- Erect the turnstiles and lit housing.
- Purchase and place around the ground an appropriate number of "Running Man" signs.
- Provide lighting and writing facilities for our two press seats.
- Progress fencing to the north side of the ground. Erect appropriate Signage to the grass banking on the north side and around the ground.
- Check the number of male and female stadium toilets, wash hand basins, hand drying facilities etc. Purchase and place signs for the toilets.
- Progress the possibility of purchasing a hot food outlet for the stadium
- Install a Buzzer between the match officials room and team changing rooms.
- Organise Track protection for players and spectators.
- Devise a strategy in case of power failure.
- Signs to be placed on the doors within our demise.
- Fit out rooms within our demise.
- Place litter bins around the ground.
- Install player protection to the floodlight masts.
Since I wrote my notes for Tuesday's programme we have completed two items that were on this list.
Firstly, we had a meeting with Enfield Ignatians Rugby Club to discuss a parking strategy, particularly for days on which both Clubs have first team home games.
Secondly John Powell and Eric Allen have painted the yellow hatching onto the tarmac in front of our main seated stand.
In addition to all of this we are shortly to take delivery of the 105 seats that will be placed in the upper tier of the main building and our volunteers have continued their work in bringing back into use the old metal terracing that was at the Stadium when the refurbishment project started.
Perhaps most exciting of all is that last Thursday our first team squad used the pitch for the first time, going through set pieces before our first game of the season.
Jack Lucas, John Powell and Dave Farenden worked hard to get things ready, Rob Kendle from our Ground Contractors, ATB Sports brought along a piece of equipment to help with the line marking and all was in place for the team, despite having to work through the downpours last Thursday afternoon.
Can I close by making my usual plea for you to dig deep to help with the cost of our new ground. We are confident we have the finances to see this through but have had to borrow a not inconsiderable sum, which we wish to repay as soon as possible.
Any contribution you care to make will, rest assured, be very gratefully received. Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Reed or indeed any Board Member if you can give some assistance in this regard.
Roger Reed
August 2011
Throughout the summer work has continued on the move to our new home at Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
Much has been achieved since our final match at Brimsdown on April 30th. What follows, is of necessity, a brief summary.
We have removed our stands from Brimsdown and put them in place at The Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Our covered terrace is at the Cambridge Road End and our seated stand is placed on the half way line, opposite the main building. In addition, we have been able to purchase a new covered terrace and this has been placed at the Ladysmith Road End. This purchase was made possible by a legacy left to us in the estate of one of our Members, David Wilkinson. The stand will be named after him.
We have also ordered 105 seats to be installed in the terraced grandstand at first floor level in the main building.
The floodlights are in place but have not yet been connected to the mains because the electricity supply company need to run a new cable into the building to take the greater load.
The pitch perimeter fencing is almost complete, as is the players walkway. Work to the fencing behind each goal is complete.
We have thought a great deal about the fencing on the far side, which will be needed to separate the grass bank from the spectator areas. Our contractors, Darfen, came up with a solution but an Officer of our League was not entirely happy with that. So we have arrived at an alternative. We have put our proposal to the planning authority and await their decision.
We have continued our good relations with Enfield Ignatians Rugby Club. We have discussed with them matters that will jointly affect us such as car parking and control of vehicle movements at the site when we are both at home. Ignatians have also generously given us free use of their facilities for various meetings.
We have held discussions with Southbury Leisure Centre about us using their new state of the art artificial pitch for training purposes and this is still very much a possibility.
We have secured use of pitches at the stadium end of the King George V Playing Fields for all of our youth and girls teams thereby ensuring our Club members will all be able to share in our new facilities.
We are working with the Council and Enfield Ignatians on the management of litter and other rubbish from the site.
We have made headway on the lease negotiations. These are going well and we are receiving legal advice at every step of the way.
We have continued discussions with Latymer Old Boys F C. This Club has five teams that play on Saturdays at the King George V Playing Fields. They have asked if we can supply them with food and drink for their teams and opponents on a regular basis. This has the potential to be a useful income source for us.
We have met with Council Officers and representatives of Trent Park Running Club. This Club currently use the track every Tuesday. We explained to them that we were happy for them to continue to use the track when we are not playing at home and this has been agreed. The Running Club understands that we may have to let them know at short notice when we need to use the pitch.
Any of you who have been to the new ground lately will, I feel sure, have been impressed with what you have seen. I cannot stress enough, how much credit is due to Dave Farenden and the many volunteers who have freely given their time and skills to bring our plans to fruition.
Dave Farenden, in particular, has had to put up with a great deal of difficulty presented by one individual at Brimsdown but has risen above it to achieve a great deal in a very short space of time.
The main Contractor has hit one or two problems and has alerted us that they will not complete on 9th September, as had been hoped. The delay should not be more than two or three weeks.
Roger Reed
4th Sep 2010
Queen Elizabeth Stadium Update
Originally published in the Matchday Programme
Work has continued on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium Project throughout the summer. This article will bring you up to date with developments.
The running track is now complete and, as you may have seen in the local press, was formally opened by Lord Coe on 12th July. Three representatives of our Club, Paul Millington, Keith Wortley and I, attended and we were able to discuss the football aspects of the project with Doug Taylor, the new Leader of Enfield Council, Cllr. Bambos Charalambous who Heads up the relevant Local Authority Committee and Joanne McCartney who is the London Assembly Member for Enfield & Haringey. All three were very positive in their views.
Before that, on 2nd July, Keith and I accompanied Local Authority Officers at a meeting with representatives of The F A and Football Foundation to assist the in getting sign off on a number of elements of the Council's funding application to the Foundation.
Together with Martin Cantrell we also met Council Officers to discuss the lease arrangements for the Stadium. This discussion did not go as we thought and we got rather bogged down in debating the bar/ cafe area of the Listed Building. The Property Division of the Council are keen to ensure that the bar/cafe fit out is in keeping with the style of the Listed Building. To that end a company has been commissioned to draw up comprehensive plans for this area.
On 26th July work started on hand weeding the pitch and on the same day we collected the irrigation equipment required for the pitch. Most of the money raised at the Paradise Wildlife Park Day was used for this purpose.
Work has continued on improving access to the site. Yellow Lines have been laid along Donkey Lane and parking bays have been installed outside the flats.
All utility lowering works have taken place and have been completed.
Works have commenced at the Halfway House in relation to the junction works/ left hand exit only and it is expected that the junction works will be completed during September. There may be a short closure of the junction for re-surfacing works.
Phase 2, the refurbishment of the outside of the Listed Building will be carried out by Mears Ltd and work is scheduled to start on Monday. All being well, this aspect of the project will be completed just before Christmas.
The running track will need to be protected when we cross it with our grass cutting equipment and to that end we have purchased thick rubber matting to lay under boarding in order to cushion and spread the weight of the machinery.
This has been purchased now because the pitch will receive its first cut next week. This will be carried out by White Horse, the company that laid the pitch, under the watchful eye of Ron Sturgess.
Finally, last Wednesday, we met with Arena Seating to look at the logistics of moving our stands to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium; in particular the sharp bend in Donkey Lane and protection for the running track whilst these very heavy items are installed.
As I hope you can see, good progress continues to be made and we are on track for this to be our last season at Brimsdown. However, we do still need your money if we are to complete the project so please give what you can and support all of Dave Hicks' fund raising ruses.
Roger Reed
16th May 2010
Queen Elizabeth Stadium Update
originally published on the web site
At a well attended meeting at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium on 15th May, supporters were given a full update on the progress of the project to re-develop the stadium and create a multi-sports hub at King George V Playing Fields. They were able to see for themselves the enormous progress that has been made in creating a stadium in which the Club and community will be able to take great pride.
Those present learnt at first hand of the great deal of work that the board has put into the project and were given the news that the Club has been awarded a grant of £81,504 by the Football Stadium Improvement Fund to cover part of the costs of the work so far undertaken. Paul Millington, the Chairman, signed the Grant acceptance form in front of the meeting to great applause.
The Club would like to acknowledge the assistance given by the London Borough of Enfield and in particular Tim Harrison who is managing the project for the Borough, Stuart Allen of the Middlesex County F A, Dylan Evans of The F A, Matt Gajdus and Craig Low both of the Football Foundation.
Work will shortly commence on putting together a second funding application for assistance with the further works still to be undertaken.
There are some photos from the visit on Flickr.
If you want to upload your own photos from the day to Flickr, tag them with
etfc15052010 enfieldtown QEStadium
That should ensure that they will show up via the link above.
24th November 2009
Enfield Town vs Concord Rangers
Ryman League Division One North
This week, the contractors are taking possession of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium to commence phase 1 of its restoration. Work begins in earnest on Monday. The first job involves the removal of the existing, condemned athletics facilities.
The contractors will then lay ducting for our floodlighting, construct a new six lane running track and make good around the site, creating hard standing for our ground.
In the spring work will commence on the laying of our pitch. The total cost of Phase One is about £550,000.
As I reported in the Waltham Abbey programme, our application to the Football Stadium Improvement Fund for funding assistance towards the football elements of this, has been submitted. There was not sufficient time for our application to be fully considered before work starts but I am pleased to say that we have received without prejudice permission to start work. This is important because, had work started without this permission we would have been disqualified from receiving funding.
Meanwhile the Project Operational Team met again on 4th November. A number of items were debated including:
- The management of the new public changing rooms
- The operation of the playing fields while the existing changing rooms are out of use
- The overall management of the site once the refurbished stadium is fully open
- Accommodation for the Parks Team who are currently housed in the Queen Elizabeth building
- Temporary parking restrictions to allow access for works vehicles
- Long term traffic management issues
- Equipment storage requirements
Many of these issues will require joint resolution between the parties and we will certainly have to work closely with Enfield Ignatians RUFC on the parking on match days.
Up The Town
Roger Reed
3rd November 2009
Enfield Town vs Waltham Abbey
Isthmian League Cup 2nd Round
Our application has now been submitted to the Football Foundation for funding towards the laying of our pitch, the spectator concourses and hard standing at the new stadium. Work is currently scheduled to start on 30th November.
Tomorrow Keith Wortley and I will attend a meeting of the Project Board at which progress reports will be given by the various parties concerned.
This will be immediately followed by the second meeting of the Operational Board. The aim of this group is to create and implement an administration and maintenance plan of the site and track to ensure use for the community. In particular, this group will seek to ensure the stadium will maximise increasing opportunities for people to take part in sport and physical activity.
In order to achieve that we need to deliver an achievable day-to-day maintenance plan for the site and a usage plan. It is intended that activities for the wider community will only take place when we do not have a fixture scheduled at the stadium and that our games will always take priority.
Up The Town
Roger Reed
24th October 2009
Enfield Town vs East Thurrock United
Ryman League Division One North
There is still more progress to report on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium Project.
On Tuesday morning Keith Wortley and I, together with Tim Harrison from Enfield Council, attended a meeting at Middlesex County F A with that body, The F A and the Football Foundation. We tabled the finalised plans of the stadium and talked through the phasing of the project. We further discussed the likely funding support from the Football Foundation and other bodies. Finally, we outlined the Phase 1 funding application we are making for the stadium development. This is for financial support towards the hard standing, spectator concourses and the pitch. The total cost of Phase 1 is likely to be in the region of £160,000.
We have to hand three quotes against the specification for the hard standing and spectator concourse. We have a professional estimate of cost for the pitch and have gone out to tender on this aspect with quotes to be returned in mid November. Our pitch consultant, Agrostis Ltd, is overseeing this process for us and will project manage all works to the pitch. We have invited Enfield Council Parks Dept to tender as they have equipment and qualified staff on site.
Our application for Phase 1 Funding was scheduled to be sent to the Football Foundation yesterday, but in any event will be with the Foundation by the middle of next week.
Work on Phase 1 is scheduled to begin on 23rd November.
On Tuesday afternoon Keith and I met with Alan Zeiler and his colleague from Enfield Council. We examined the plans for the site and marked up the areas that will be leased to us and those areas over which we will not have a lease but will have right of access.
Some time ago Frank Cartwright made some initial enquiries about the feasibility and costs of the cafe/bar at the new stadium. We have now picked up this thread of the project again and work will begin in earnest on ensuring we have the best possible facility that we are able to afford.
Up The Town
Roger Reed
13th October 2009
Enfield Town vs Ware
Ryman League Division One North
Things continue to move inexorably forward on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium Project.
Last Wednesday Keith Wortley and I attended two meetings. Firstly, the Project Board, at which all parties were brought up to date with how the various aspects of the project are proceeding. This was followed by the first meeting of the Operational Board. This is the group that will work up the plan of how the site will function.
A number of issues were identified for resolution at future meetings including:
- Access along Donkey Lane on Match days
- Building Management
- Storage Compound – including security and access.
- Management of the public football pitches on the playing fields.
- Matchday parking
- Schedule of activity on site (in the playing fields, Enfield Ignatians RUFC, Enfield Athletics Partnership, Ourselves).
- Waste management
The other significant event is that we are putting together our application to the Football Stadium Improvement Fund for support towards the cost of Phase 1 of the development. These are aspects of the works that do not require planning permission. Our application will be for financial assistance with the pitch, hard standing and spectator concourses.
This morning, together with Tim Harrison from the Local Authority, I met the new F A Regional Facilities Manager to familiarise him with the King George V Playing Fields and the Stadium, which together form one of the most strategically important multi-sports sites in Greater London, and to answer any questions he had.
Perhaps most importantly though, we have received the welcome news that the Local Authority Cabinet voted to spend an additional £600k on the internal works at the Stadium. This decision has now to go to the full Council on 11th November but the size of this sum, in addition to the £1.2m already committed, clearly underlines the commitment of the Council to driving this project through to a successful conclusion.
We now have site plans and elevations of the stadium and the major business of this week's scheduled Board Meeting is to discuss our way ahead.
Next Tuesday we pay another visit to the offices of the Middlesex County F A to hold further discussions with that body, The F A and the Football Foundation.
There is still much work to be done and a lot of money to be raised. No doubt there will be further barriers to be overcome but the Board is confident that this project will come to fruition. It is currently intended to begin season 2011-12 in our new home.
Get behind the boys this evening.
Roger Reed
6th October 2009
Enfield Town vs Romford
Ryman League Division One North
It is pleasing to be able to report some tangible progress with the Queen Elizabeth Stadium project.
Looking back on my notes in earlier programmes much of what I had to say revolved around attendance at various meetings. These meetings were of course vital in plotting the way ahead for ourselves and Enfield Council.
We are now at the point where the design team has finished its work and this week will see the inaugural meeting of the Operational Board. This means that we are all agreed on what the Stadium will look like and we are now beginning work on agreeing how it will operate.
Most importantly we have this week signed the Heads of Terms Agreement for the Lease. This document provides the agreed framework within which the details of the Lease can be drawn up.
Martin Cantrell and Paul Lamper have both given help and advice on these negotiations.
A revised external plan of the ground has been drawn up and following advice received from the Council Architect we have modified slightly our plans for the fencing within the ground. The drawings of the internal arrangement of the listed building have been finalised and we have succeeded in achieving slightly more changing space in our dressing rooms.
Work at the stadium will be phased. Phase One will start shortly and involve the laying of the new athletics track, the removal of the existing long and triple jump runways and pits, the construction of the concrete bases for our floodlights and the laying of the hard standing around the pitch and other spectator circulation areas. The ducting for the floodlights will be installed beneath the track.
The removal of the existing long and triple jump runways and pits means that in practical terms work will have started on our pitch since the Council will be laying some top soil in the excavated areas.
The laying of top soil by the Council, together with the spoil from the excavations for our floodlight pylon bases is likely to mean that our expenditure on this item will be much less than the £15k envisaged in the feasibility study for the pitch.
We shall be making our first application to the Football Stadium Improvement Fund for funding in the next couple of weeks. This will be to seek assistance with the pitch and the hard standing.
We have identified all the various elements of the project and allocated responsibilities. Currently, Keith Wortley is taking responsibility for liaison with our lighting consultant and with fencing manufacturers while I concentrate on the pitch. To this end we have now received a specification for the works required to give us an excellent playing surface at the new ground.
Up until now, we have, with the Council, been toiling to develop this project to the point when physical work can start. We have now reached that point and the project will gather its own momentum.
You will see that a growing number of Society Members, both from within the Board and outside it, are giving their time freely to ensure we achieve our goal. The number will grow in the weeks to come as, once the lease is finalised, Dave Farenden will be addressing the list of tasks identified as ones with which we can help ourselves at the Stadium.
Meanwhile, I hope you don't need reminding that all of this is going to cost a great deal of money. The Council is being extremely helpful in many ways and is hoping to soon bridge the funding gap I have previously written about. Even when that is achieved we need to raise money ourselves and I ask everyone who has the best interest of our Club at heart to donate whatever funds they can to the project. This can be done either by supporting the ongoing programme of fund raising activities or by making direct cash donation. You have my word and the word of everyone on the Board that every penny raised will go towards building our new ground and will not, under any circumstances, be used for any other purpose.
Get behind the boys today.
Roger Reed
22nd August 2009
Enfield Town vs Tilbury
Ryman League Division One North
Throughout the summer break we have continued to work on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium project. As always there have been a number of meetings to attend and progress has been made.
The representatives from English Heritage have been exacting in their demands. For example they insisted that air conditioning plant could not be placed externally on the building and as a result the number of public changing rooms in the building has had to be reduced from 12 to 10. I am pleased to report though that English Heritage, the Local Authority Conservation Officer, ourselves and all other interested parties are agreed on the external look of the listed building. The external and internal layouts will be signed off in the next few days and the planning application can then be made. The planning process usually takes about 12 weeks. Once Planning Permission has been gained an application for Listed Building Consent must be made. This takes a similar amount of time. An application for funding cannot be made to the Football Foundation or Football Stadium Improvement Fund until all of this is in place. It is unlikely therefore that we will be able to submit our funding application until January or February 2010.
The Local Authority has continued to be extremely helpful to us throughout this process. Their Building Surveyor and Architect have worked closely with us to ensure we have the facilities we need.
We have continued to assist the Local Authority with their funding application for the bigger project of upgrading the public facilities at the site and are on cordial relations with them, the Friends and Enfield Ignatians.
The whole scheme has been identified as one of the key strategic sports sites in Greater London and a paper has been drawn up by the London Playing Fields Foundation, the leading protector of playing fields within Greater London, to highlight the benefit of investment in the site. This paper will be presented to the Mayor of London.
The total cost of the project is now estimated to be about £2.3m. The ability of the Football Foundation to fund projects of this size has reduced during the last year to the point that we (us and the Council) currently face a funding gap of about £600k. I know that Tim Harrison the Project Manager is exploring every avenue in order to eradicate this gap. For example, an approach has been made to The London Marathon Trust. This charity dispenses profits from the London Marathon (T V Rights, Entry Fees etc) principally throughout the Greater London Boroughs. They have a lot of money available and have in the past purchased a number of sports fields outright, in order to protect them from development. The London Marathon Trust has shown a great deal of interest in the project.
I know the figures look daunting but I remain confident that the Local Authority, with our support, will be successful with other funding agencies and the project will come to fruition.
We are giving as much support to the Council as we possibly can in their discussions with the London Marathon Trust and at the regular meetings with the Football Foundation, The F A and the Middlesex County F A.
We must continue to demonstrate to the Local Authority and the funding agencies, by word and deed, our continued commitment to the project.
We can do this not only by carrying on with the work outlined above but also by our own fund raising. Nobody is expecting Enfield Town F C or the Supporters Society to be able to bridge the funding gap outlined above but what will impress the funding agencies will be a determined effort on our part to raise as much money as possible in order to help ourselves. So far, through your efforts, we have been able to pay invoices on time for the survey work that has been carried out and this will all be seen as part of our financial contribution to the project.
Dave Hicks is taking the lead on fund raising and it is up to all of us to give whatever we can, to assist in making our new ground a reality.
If you have any ideas about fund raising schemes, or if you know of a company or individual who may be able to assist the Club then please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating this aspect of the project.
You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
18th April 2009
Enfield Town vs Ilford
Ryman League Division One North
There have been no further meetings about the Queen Elizabeth Stadium during the last week, although we have been discussing with the Local Authority the various community initiatives that may be possible once we are in situ. Next week we shall again be attending Middlesex County F A for a meeting with the Football Foundation and The F A. This meeting will focus on the football development outcomes of the wider project. As previously reported, this project is far larger than simply providing us with a stadium of our own. Our youth teams and the Ladies Club will all benefit significantly and our own Club development plan will form part of the overall strategy for the site.
There are also scheduled to be meetings of the Conservation & Heritage Group and the Planning Group both of which we will attend.
On Thursday evening, some of the Board met in central London to go through where we are with all the items we need to address and to allocate tasks so as to facilitate our being able to hit the mid July date when the joint London Borough of Enfield/Enfield Town F C bid will be made to the Football Foundation.
Our quest for signed items from Premiership Clubs is bearing some fruit. We have received signed items from Manchester City, Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion. Items have been promised from Newcastle United and The FA so that should provide some grist for Dave Hicks money making mill.
During the close season we have the Presentation Night to look forward to on May 22nd, when Mr Hicks may be raffling off one or two of the signed items we have received.
It is not planned to hold any other events during the short summer break but you can continue to help by saving £1 a week for the Town. If we assume the close season is twelve weeks and 100 of us put just that small amount to one side each week we will raise another £1,200 towards our target.
We have contacted four Premiership Clubs seeking a pre-season fund raising friendly. These are Arsenal, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Whilst we would not think for one moment that we would be so fortunate as to achieve a game against their first team, it is to be hoped that at least one of these Clubs will come back to us with a positive answer so that we might look forward to seeing some very fine young players up against the Town next July.
With a cheque for £250 due to be put into the Fund today the total raised is now £3,000.
If you have any ideas about fund raising schemes, or if you know of a company or individual who may be able to assist the Club then please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating this aspect of the project.
You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
11th April 2009
Enfield Town vs Tilbury
Ryman League Division One North
There has been a couple of weeks break between meetings but the Queen Elizabeth Stadium Project Board met again on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Council Officers, Ray Gibbins from the Enfield Athletics Partnership, John Hall from the Friends of Enfield Playing Fields and, of course, ourselves.
We went through the project plan. The first key date we must hit is mid July when the joint London Borough of Enfield/Enfield Town F C bid will be made to the Football Foundation. A great deal of work will have to take place between now and then to draw together our case but we are all confident that this can be done. We also went through the proposed layout of the site and reviewed the Risk Register. This latter document tries to identify everything that could possibly go wrong and lists the contingency plans that could be put in place.
The security of the site is a concern to us all. There has been much discussion about the Crittall windows that form one of the key architectural features of the listed building but unfortunately present a possible security weak point. The Council has now found some money to put in place a CCTV system, shortly to be installed, that will go a long way towards protecting the building from vandal attack.
We are fortunate to be working with a very professional group of people who are as determined as we are to make this project work to the benefit of all concerned.
I make no apologies for returning to the subject of money because our ability to raise a large sum is crucial to the successful outcome of our efforts. We are, so far, paying our way. The professional fee due to the Agronomist that drew up the pitch feasibility study, almost £700, has been paid in full and we have money in the bank but there is a long way to go in order to reach our target figure of £50,000.
Fund raising ideas, both large and small, are being launched to a calendar set out by Dave Hicks. Please watch out for these and give them all the support you can. In addition, we have been gathering signed memorabilia to sell. We have received signed photographs from Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Everton and a signed shirt from West Bromwich Albion. We have also been promised signed shirts or pennants from Newcastle United and England. Finally, we have approached Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Fulham about a fund raising friendly. We await their various responses.
If you have any ideas about fund raising schemes, or if you know of a company or individual who may be able to assist the Club then please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating this aspect of the project.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
28th March 2009
Enfield Town vs Potters Bar Town
Ryman League Division One North
On Wednesday evening we held a Supporters Meeting at which, among other things, we were able to bring people up to date with our progress so far on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium project. For those of you who were unable to attend here is a summary:
The project is a much bigger scheme than just simply a stadium. It involves the renovation of facilities at the playing fields, an upgrade to one of the two artificial pitches close to the site of the former Enfield F C; new facilities for Enfield Ignatians RUFC; a new track and ancillary facilities for the Enfield Athletics Partnership and of course a home for us.
The first thing we have had to do is build good relations with Local Authority officers, Enfield Ignatians RUFC, the Enfield Athletics Partnership and the Friends of Enfield Playing Fields. This has been achieved.
Each of the parties involved wants something from the project. The London Borough of Enfield wants a sports hub for the Borough; Enfield Ignatians RUFC want a floodlit training facility; Enfield Athletics Partnership wants a venue for school sports and a place where members of the public can turn up to jog. We, of course, want our own home with all the benefits that will accrue from that.
We have had to engage with other interested bodies such as English Heritage, the Football Foundation, the Middlesex County Football Association and The Football Association.
We have had to understand the agenda of English Heritage, which is to protect the integrity of the main structure at the stadium, a Grade II listed building. This has the potential to be a difficulty, since it could impact on our desire to build a stadium suitable for the higher reaches of the non-league game. However, recent discussions with English Heritage have given us comfort that our objectives can be achieved both now and in the future.
The Football Foundation seems keen to invest in what is probably, after Hackney Marshes, the biggest football site in Greater London. The Football Association identified King George V Playing Fields as a prime site for development in their Greater London Facilities Strategy as long ago as 2003. The Middlesex County F A is keen to see investment made in the east of their County.
A main project board has been set up and a number of teams are working on different aspects of the project. These are Conservation & Heritage, Finance & Procurement, Design, Planning, Marketing & Communication, the Legal aspects and the operation of the stadium. We have a seat on all of these teams and on the Project Board.
We have all agreed on a number of issues
- The running track will have six lanes
- The situation of our dressing room complex
- The project management of the whole scheme through the London Borough of Enfield
- That it will be better if the London Borough of Enfield tender the whole scheme.
A feasibility study has been completed on the pitch. This has shown that we will inherit a potentially very good pitch but that the cost of bringing it up to standard will be about £45,000. The Football Foundation has confirmed in writing that they will part fund this element of the scheme. A feasibility study has also been completed on the bar/cafe. I am told that a second feasibility study on this area and one on the lighting for the pitch have been completed but I have yet to see them.
There has been an initial meeting of the Design Team and the architect is now putting together the various layout ideas that were discussed.
There are ongoing discussions with the Football Foundation and The F A about the stadium and the wider project.
Finally, we have been given a first draft of the Heads of Terms for a Lease and will shortly embark on negotiation of the detail.
There are of course many difficulties ahead, the greatest of which will be finding the money!
If you have any ideas about fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
10th March 2009
Enfield Town vs Concord Rangers
Ryman League Division One North
I can't honestly say that much has happened since I wrote in last Saturday's programme so I thought I would focus on the things that are happening over the next month.
- We expect to have our pitch consultant's report. This will include a condition survey of the existing surface; a specification of the work that needs to be carried out and a professional estimate of costs. This will enable us to go out to the contractors in due course.
- We expect to have our lighting consultant's report. This will include a feasibility study of how best to light the pitch at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, a specification and a professional estimate of costs. This too will enable us to go out to contractors in due course.
- Next Tuesday, together with Officers of the London Borough of Enfield, we will attend a meeting with the Football Association, Middx County F A and the Football Foundation to discuss progress on the project. A particular focus of this meeting will be around the time frame of the scheme and whether a funding bid for the whole scheme can be considered or whether it should be phased.
- Next Wednesday we will attend a meeting of the Conservation & Heritage Group. As previously reported, we have some concerns about the position that English Heritage may take on the proposed development of the stadium, now and in the future. This, then, is a very important meeting and you may rest assured that we will be putting our case as forcefully as we can. It is vital that we are able to develop a stadium for our needs now and ensure that or successors on the Board will have a clear path when future developments are planned at the site.
- This will be followed on the same day by a Planning Team meeting. At this we will have an opportunity to discuss our requirements for the stadium and gain an understanding of any difficulties we are likely to face.
- On 24th March we will be attending a Design Team Meeting. This is where the architect will attempt to draw together the various strands of the stadium redevelopment (i.e. athletics, football and the listed building) into a cohesive design for the site. We have already given the architect a list of our requirements so these should be built into the concept. Obviously, any design at this stage will be put forward simply as a focus for discussion. It is our job to make sure our requirements are embedded in the plans.
Here at the Club there an exciting event coming up this Friday evening, the profits from which will go towards the stadium development fund.
The much anticipated "Evening with Eddie & Ted" commences at 8pm in the Lounge Bar. It should be a wonderful evening of nostalgia for those of us who were there and a history lesson for those of us who weren't. Tickets are just £10, available now from Dave "The Merchandise Messiah" Hicks in the Club Shop. One or two E's favourites of yesteryear have indicated they will be attending. Every penny raised will, I assure you, go into the Stadium Fund.
If you have any ideas about other fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
7th March 2009
Enfield Town vs Witham Town
Ryman League Division One North
The last report I gave you on progress was published in the programme for the home game on 21st February. There has been further activity since then:
- A pitch consultant visited the site on 23rd February. During his inspection he took core samples of the soil down to about a metre and a half. He said he was very impressed with the depth and quality of the top soil. He will be making a recommendation about a particular type of grass seed that he thinks will suit the site but seemed sure that we will have an excellent pitch at a relatively modest cost. We await his report.
- Our lighting consultant is continuing work on the feasibility study to establish how best to floodlight the playing pitch. His early thoughts were that we would be able to utilise the existing pylons but further work has revealed that this is not now the case. We expect his full report shortly.
- We attended a meeting of the main Project Group at the Stadium on Wednesday. This was a very useful meeting during which we discussed the method of working; the risks that might prevent the successful completion of the project; the timescale for the many elements of the work; the security of the site; the running track and the Heads of Terms for our Lease. There have been two significant steps forward for us:
- It was finally agreed, after objections from the Friends of Enfield Playing Fields that the running track would reduce from its present eight lanes to six.
- It was agreed that the London Borough of Enfield would project manage the complete works through their Property Services Division. This will ensure all the various elements dovetail together and is a saving to us in that it will reduce our professional fees. It is also the case that if the Council let one contract for the complete job there may be economies of scale that will reduce our overall costs.
It would be wrong of us though not to flag up a potential difficulty. As you know the main structure at the stadium is a Grade II listed building. This means that English Heritage has a duty to protect the integrity of the building and its cartilage. It is believed the cartilage includes the running track. This means that English Heritage will have a say as to the positioning and appearance of our stands, how much advertising will be allowed in the ground and possibly other, as yet undefined, issues. We have invited a representative of English Heritage to come to Goldsdown Road to look at our stands in order to gain a better idea of what is intended. English Heritage has told us that they have worked successfully with Arsenal F C and Fulham F C but nevertheless we have registered our concern about this aspect with the Council.
Our Fund now stands at £1,150. This sum has been raised by sales at the Club Shop, scratch cards and donations from supporters. If you feel able to make a donation then any cheque should be made payable to the "Enfield Town F C Ground Fund" and can be given to Dave Hicks or any Director. One easy way of making a small contribution is by saving your small change and placing it in the bucket on the counter in the Club Shop. You can be certain that every penny you give will go towards our new home.
Tickets are now on sale from the Club Shop for the "Evening with Ted Hardy & Eddie McCluskey" which will be staged in the Lounge Bar on Friday 13th March. The former Enfield F C goalkeeper Terry Moore is amongst those who have purchased a ticket. Just £10 gets you through the door for what should be an interesting evening in the company of old friends.
This is to be followed by a Quiz Night on Friday 27th March. I'll give more details on that in next Tuesday's programme.
If you have any ideas about other fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
21st February 2009
Enfield Town vs Waltham Forest
Ryman League Division One North
The last report I gave you on progress was published in the programme for the home game on 31st January. There has been further activity since then:
- We met with Council Officers to discuss the financial aspects of the development
- The Council has set out a programme showing how the project will be managed
- We attended a Conservation and Heritage Group meeting to gain an understanding of the issues particular to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium because of the listed building status of the main structure. We were able to put our position directly to a representative of English Heritage, the architect and other Council officers.
- A pitch consultant has been engaged to produce a feasibility study and specification for the pitch. This appointment has been brought forward and he will now visit the site next Monday.
- Our lighting consultant is continuing work on the feasibility study to establish how best to floodlight the playing pitch.
In general terms we are edging forward on understanding the costs of the various elements of what is a complicated development with its three major strands of
- Renovating the main building
- Laying a suitable athletics track
- Developing a new football stadium
We are, at all times, working to ensure that supporters will be able to view games as close to the action as possible.
Turning to the money, it is pleasing to report that our Fund now stands at £1,090. This sum has been raised by sales at the Club Shop, scratch cards and donations from supporters. If you feel able to make a donation then any cheque should be made payable to the "Enfield Town F C Ground Fund" and can be given to Dave Hicks or any Director. One easy way of making a small contribution is by saving your small change and placing it in the bucket on the counter in the Club Shop. You can be certain that every penny you give will go towards our new home.
Tickets are now on sale from the Club Shop for the "Evening with Ted Hardy & Eddie McCluskey" which will be staged in the Lounge Bar on Friday 13th March. The former Enfield F C goalkeeper Terry Moore is amongst those who have purchased a ticket. Just £10 gets you through the door for what should be an interesting evening in the company of old friends.
If you have any ideas about other fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
31st January 2009
Enfield Town vs Wingate & Finchley
Ryman League Division One North
Work continues apace on the Queen Elizabeth Stadium development. Since our last home game on 17th January I can report that
- Our meeting with the company that has shown an interest in the project went well and they have offered us assistance in all sorts of ways
- Two companies have been consulted on how best to refurbish and configure the upper floor of the main building and we now await their professional estimate of costs
- With Council Officers we attended a meeting with the Middx County Football Association, The F A and the Football Foundation at which our plans were further outlined and timescales discussed. The Council Officers are looking in more detail at the timescales involved.
- We met with Council Officers and their consultant architect to discuss and begin to configure the dressing room and toilet areas on the ground floor. We set out our requirements in terms of what we need to operate at our current level and above.
- We met with the Athletics Group, Friends of Enfield Playing Fields and Council Officers to discuss a number of matters including the Football Foundation bid, proposals for the lease and athletics track usage. This was a useful meeting as all parties gained a fuller understanding of the issues central to the project
- A lighting consultant visited the stadium on Thursday and will produce a feasibility study of how best to light our pitch.
- A pitch consultant has been engaged to produce a feasibility study and specification for the pitch. He will visit the site in early March
The Fund now stands at £700. This sum has been raised by sale of the ETFC Calendar, scratch cards and donations from supporters. If you feel able to make a donation then any cheque should be made payable to the "Enfield Town F C Ground Fund" and can be given to Dave Hicks or any Director. Every penny will go towards the development of our new home. One easy way of making a small contribution is by saving your small change and placing it in the bucket on the counter in the Club Shop. You can be certain that every penny you give will go towards our new home.
Tickets are now on sale from the Club Shop for the "Evening with Ted Hardy & Eddie McCluskey" which will be staged in the Lounge Bar on Friday 13th February. These are priced at just £10 and are selling very well. Make sure you are there for what should be a highly entertaining evening with two living legends of the non-league game.
If you have any ideas about other fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
It is worth repeating that we can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
15th January 2009
Enfield Town vs Northwood
Ryman League Division One North
At the last home game we launched our fund for the development of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. The fund got off to a flying start with the presentation of a cheque from the Supporters Club. It had originally been planned to make a donation of £300 but such was the support for the ETFC Calendar that was on sale that day, this sum was increased to £500. Copies of the calendar are still available from the Club Shop and at just £5 are excellent value for money.
The Fund has been further boosted by a number of donations from supporters and I know Dave Hicks will shortly be giving a further cheque to the fund.
If you feel able to make a donation then any cheque should be made payable to the "Enfield Town F C Ground Fund" and can be given to Dave Hicks or any Director. Every penny will go towards the development of our new home.
Over the next 18 months there will be fund raisers, large and small, which will be introduced to a timetable as the weeks go by, one of which will be an "Evening with Ted Hardy & Eddie McCluskey", tickets for which will soon go on sale.
If you have any ideas about other fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave Hicks, who is co-ordinating activities.
As well as these individual fund raising projects, running throughout will be the sale of scratch cards. These will hopefully bring in a regular income to the Fund. You can help by purchasing these yourself or by selling them to friends, family and work colleagues. Again, every penny will go into the Fund.
Now that the Christmas and New Year break is behind us, work on the project is beginning in earnest. Recent progress is as follows:
- We are awaiting a date from a lighting consultant for a site visit from which a feasibility study of how best to light the stadium will be produced.
- Meetings have been arranged with two companies to examine how best to refurbish the upper floor of the main building and create a cafe/bar.
- With the Council, we have met The F A and the Football Foundation to explain the project to them and seek their support. This was a very helpful meeting as, although these two bodies had previously been made aware of the project it was the first time their representatives had been to the site. They gave us some useful advice and we will of course have further meetings with them as the project moves forward.
- We are shortly to meet with a company that has shown interest in the project.
The Core Project Team of Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright and I are dedicating as much time as possible to the project. We are fortunate in having such a formidable fund raiser as Dave Hicks on board. The members of the Fund Raising Committee and others are already making a significant contribution to the scheme.
We can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
I'll give you a further update in next Saturday's programme.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
16th December 2008
Enfield Town vs Brimsdown Rovers
Friendly
If all goes to plan we will, in 18 months time, be taking up residence at our own ground, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Discussions continue with the Local Authority and recently a joint visit was made to look at Melbourne Park where Chelmsford City F C has been operating successfully in a similar facility.
Much of the work to modernise and modify the Queen Elizabeth Stadium will be funded and carried out by Enfield Council but we must play our part in finding a significant sum to put in place the facilities we need.
The Board has set up a Project Team led by Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright and myself, and we are concentrating our efforts on ensuring the successful development of our new home.
We have had a preliminary discussion with the Football Stadium Improvement Fund and a representative of that body has been asked to attend a meeting at our new stadium as soon as is practicable. You may remember that both ourselves and Brimsdown Rovers F C made successful applications to this fund in order to develop our shared home and there is every reason to believe that this body will again grant our application for support.
We cannot though, simply rely on others to pay for what we need and today we launch our own fund to raise a targeted figure of £50,000 towards the cost of our new ground.
A separate Bank Account has been set up and the Supporters Club will present a cheque to the Club today in order to start the fund off.
Dave Hicks has presented to the Board a programme of fund raising events that will give everyone an ample chance to assist with costs and hopefully have some fun along the way.
There will be fund raisers, large and small, ranging from scratch cards to a planned auction of signed memorabilia, to a chance to play in a game with members of our first team squad, a sponsor a brick scheme and many other activities, too numerous to mention here, but which will be introduced to a timetable as the months go by. If you have any ideas about fund raising schemes please have a chat with Dave, who is co-ordinating activities.
We will, of course, also welcome donations to the fund, from individuals, groups or businesses. These can be given to Dave Hicks in his emporium on any home match day, to me or indeed to any other Director. Any amount, large or small, will be warmly received and aid the progress of our Club.
Raising money is always hard work and we recognise that the current national financial situation will not make our task any easier. Nevertheless we are determined to do all we can to raise sufficient funds within the timescale to which we are currently working.
Turning to some of the specifics, the first item of expenditure we need to incur is for a feasibility study to ascertain how best to light the pitch at the stadium. This must be carried out before we go out to tender on the floodlighting system so that each contractor can give a comparable quote.
On the pitch itself, we will be obtaining some free initial advice from the Ryman League's preferred ground works supplier, Bourne Amenity Ltd. Our new neighbours Enfield Ignatians RUFC, currently use the in-field for training but will move off after a social event in early June, giving us a full year to work on the surface.
We can't get very far with any of this without your assistance. You can help by:
- Selling scratch cards to friends, colleagues and family
- Supporting all the various fund raising events as they occur
- Making a one off or regular donation to the fund
- Offering your time and expertise to assist on the project
- Giving us any ideas you may have for fund raising etc.
Please seek out Dave Hicks, Paul Millington, Frank Cartwright, myself or any other Director if you feel able to help in any way.
We will keep you regularly informed of progress through the programme and on the Website and hope that as individuals you will support the project as much as you are able.
Up The Town!
Roger Reed
7th December 2008
Queen Elizabeth Stadium Update
originally published on the web site
Steady progress is being made with the plans for the new stadium. A meeting was held on Friday (5th December) with Council officials and Athletics representatives present. We have already put to the council the club's intentions to achieve a "B" graded ground that will be suitable for Conference South football. The target is for the first game to take place at the start of the 2010/11 season. Our proposals include:
- A long year lease to be held in the name of the Society. The repairing obligations on this lease to be restricted to parts of the site exclusively used by ETFC.
- The top floor of the building will be run by ETFC. It is intended that this will house a bar/ cafeteria that will not only be open on match days but at weekends and other times when there are activities taking place at the stadium or on the playing fields. We are currently obtaining quotes to renovate this area and hope to open this facility as soon as is practical giving consideration to other works taking place. The existing seating area will need to be realigned and seats replaced but we believe it is sufficient to provide the 250 seats needed at grade "B" We have also asked for disabled access to be provided.
- The lower part of the building to house changing rooms for teams plus officials, medical room, laundry room, Board room, and an office. The remaining dressing rooms will be renovated for those using the playing fields.
- Outside area – the plan shows stands directly behind each goal. This has been agreed with both the council and athletics representatives. It is expected that the current covered standing area at Goldsdown Road will be moved to the site and a further similar structure purchased.
It is the council's intention that the athletics track will be reduced to 6 lanes this being the requirement for schools athletics. There will be no in-field athletics events. The floodlights will be housed inside the track. It is expected that the existing floodlighting will be retained for emergency lighting /spectator safety.
The main issue that arose from the members meetings was the distance between the main building and the proposed pitch area. We have asked the council to consider moving the track nearer the main building to bring seated spectators closer to the action. The council have taken this on board and are looking into whether it is feasible to move the track.
The issue of access will be handled by the council.
As regards the costings we consider to provide the grade "B" stadium will cost approx £200,000. We are aware of funding available from the Football Stadium Improvement Fund but will need to raise approx £50,000. We are confident this can be achieved and a number of fund raising activities will be advertised shortly. The council are putting £1.2m into the project. £500,000 is the estimated cost for replacing the track and the remainder will go towards renovating the building. Additionally the council will be looking for funding from the Football Foundation to assist with improving the changing areas in the lower floor.
The next stage is for the council to provide us with a Heads of Agreement and we expect to receive this and hear the result of the study to possibly move the track in the new year.
As mentioned during recent meetings if you have any questions about the project or any suggestions to make please do not hesitate to contact the club or even better speak to a director at a game.
Paul Millington
Chair
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