I wonder what our new board of directors think about the future of the Pilot Field? The main stand is going to be increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. Is there any possibility of some meaningful discussions with Hastings BC about finding a new home for Hastings United using the proceeds of selling the Pilot Field and the Firs. This is, of course, assuming that our local council wants the best for its main football club.
A potential move was mooted a few years ago; but as Tim implies the attitude of the Council is crucial. As I understand it - purely from what was said when the issue arose in the past - we have only a tenants' repairing lease at commercial rent on the Pilot Field with no legal interest at all in the Firs (the Council holding the freehold of both). I believe the Council rejected the suggestion that they were under any obligation to use any proceeds of the Firs for the benefit of a new ground for the club.
The value of both properties depends largely on what development might be permitted, but I do not believe that we could surrender our lease on Pilot Field and expect to receive anything like enough to fund a new ground. We would need funds from elsewhere and the active involvement of other bodies.
The Council holds all the aces. Maybe, in the mid-term, a better relationship with Council and other bodies might allow us to be part of a potential community scheme which would give us the use of and a share in a new stadium which could provide facilities primarily for football (at all levels) but also for other sports and events. Goodness knows, such a facility is urgently needed in our town; but I'm not holding my breath!
As Tim has correctly eluded to, the stand at The Pilot Field has a constant list of things to repair and expensive to maintain, you should see the amount of work that has to be done souring the summer, lengthy is an understatement. The lack of facilities in the town is high on the list of The FA if not at the top. There was a meeting between the club and council last season to see if there was a possibility of developing the ground At The Firs for training facilities, not just for the club but the community as a whole, the council didn't apose the idea however were adiment that there would be no funding for the project and indeed stated that they would insist on a full going rate be paid for rent, all this despite the fact The Firs lays in a derelict state and is fit for no purpose at all. I wouldn't walk my dog there let alone let kids play on it as it stands.
From what I'm led to believe there is a clause in the lease in favour of St Leonard's Stamcroft that if the ground is sold then they will receive a percentage of any such proceeds reducing yearly for a period of 20 years, I think there is still 8 years left to run on the clause although that may be more or less. My personal opinion is that until that clause has run its course I can't see HBC selling The Firs.
Even Stan Collimore tweeted about the disgusting state of The Firs a few months ago, in this day and age where so much emphasis is being put on child obesity you'd think that the council would at least encourage the promotion of a facility where the community would benefit by giving a bit to help get this off the ground instead of trying to grab every penny it can for a piece of land that has been left abandoned and useless for years.
Barrie: regarding your comment about the clause in the lease of The Firs in favour of St. Leonard's Stamcroft; do you know whether that would be of any benefit to the present HUFC company?
Thanks Barrie. So the club would likely have no leverage with HBC on that score.
Obviously the immediate priority for us all is to get back to the Ryman Premier; but the ground issue is going to become increasingly important with the heavy maintenance costs we have shoulder; and the need, if we are ever to progress further, to have more community involvement in better facilities. Hopefully then, the new Board will be drawing up a strategy to involve interested and sympathetic other parties in how to take matters forward. Perhaps the first major decision - for the Club alone - is whether our longer term future can possibly be at a revamped Pilot Field or whether it is essential, sooner or later, to move on.
If the council were interested in working with Hastings United, there is so much potential for developing a site like Bulverhythe into a football centre. 3G pitch alongside a new ground plus parking space.
think this was idea few years ago but council said no cos why should they build home for a private business company. not sure what change even if owner different club is still a company and with not even 1% of town people going to pilot field think council take a big risk if they help. but as fan think they should as pilot field is so old but i would like see it improved. Bulverhythe would be joke can imagine getting there on a saturday afternoon taking 45 minutes from town with shopping centre down road and very bad busses. pitches there always flood already when it rains a lot. like idea of oval, close to town 2 rail stations close and most of site is derelict with old bowls and tennis courts. but pilot field is home and why not just new stand in front of old one the rest is ok.
Well if I was going to help Hastings, council should sell pilot field for housing development, then build a new stadium on one of the existing pitches in the town, a 3000 capacity ground, a 3g pitch, and a ground share with the rugby club. Radical yes but a way forward.
I have always understood that a council, by its very nature does not, and can not, OWN any property or land (this includes the Roadways), all a council does is hold it "in trust" for the people of the borough. And by the way of rates levied, maintain the said property or land (and roads). So the way I see things we need to get the people of hasting behind the club if we ever want to see a new stand or even a new ground. if we can get enough people to support Hastings United as a club, the council by its own statutes has to listen.
And yes .... before anyone comments, I know the council don't maintain the pilot field, due to the full repairing lease that was signed. (a clause the council used to wash their hands of their responsibility to maintain a property they hold in trust for the people of this town)
