Hi, have often looked at this forum and see quite a lot of games living behind the ground. A few weeks ago I and some other neighbours noticed lots of drilling and we believe that the club is looking at moving from the Pilot Field. Does anyone know anything? Have not seen anything in a programme.
Also the website shows the owners of significant interest as David Ormerod and David nessling but looking at information on companies house the 2 largest share holders are Ormerod and a company called Bohemia hastings whose owners are 2 people called burney and sherlock. These names ring a bell and look like 2 of our sponsors.
I'm concerned as a resident as i would not want the club leaving this part of town. Other neighbours are equally concerned as with the development at the top of Elphinstone rd. But also the club appear to be hiding who the actual owners are as have only ever seen news of Ormerod buying shares and not nessling or Bohemia hastings.
Hopefully this is all above board but does look as if the joint largest share holder is a property company which maybe is trying to win the council over with waving money at them.
Not sure if anyone knows anything different or if the drilling we saw is for other reasons like building a new stand at the ground?
We know the club has been looking to move for years, but dw and the council fell out, but perhaps the new owners will get on with the council, and its possible that an alternative site may have been identified. Whatever the future we either need a new ground or substancial investment at the PF.
If it helps StHelens, I've known Messrs Ormerod and Nessling for over 40 years and they are not the sort to get involved in anything underhand. They are solid, dependabIe and honest football people, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Chris B is right - we need to move/improve and that proved to be impossible under the previous ownership. Any drilling is probably to shore up the stand before it falls down!?
Good to know some neighbours appreciate the club being there as most seem happy to constantly complain about noise, parking, floodlights, crowds etc. Probably the main reason why the club can't redevelop the existing site building a 3G training pitch where the firs was for a made up example. Ironic when the clubs been there a longer than they have.
Seriously though if I was on Hastings council I would be looking to identify a site and build a municipal stadium for the town, one that has athletics, rugby and football on a good 3g pitch. If that means it being financed by a property development on the PF so be it, I know its not what the majority would want, but its best for the town and sport in the town. We have to be realistic the main stand at the PF is falling down and it needs replacing, and who would finance that.
The bottom line is the club needs to either move on to a better site with better transport connections etc or massively redevelop the Pilot Field to become sustainable in the future. If that main stand fails it's safety cert inspection at any point then that's a unaffordable expense to correct. I would prefer to retain the grass pitch for first team games alongside a 3G pitch which can be used for training, rugby, community use etc but sites that would fit both in may not exist in the locations that would improve the clubs viability to attract fans etc. But the main fact is the club can't stand still as we will have no club as we know it at all in all likelyhood if the situation stagnates.
Would you be happy if the club was able to thoroughly redevelope the existing site though St Helens?
This would be good for the town to build a new stadium for football and rugby. Something needs to be done soon be good if Dave went over to Hastings and Bexhill rugby club and sit down and put his ideas to them and they do the same then both clubs could go to the council and try and sort something out.
Thank you for the replies.
Overtyehill, no disrespect but if they are not the sort to do anything underhand why has one sold half the shares he bought to a property company and this has never been an item of news or listed as an owner of significant interest when Nessling who has far fewer shares is listed? I'm sorry but that is blatantly keeping supporters in the dark. Surely we have a right to know who owns the club?
Dan, you say neighbours constantly complain about the noise!? That is news to me and I don't know any that have complained. Every so often on big games sometimes people Park across our drives but apart from that don't think anyone has a problem with living next door to the club. As you say when we bought we knew the score(pardon the pun). If the club were able to redevelop the current site and the derelict Firs I think most locals would be happy.you say a stadium is needed with better transport links. Well the club ought to move to another town then!
Of course the stadium needs an upgrade. I'm not stupid that it has seen better days but with the firs and the Pilot Field there is plenty of land for a first class facility.
My recollection is that the future of Pilot Field was raised at the last supporters' forum, hosted by Dave Ormerod in the clubhouse, shortly after the change of ownership. Dave Nessling said there were plans which were developing; but he said there were various sensitivities and he requested that the Board should not be pressed, or speculation entered into, at that stage. That, I think has been respected; but perhaps it is now time for the Board to at the least give an indication of its aspirations.
For my part, I'm with Chris: that to grow as we all wish, the club and the town need a new major multi-sport facility - a genuine 'community stadium'. Let's hope all of us can come together to help that become a reality.
Hello Chris. My information is correct as a neighbour has access to companies house website and was curious so wanted to know how the club was set up. The 2 largest shareholders are David Ormerod who owns 41474 and Bohemia Hastings LLP who also owns 41474 shares. Bohemia Hastings are registered in Chigwell Essex and as I said in previous post the 2 partners are Burney and Sherlock. It worries me as a supporter and a resident especially as the directors have withheld this information from supporters.
I think I saw a while ago on here that some of the current directors got the club into a lot of debt previously and on top of the current ownership issues I think a lot of questions need asking especially why a property company in Essex is interested in a football club at our level.
I'm not really sure what your motives are, StHelens. I assume you are worried about the PF being sold for development and 150 houses being built on your doorstep. That would be fun. Unless I am wrong, you don't appear to have made many appearances at the PF over the years, so quite why you and your neighbour are so interested in who owns what is a mystery. Why don't you contact the club yourself and ask them?
Also, why are you concerned about historic debt that accrued many years ago in different circumstances? How does that affect you now? I can only think that you have some sort of ulterior motive or be some sort of closet fan of the previous regime who has come back to haunt us.
As I say, why not phone Dave Ormerod and ask him, rather than coming on here, out of the blue, appearing to question what the club is doing to recover, rebuild and move forward. If it wasn't for the current board, willing volunteers and loyal fans we have, we would not have a club at all.
Strange response oth unless you know something we don't, think sthelens posts have been enlightening and should be off concern for us all, and local residents alike. I am not for one minute questioning owners and their intentions to progress the club. BUT things change and even the best plans don't always go as hoped. We only have too look at Horsham and Maidstone who in recent years have sold grounds and struggled. So come on HUFC board tell the fans of the club what is going on.
Hello overthehill. Should I not be concerned then that 150 houses are being built on my doorstep? Not sure where in Hastings you live but I am sure you would be concerned or have an interest in such a development. As I am a supporter too I have concerns on 2 fronts. You question how many games I have seen. Not sure what that has got to do with it. But for your information I have seen all the league games except Chipstead, Worthing and Folkestone and I have been watching games for many years since being a neighbour and before.
I have no connection with the club other than a supporter but you appear to know a lot so presumably you do and are fighting your corner.
As to asking questions I believe all supporters and residents have a right to know what is going on rather than being kept in the dark and am quite happy to email my concerns to the club but all I will be doing is repeating what I have put here.
The bottom line is that the Club DO NOT own the Ground Hastings Council do. Only they can build houses on the site but to do so the Club would have to either give up the lease or be forced out or provided with a new home.
I can not see that it matters if a property developer owns shares in the club.
I think Sthelens question would be better directed towards Hastings Borough Council or his ward Counsellor. !
I would like to say maybe romantically than with a clear and sensible head is that I hope we don't move.
Before I moved to Hastings I was a Reading FC supporter as I was born there. I am Hastings through and through as I live here. They are my club and I believe the Frank Skinner method of support - ( take a ruler and a map...your nearest club is YOUR club, his being WBA ).
I went through all the good and mostly hard times of lower league football with Reading at Elm Park, a crumbling old ground which I adored through the 80's and 90's etc....stood on the south bank through rain and snow , it was cold, out dated, falling down, smelt of wee as the toliets normally trickled down the stand...but it was mine!!...my home ...the stand's leaned so the seats did not go down, the away end and Tilehurst end was exposed, the south bank surrounded in barbed wire and still I loved it...no fancy catering, no bars, just burgers and a bovril
Mr Madjeski built us a lovely out of town super stadium ,with a fancy hotel, bars, clubs, restuarants, childrens crèches and all that which is amazing but never the same. The first day I went , I think most of us had a tear in our eye, or cried as football had changed. It became a home to the prawn salad Marks and Spencers brigade sitting next to us, quoting 'how amazing are we' although they never had attended before. In a way I am glad football has changed from the 'bad' old days of fighting on the terraces and it has become family friendly..that's great...but don't wish for what you don't want as I feel it will never be the Hastings that I lovingly fell into on my first game on moving here on boxing day 2006. re devolping is expensive I expect they would go to Queensway area..but look at Eastbourne Borough or Dartford......nice out of town grounds but boring!!!...
The main stand could do with a broom down the aisles , it ain't the prettiest ground but its mine and I am dead proud. Football has being stained by premiership money, there is still a bit of the old days in non league and I hope it never changes.
West Ham fans with all the nonsense of the move to the Olympic stadium will soon realise what they have lost.. all that tradition for a ground that's not theirs and really a bit of a white elephant
Fair response StHelens. Although I don't know any more than you do, I do feel a sense of duty to defend people that I have known and respected for over 40 years, and people who effectively rescued the club, that I have followed for about the same length of time, from total oblivion. You're right, I wouldn't want houses built on my front doorstep, but I suspect that that decision to build would be made by the council when they sell the land and, I suppose, relocate the football club. I think that's probably a long way off. Either way, something has to happen before the main stand ends up in someone's back garden.
Looks to me like the club has already decided to relocate why else would a property developer be so interested in owning the club.
Don't get me wrong I have no problem with any of this as long as the timeline or something similar is stuck to.
1) Get council fully on board
2) Identify new site
3) Acquire new site
4) Planning permission fully obtained
5) New stadium built
6) Go into new stadium.
7) Pilot Field redeveloped.
If done in that order that I see no problem and a far brighter future.
However, if 7) goes before any of the above we need to be very aware of potential consequences.
Regarding Chris B's comments above: As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I had the distinct impression from what was said at the last supporters' forum at the clubhouse that the club were, at the least, actively considering their options regarding a potential move from Pilot Field. If that was a misconception on my part, it would be helpful if someone would correct me.
As Roy says above, and as it has been said in the past on this forum, the Council owns the freehold of Pilot Field; the club has a lease. The club have no direct interest in the Firs. Nothing can happen without the full involvement and active participation of the Council. (I'm very glad that that is so.) So Roy is right; those whose primary concern arise from their being neighbours of the club should perhaps best direct their queries to the Council and its elected representatives.
As for those of us whose main concern is the future of the club; then, of course, the club like any business needs to conduct some of its affairs with confidentiality. But - as has been aired so many times on this forum - the club is more than a business. Those running it have a responsibility to the supporters present and future and to the wider town.
Like Chris Van Rock (above) I have always supported my local club. Three of those clubs I supported (Guildford City, Wimbledon, and Kingstonian) got into acute difficulty primarily (in my view) as a result of ground sales / attempted moves / etc. Chris B is absolutely right the dangers cannot be over-emphasised of a move which goes wrong. Guildford City have all but disappeared for a generation, Wimbledon's position is well known and Kingstonian's future as tenants in a ground they once owned is problematic at best.
So, I hope that those who have control of the club will act with caution and prudence; indicate their intentions as soon as they are able; and draw on the collective wisdom of those who wish to be involved.
Just seen that Beaulieu Homes (Southern ) have just applied for outline planning permission for 70 homes and garages etc on the derelict Sidley Sports ground. Another very sad story of a local club who has not survived and what now looks like a final loss to the community of a sporting venue.
Been told that local residents have been advised that the Pilot Field and The Firs are being sold for £7million and a new sports ground will be developed outside of Hastings for £4million. This has come from a couple of sources, anyone else heard this?
I heard the same rumour back in April and was told all would be revealed after the local elections in May . Silence has been golden for me . Don't really fancy home games at Bulverhythe. Knowing this council that's where they will put us ,if they put us anywhere of course . It's not the first time this sort of thing has been rumoured over the years either .We'll see !!
