Oldham RL 'surrenders' ground lease

Photo: Paul Sterritt

Oldham Roughyeds chairman, Chris Hamilton.

OLDHAM RL has surrendered the lease of its ground to the owners, Oldham Council ­- who it is reported to owe £70,000.

The rugby league club have not paid any rent on the Whitebank Stadium in Limeside for the majority of the season and gave up its lease to Oldham Council, according to reports.

However, the club insists the move to give up the lease is part of a plan to develop facilities on the site and confirmed a planning application for the ground is set to be submitted.

Leaked

The council spent £100,000 in 2011 acquiring the land to secure the use of the stadium for rugby league but following their promotion to the Championship, the club currently plays at Stalybridge Celtic's Bower Fold as Whitebank failed to meet the minimum standards for second-tier rugby.

The news comes following a leaked town hall report which stated that the club had continually failed to meet rent obligations to the council.

It said: "While the club has been successful in securing promotion to the Championship, it has continually failed to meet rent obligations to the council, with sizeable rent and business rates arrears occurring.

"Officers have sought to enter into a number of payment plans with the club and while occasional payments have been made as at June 2, 2016, the club has now amassed a total debt with the council of £70,713."

The club is reported to owe £43,184 in rent, £18,460 in business rates, £7,868 in legal fees and £1,200 in "other debt".

The report added: "In order to protect the public purse and as Oldham rugby have limited need for Whitebank it would be appropriate to review its options in relation to the asset."

Talks

Several options were suggested by the report with "do nothing", take possession through peaceable re-entry or request the club surrender their lease with the council ­- of which the latter was chosen.

Oldham Council leader Jean Stretton said: "As part of ongoing negotiations with Oldham Rugby League Club we can confirm they have voluntarily surrendered their existing occupational lease at the Whitebank site.

"Talks are ongoing to determine the future use of that facility but those ­- and our ongoing discussions with the rugby club ­- remain commercially sensitive at this stage."

However, a spokesman for the club said that the debt is substantially less than what the report said and that the club was in talks with Stalybridge Celtic to play at Bower Fold again in 2017 and they surrendered the lease in order to pursue further development options with the council for the ground.

He said: "Contrary to reports, the club can confirm that the debt to the council is substantially less than has been quoted and that we have been speaking to Oldham Council for a considerable time regarding the site as whole and the potential for improvement.

Redevelopment

"As part of these discussions, a number of options have been, and continue to be, discussed with various parties which will ultimately enable funds to be brought in to dramatically change the face of Whitebank Stadium.

"Ironically, given the negative nature of some reports, we can confirm that a planning application will be submitted in the next couple of days for the installation of an artificial surface."

The application to be submitted to the planning committee would also see levelling work take place to remove its current slope, if approved.

Talks with the council have also included local amateur football club Avro FC, who have to move due to the redevelopment of the Lancaster Club site.