Another question...

[Guest]

Forgive my ignorance, but as a non-football supporter I'm not really clued up on the intimacies.

 

Why is the football ground at Wexham no good anymore? Whats the story?

 

Sorry if its all explained elsewhere, but just give to me in laymans terms if poss!

 

Cheers.

[Barry Scott]

we need a seven year security of tenure, which as we believe the Thorne's are not able to give us

[Guest]

I see. Simple as that is it?

[BFR]

It is more detailed than that but I think we are a little tired of explaining to people why Wexham Park is not viable. In a nutshell, the stadium complex is owned by a private company who washed their hands of the football club 6 years ago. They are very rich and quite happy to sit and wait on the bit of land until such a time as when they can gain planning permission to redevelop it into housing , a superstore or whatever. For the club to return there it would require Mayfair Communications, the owners of the site, to grant us a landlord tenancy agreement for a minimum of 7 years which would be renewable on expiry. They are not prepared to do so and alas Wexham Park is no longer a viable proposition for Slough Town Football Club

[Barry Scott]

I did try, but seeing as none of the council seem to be able to grasp the concept...

[RebelsRUs]

I've got time to kill and so if you're genuinely interested here's a more detailed potted history of what's gone on.

 

STFC moved to Wexham Park stadium in 1974. The land was owned by the council. The club was at that time owned by the members. Unfortunately, although the club was very successful on the pitch, it experienced financial problems and was sold to the Thorne family in 1992. Alan Thorne personally funded the club until 1998 when illness meant he could not continue his interest. His son Byron did not share his father's interest and after a compilcated set of events the club was relegated from the Conference (the highest league in Non-League football) and passed into the hands of a private consortium led by Martyn Deaner.

 

Byron Thorne allowed the club to remain at Wexham Park on a five year lease in return for which he was given the option to take the freehold of the land (then held by the council who agreed the deal). The lease ended in May 2003 and the council then lost the freehold. Martyn Deaner tried unsuccessfully to secure an extension on the lease. The Thornes had and still have other plans for the site and refused. All attempts to negotiate have failed.