Council urged to buy and lease back

10 Jun 2017 By David Watters

Basingstoke Town fans are urging their local council to buy their ground so they can make a fresh start as a community-run club in the EVO-STIK League Southern.

After being allowed to stay at the Camrose for another season after initially arranging to groundshare at Farnborough's Rushmoor Community Stadium, supporters are urging Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to buy their home from former chairman Rafi Razzak who wants to sell the land to recoup money owed to him in loans after announcing he was ending his 25 year association with the club.

Councillors have agreed to consider a proposal after supporter David Partridge addressed a Community, Environment and Partnerships Committee meeting. The EVO-STIK League Southern Premier Division club's officials are also set to submit a report on the proposal for the local authority to purchase the 71 per cent owned by their former chairman and lease it back to them.

Partridge told basingstokegazette.co.uk on Saturday: “Mr Razzak owns our club, our stadium and the land on which it stands. Our future lies in a new set up. We as supporters ask for help to work the community club model.”

Images courtesy of basingstoketown.net & tigerroar.co.uk

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