WINDSOR CASTLED BY LEASE BLOW-UP
THE FUTURE of Windsor FC is on the line after its landlord, The Crown Estate, has precluded the Royalists from a long-term lease, writes Andy Fitzsimons.
After six years of waiting for the Estate to fulfil both its side of the agreement and moral obligations, the Combined Counties League club are now looking to take whatever action necessary in claiming a dereliction of duty.
Chairman Kevin Stott, who founded Windsor FC in 2011 following the demise of its spiritual predecessor Windsor & Eton FC, is ready to tell the true story that could potentially bring The Crown Estate and, by association, HM Treasury, into disrepute for malpractice.
Despite the football club having adhered to the full terms required for a long-term lease at The Stag Meadow Ground back in 2011, the Estate has still only provided the club with an interim tenancy at will, which either party can terminate with just one month’s notice.
The existing arrangement does not provide security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, which is required by both the Combined Counties League and The FA for the club to play its matches at Step 6 and above of the football pyramid.
More disconcertingly, Stott has since learned that The Crown Estate, who are based in Windsor Great Park, has knowingly doubleleased parts of the club’s Stag Meadow ground in order to make a financial gain, which he believes is highly unethical and, at worst, unlawful.
He said: “When you’re dealing with a sovereign government body like The Crown Estate, you expect it to conduct itself with the utmost professionalism and integrity and have an absolute consideration for the people it serves within the local community.
“For the club to be able to play at Stag Meadow, the Estate asked us to produce a business plan to show that we had the necessary financial backing and could meet a number of criteria that they had stipulated to be granted a suitable long-term lease.
“We provided them with everything they asked for six years ago, yet still no long-term lease has been forthcoming.
A spokesperson for the Estate, who did not wish to be named, said: “We have been trying to agree a new lease with the football club’s owner [Mr. Stott] unsuccessfully since 2011.
“We have twice agreed heads of terms [regarding a new lease] on two separate occasions, but no formal lease has been signed.
“The Crown Estate recognises the importance of Windsor Football Club to the local community and the Club will not be asked to leave; although, the tenant has now been in rent arrears for over a year, so we are not currently able to offer a longerterm lease.
“We have also asked Mr. Stott to provide evidence that he owns the floodlight pylons.
“We will consider any documentation as evidence of this,” they added.