DRAGONS PLEA FOR RETURN TO CAMROSE

BASINGSTOKE Town’s new chairman Kevin White is urging controversial owner Rafi Razzak to show his community spirit and allow the club to re-open the Camrose Stadium.

White’s plea comes after the stadium was listed as an asset of community value by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

As a result, the Camrose will be added to the council’s list of community assets for a five-year period.

This means that if Razzak wishes to sell the land, he must inform the council of their intention and the nominator of the asset will then be alerted.

White knows they will then have six weeks from this date to make a formal request to be treated as a potential bidder for the land and they will have a six-month period to raise funds and prepare a bid.

At the end of this six-month period, the owner is free to sell the land – reportedly worth between £5-6million – to any party they decide and at any price.

White, who was elected chairman of BTCFC on Wednesday, said: “For many years the Camrose and the facilities it provided was a hub of the community.

“When our football club was evicted and the owners of the Camrose decided to shut the facilities down, not only was it a loss to our 125-year-old club but also the local community that relied on it.

“We would hope that the owners of the Camrose will engage with us to see if there is a way forward where the ground can be reinstated and maybe even improved to become that heartbeat and hub again.”

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Head of Borough Development and Implementation, David Covill, added: “A decision has been taken to list the Camrose Stadium as an asset of community value as it is a sports facility which in recent years has provided opportunities for community participation and has the potential to continue to provide community benefit in the future.”

Rafi Razzak, who was contacted for comment, may request a review to list within eight weeks of being notified of the decision.