Council aware of Lease Situation

Progress towards renewing the leases on the Hereford United football ground looks more likely as soon as the new chief executive of the Edgar Street Regeneration Company takes up his post at the beginning of February.

Hereford United need an agreement to renew the leases for at least ten years. Without an agreement they would not be able to move up to a higher division.

Currently the Herefordshire Council are in discussions with the Richardsons to whom the ground is leased. The Richardsons then lease it to Hereford United.

The Council say they wish to discuss the issue of the leases with the new Chief Executive before proceeding any further.

"It is an important aspect of the overall scheme", said a spokesperson.

Last October the Council appointed Clive Richards OBE as the Chair of the Board of Edgar Street Grid (Hereford) Ltd, the venture company set up to steer through the project.

At the time Sir Clive stated that 'Hereford United should stay put. The giant killer club is an integral part of the city.'

Footnote: There are two leases involving Hereford United. They expire on August 10 2015 and August 12 2057.

After the club got into severe debt, the leases were taken over firstly by the BS Group. Later Chelverton bought out the BS Group interest.

More recently they were taken over by the Richardson/Carillion partnership when Chelverton had financial problems.

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