TROUBLED Racing Club Warwick is pinning its hopes on a new management committee to save it from closure.
Over the past 12 months the football club’s Townsend Meadow ground, in Hampton Road, has been riddled with problems.
They started in January last year when the club’s lease was wrongly withdrawn by Warwick District Council.
But after a club user sought legal advice it was proved that the district council should not have taken the lease away.
Despite being told they could stay at the site for the next eight years, members fear increased costs of rents and rates could close the club down.
And on-going work to accommodate a cadet force, who also use the site, has left only half the club useable and management paying for the use of temporary changing rooms.
Last week a meeting between the club and town and district councils took place to try and help the club get back on its feet.
Derek Maudlin, town clerk at Warwick Town Council, said: “We understand Racing Club is very valuable to Warwick and we want to help the club as much as we can.
“At this meeting we proposed that we would cover the cost of hiring portable changing rooms for the rest of the financial year.
“This would be on the condition that the district council agreed to waive the rent arrears until the end of March.
“I’m not sure of exact figures but the changing room cost is £1,240 and the rent arrears are around £2,000.
“We also want to set up a management committee in the next six weeks.”
The district council has agreed to set up a management committee but said it would not commit to waiving rent arrears.
Andrew Jones, deputy chief executive of Warwick District Council, said: “Racing Club Warwick is quite happy for both the town and district council to set a management committee that would plot the way forward.
“We’re hoping the first meeting will be taking place pretty soon, hopefully within the next two to three weeks.
“What I have said to Derek is it is a good idea to review the rent situation, but it would be unfair for me to commit to anything like that at the moment.
“First we’ll see what the situation is like once this committee is set up.”
The management committee would oversee day to day activities, but not get involved with governing the club.
Mr Maudlin said the response was not “as positive as the town council had hoped for” and would be reporting back to a town council meeting on February 8.
Warwick Racing Club was originally formed in 1919 and offered football opportunities to men returning from the First World War.
It is now home to four football teams, a boxing club, the Royal British Legion and business networking club Warwick Probus.
John Shaw, chairman of the Warwickshire branch of the Royal British Legion, said: “At least we are getting together now and talking about the future of the club.
“It’s been four months since the club has been in this situation and we need to move it forward.
“The club is used for all sorts of activities which is why it’s important it remains open.”
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