Shrimpsvoices

I don't know if this link has been posted before but the interesting thing that struck me is that looking at the photo, could access could be negotiated via the static home park, also, contrary to claims that the land is no use to anyone apart from MFC, surely it is of interest to.....Venture park homes?

They are not interested - apparently, which did surprise me having mentioned it a while ago

They would say that,wouldn't they.....

mrpotatohead wrote:They would say that,wouldn't they.....

Yes, hence my apparently...

Venture is owned by the Needhams who I think also owned Ocean Edge at one point and were involved with Lancaster City a few years back.

mrpotatohead wrote:They would say that,wouldn't they.....

I agree.

A mate i work with use to own one on there, it's very cramped, there's hardly any space compared to other sites.

Of course if the price was right they'd buy it.

Just looking again at them drawings, i know i go on about it, but why mark out with the borders right up to the pitch?

What was they thinking of knowing in the future they might have to sell the land?

The border could of been drawn further back with some of the land where the car park is like for like per square meter instead?

We need to remind ourselves that this land was bought, owned and controlled by Peter McGuigan with money from the sale of Christie Park and land that was under the control of the JB Christie Trust. If this land had been kept under trust none of this would be being discussed. He effectively took a huge parcel of land for himself outside of the football club’s ownership and put us in this mess.

The boundaries are a serious problem but only apparent when the ground was complete and it had been carved up did we know.

Yes Venture could buy the land and put some sort of road through. They, other than the football club, are the only realistic buyers. You would hope that the club, the Shrimps Trust and the City Council who put the community use order on the land would oppose it and block any sale or development. However, I think only the fans working together will be able to spur others into action.

Posh wrote:He effectively took a huge parcel of land for himself outside of the football club’s ownership and put us in this mess.

I don't think it's fair to say "for himself". The pitches etc were carved out in order to create the separate company in order to raise a bank loan secured on that land. The funds from the bank loan went into MFC coffers to cover losses/debts. In the same way that the parcels of land at the front were sold off, again to finance the ongoing losses.

Posh wrote:Yes Venture could buy the land and put some sort of road through. They, other than the football club, are the only realistic buyers.

Not really, any prospective buyer could enter into negotiations with MFC or Venture to "buy" a right of access to the land and then buy the land for redevelopment. Obviously, the price would have to be right for either Venture or MFC.

Have the new owners of MFC not expressed an interest in purchasing back these training facilities as part of their business plan and investment in taking the club forward?

Has anyone - management, fans, the Supporters Trust, players and staff asked them?

How much is it going for? Has anyone found out?

Joel Ninety wrote:How much is it going for? Has anyone found out?

For Sale POA (Price on Application) so any buyer or party will have to register an interest.

Just picture the scene off the Film Life of Brian when they start haggling.

Ie. £200.000 you must be joking, i'll give you £100.000, then it goes for £150.000..

Good point, has anyone asked them, after all they did say they were approachable and open, haha, seriously, they said at the meeting months ago they were negotiating to buy it , who knows, they might put caravans on it and grant themselves right of way access through their football stadium entrance.

Posh wrote:We need to remind ourselves that this land was bought, owned and controlled by Peter McGuigan with money from the sale of Christie Park and land that was under the control of the JB Christie Trust. If this land had been kept under trust none of this would be being discussed. He effectively took a huge parcel of land for himself outside of the football club’s ownership and put us in this mess.

The boundaries are a serious problem but only apparent when the ground was complete and it had been carved up did we know.

Yes Venture could buy the land and put some sort of road through. They, other than the football club, are the only realistic buyers. You would hope that the club, the Shrimps Trust and the City Council who put the community use order on the land would oppose it and block any sale or development. However, I think only the fans working together will be able to spur others into action.

With respect Posh, is your statement correct?

My understanding what that all the land at Westgate was sold by Lancaster City Council to MFC Ltd without any tendering process well below its market value for the absolute bargain/give away price of 1.5 million and all of it was under the conditions of the JBC Trust.

What followed was parceling off of the formerly owned public asset to create revenue to fund the unsustainable operations of a failing administration which is why so many of the Directors since 2009 have jumped ship.

Knightrider wrote:Have the new owners of MFC not expressed an interest in purchasing back these training facilities as part of their business plan and investment in taking the club forward?

Has anyone - management, fans, the Supporters Trust, players and staff asked them?

Surely, if the new owners are serious about our club and it’s future (success?). Then purchasing the training facilities must be a priority for them?

Slanester wrote:

Knightrider wrote:Have the new owners of MFC not expressed an interest in purchasing back these training facilities as part of their business plan and investment in taking the club forward?

Has anyone - management, fans, the Supporters Trust, players and staff asked them?

Surely, if the new owners are serious about our club and it’s future (success?). Then purchasing the training facilities must be a priority for them?

If we had beaten a mediocre Conference team a couple of weeks ago the finance to re-purchase the pitches etc would have been in the club's own hands.

Buying things with club money is one thing.........the JBC trust, whoever they are,could not be "trusted" to protect things when we first moved , so we are actually at the mercy of whoever can afford to buy the land, new owners, caravan park owners, whoever.

Conjecture rules.....

Slanester wrote:Surely, if the new owners are serious about our club and it’s future (success?). Then purchasing the training facilities must be a priority for them?

To quote the new owners, they said they had made an offer for the land which was obviously less than the administrators wanted, but also made it clear that another buyer wouldn't be granted access, so 'our' offer is the only way forward.
Not sure how that would apply to Venture simply knocking the fence down for access. Venture was owned by the council many years ago and struggled to offload it because of the wonderful "gas" tower. The Lewis family from Northampton bought it and ran it for quite some years before father passed away.
It is currently under family ownership who simply may not be in the position to fork out a pile of money to extend when they already have vacant pitches.

One thing I would say is if it was in the hands of a Leisure Parks, Pure Leisure, Haven, Park Resorts or an Irishman there would already be a new development with £180K 'log' cabins on site.

All we can do is watch this space, our new owners are professionals in land acquisition so we are in their hands.

PMG Leisure accounts are very enlightening, with the administrators charging a flat fee of £35K a year



https://document-api-images-prod.s3.eu- ... 2e9d9e1369

the Needhams are big supporters of the club !

Spudhead does have form for stoking the fire with his posts so he must know something to have started this one!

Slanester wrote:

Knightrider wrote:Have the new owners of MFC not expressed an interest in purchasing back these training facilities as part of their business plan and investment in taking the club forward?

Has anyone - management, fans, the Supporters Trust, players and staff asked them?

Surely, if the new owners are serious about our club and it’s future (success?). Then purchasing the training facilities must be a priority for them?

Absolutely and top quality coaching at grass roots level to produce another Kewell, Beckham, etc which would generate income to financially sustain the club.

Maybe the new owners have a creative innovative solution in the pipeline to save the club - fingers crossed!

The present priority though for management must surely be to secure EFL division status and the present league position is worse than last season at this time and if you analyse the match results/stats you can clearly see why - so what are the new owners doing about it?

Actions speak louder.........................

If we buy the training facilities back what will do with them anyway because apparently the team don't like/can't train on them anyway

Knightrider wrote:Absolutely and top quality coaching at grass roots level to produce another Kewell, Beckham, etc which would generate income to financially sustain the club.

So Knightrider Leeds United are your other team, that narrows it down quite a bit, onto you now,


Dazza he must be one of your mates?