SHRIMPS TRUST: JB Christie Trust

[Shrimps Trust]

Hello all!

Following recent comments regarding the existence, role and purpose of the JB Christie Trust, the Shrimps Trust have produced this summary of the Trust and its role in protecting the existence of Morecambe Football Club. A plan is attached showing the boundaries of the Trust. We hope that this document, which has been rigorously checked and approved by legal sources, finally dispels any myths about the JB Christie Trust. This will be produced as a separate page on the new Trust website so a permanent record exists.

The JB Christie Trust

The Trust was created in 1927 by Joseph Barnes Christie. It was designed to guarantee there would always be a place for Morecambe Football Club (the Club) to play football. The Trust was created by him when he gave the land at Christie Park to a group of Trustees to hold for the benefit of the Club.

When Morecambe FC moved to Westgate, the sale of Christie Park could only occur on terms agreed by Lancaster City Council, the Trustees, Morecambe Football Club Limited (the Company) and the High Court. The High Court approved the agreement and as a result the Trustees received the essential football parts of the Westgate development, in the same way as they had at Christie Park. The area over by the JB Christie Trust is shown edged red on Plan A accompany this document. The part of the development hatched with blue lines was not included but, essentially, the Trust received full access rights across all the roads and paths around the stadium (to the extent that they were not already included in the land given to them).

Morecambe Football Club Ltd has a rent-free leaseback of the Trust land for 125 years and owns outright the gravel car park to the east.

The land fronting Westgate on either side of Christie Way was not in the Trust but was owned by the Company. This has been sold.

The land comprising the pitches and community block at the rear are owned by PMG Leisure Limited, which, as of the time of writing, is in administration. These parts are not required for match day operations.

The Lease of the Trust land to the Company stipulates that the land can only be used for football and associated commercial activities. As a result, it is of no use to anybody buying Morecambe Football Club Ltd in the hope of using the land for anything else. It has no alternative development value.
If the Company goes into liquidation and the Lease is disclaimed by the liquidators, the Trust is there to catch the Club and continue to provide the facilities at Westgate.

Note: The original Trust words explaining what was to happen if the Club ceased to exist were interpreted by the High Court when granting the Order to allow the sale of Christie Park and the granting of a new longer lease to Morecambe Football Club Ltd at Westgate. It was accepted by Lancaster City Council and the High Court that the land was intended to benefit the Club, so even if the existing Company ceased to exist, the Club should be the beneficiary. Only if there is no Morecambe Football Club would the default position be relevant i.e. the use as a public park.

You may need to right click the plan and do a 'save as' to view properly. A PDF will be made available via the website.

Plan of the grounds at Morecambe FC - JB Christie Trust boundaries - 10 Feb 2017.jpg (198.74 KiB) Viewed 1879 times

[mrpotatohead]

GOOD!

[George Dawes]

thanks for sharing!

it just looks like on there the PMG Leisure owned/owns the Berlin Wall stand, or a good part of it restricting it or future development.

[Christies Child]

Would l be right in assuming that if the administrators wanted to they could actually close the gravel car park that the players and others use on match day...

[Keith]

Thank you for this information. The only issue now is that the security block is needed on match days, but it gives confidence that even in a worst case scenario, we've got something to work with.

I wonder if at some point in the future the PMG stand could be 'sold' to the trust, then leased back to the club in perpetuity. That way, if the club ever went under, the building would belong to the trust too? We could, presumably, get to a position where a new club was formed that could use the pitch but the PMG was sitting there, locked and decaying?

Regardless, it's generally positive.

[J.S.]

Thank you for this information. The only issue now is that the security block is needed on match days, but it gives confidence that even in a worst case scenario, we've got something to work with.

I wonder if at some point in the future the PMG stand could be 'sold' to the trust, then leased back to the club in perpetuity. That way, if the club ever went under, the building would belong to the trust too? We could, presumably, get to a position where a new club was formed that could use the pitch but the PMG was sitting there, locked and decaying?

Regardless, it's generally positive.

The PMG stand is inside the red line isn't it, so already owned by the trust?

[outsider]

Would l be right in assuming that if the administrators wanted to they could actually close the gravel car park that the players and others use on match day...

How The gravel car park is owned by The Company (MFC) which isn't in the hand of the administrators as I read it?

Morecambe Football Club Ltd has a rent-free leaseback of the Trust land for 125 years and owns outright the gravel car park to the east.

[Niborian_Shrimp]

What is that small square to the right of the PMG stand with the red border?

[MEL69]

The PMG Leisure Admistrators could not close the gravel car park,due to being owned by (the Company ) MFC.& access to use roads paths etc.built into way it was set up.
As regards the PMG stand that is in the same situation as a private house that is built on lease hold land.
That is my personal opinion only.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Outsider is correct. The gravel car park belongs to the club not PMG Enterprises.

[marky No.1]

What is that small square to the right of the PMG stand with the red border?

An oil well?

Strange one that

[outsider]

What is that small square to the right of the PMG stand with the red border?

An oil well?

Strange one that

I bet there be a few going for a look tomorrow

Could it be the main junction box or such like?

[Shrimps Trust]

Would l be right in assuming that if the administrators wanted to they could actually close the gravel car park that the players and others use on match day...

The gravel car park freehold is owned by Morecambe Football Club Ltd.

[Shrimps Trust]

Thank you for this information. The only issue now is that the security block is needed on match days, but it gives confidence that even in a worst case scenario, we've got something to work with.

I wonder if at some point in the future the PMG stand could be 'sold' to the trust, then leased back to the club in perpetuity. That way, if the club ever went under, the building would belong to the trust too? We could, presumably, get to a position where a new club was formed that could use the pitch but the PMG was sitting there, locked and decaying?

Regardless, it's generally positive.

Think you mean the Community Block and not the PMG stand?

If so then the Community Block is not required for match days. The original plan was for the police control point to be where one of the sponsors boxes are now. It was decided to relocate it to the Community Block. As we understand it, club officials accessed the Community Block to recover the equipment, as is their legal right, and they've worked hard over the last two weeks to relocate CCTV etc. over and into the PMG Stand. While it would be clearly useful to have the Community Block operating as normal it has removed any threat to the safe operation of matches.

[RAF]

What is that small square to the right of the PMG stand with the red border?

It's something to do with Electricity North West Limited

[mrpotatohead]

I might buy the community block off the administrators and turn upstairs into a ''spudulike'' diner, opening only on matchdays, all u can eat 19.99, and I will sell more spuds through a hatch to berlin wallers, I may have a small petting zoo in the building with farm animals and an 'orse called stupid peter.

[RAF]

Hello all!

Following recent comments regarding the existence, role and purpose of the JB Christie Trust, the Shrimps Trust have produced this summary of the Trust and its role in protecting the existence of Morecambe Football Club. A plan is attached showing the boundaries of the Trust. We hope that this document, which has been rigorously checked and approved by legal sources, finally dispels any myths about the JB Christie Trust. This will be produced as a separate page on the new Trust website so a permanent record exists.

The JB Christie Trust

The Trust was created in 1927 by Joseph Barnes Christie. It was designed to guarantee there would always be a place for Morecambe Football Club (the Club) to play football. The Trust was created by him when he gave the land at Christie Park to a group of Trustees to hold for the benefit of the Club.

When Morecambe FC moved to Westgate, the sale of Christie Park could only occur on terms agreed by Lancaster City Council, the Trustees, Morecambe Football Club Limited (the Company) and the High Court. The High Court approved the agreement and as a result the Trustees received the essential football parts of the Westgate development, in the same way as they had at Christie Park. The area over by the JB Christie Trust is shown edged red on Plan A accompany this document. The part of the development hatched with blue lines was not included but, essentially, the Trust received full access rights across all the roads and paths around the stadium (to the extent that they were not already included in the land given to them).

Morecambe Football Club Ltd has a rent-free leaseback of the Trust land for 125 years and owns outright the gravel car park to the east.

The land fronting Westgate on either side of Christie Way was not in the Trust but was owned by the Company. This has been sold.

The land comprising the pitches and community block at the rear are owned by PMG Leisure Limited, which, as of the time of writing, is in administration. These parts are not required for match day operations.

The Lease of the Trust land to the Company stipulates that the land can only be used for football and associated commercial activities. As a result, it is of no use to anybody buying Morecambe Football Club Ltd in the hope of using the land for anything else. It has no alternative development value.
If the Company goes into liquidation and the Lease is disclaimed by the liquidators, the Trust is there to catch the Club and continue to provide the facilities at Westgate.

Note: The original Trust words explaining what was to happen if the Club ceased to exist were interpreted by the High Court when granting the Order to allow the sale of Christie Park and the granting of a new longer lease to Morecambe Football Club Ltd at Westgate. It was accepted by Lancaster City Council and the High Court that the land was intended to benefit the Club, so even if the existing Company ceased to exist, the Club should be the beneficiary. Only if there is no Morecambe Football Club would the default position be relevant i.e. the use as a public park.

You may need to right click the plan and do a 'save as' to view properly. A PDF will be made available via the website.

The attachment Plan of the grounds at Morecambe FC - JB Christie Trust boundaries - 10 Feb 2017.jpg is no longer available

LAN107889 is owned by Morecambe Football Club Limited, LAN141094 is owned by Ascot and Ryley LLP, LAN134166 is owned by Marston's Property Development Limited, LAN141095 is owned by Omega Holidays Group Plc, LAN109302 is owned by PMG Leisure Limited, LAN113482 is owned by Electricity North West Ltd.

Globe Arena Plan.JPG (95.77 KiB) Viewed 1470 times

[Keith]

Thank you for this information. The only issue now is that the security block is needed on match days, but it gives confidence that even in a worst case scenario, we've got something to work with.

I wonder if at some point in the future the PMG stand could be 'sold' to the trust, then leased back to the club in perpetuity. That way, if the club ever went under, the building would belong to the trust too? We could, presumably, get to a position where a new club was formed that could use the pitch but the PMG was sitting there, locked and decaying?

Regardless, it's generally positive.

Think you mean the Community Block and not the PMG stand?

If so then the Community Block is not required for match days. The original plan was for the police control point to be where one of the sponsors boxes are now. It was decided to relocate it to the Community Block. As we understand it, club officials accessed the Community Block to recover the equipment, as is their legal right, and they've worked hard over the last two weeks to relocate CCTV etc. over and into the PMG Stand. While it would be clearly useful to have the Community Block operating as normal it has removed any threat to the safe operation of matches.

I meant the Community block in the first paragraph, so I'm pleased to read that issue is resolved.

In the second, I meant the PMG. My interpretation is that the building belongs to MFC but the land it is built on is Christie Trust? If Morecambe FC ceased to exist, the building is of minimal use to anyone else, but may be too expensive for a newly formed club.

[Posh]

Ascot & Ryley is owned outright by Graham and Louise Hodgson, and Nigel and Diane Adams. It shows what these families have done to help the club.

[P/T Indie]

Seriously what can they ever do with 41094 it's such a small strip of land why did Marston buy up to the boarder.

Anyone any idea how much PMG Leisure would cost to buy looking at the plans it would be good if the supporters trust could buy therefore securing the full site.

[marky No.1]

Seriously what can they ever do with 41094 it's such a small strip of land why did Marston buy up to the boarder.
.

Don't think they would spend £220k on it for investment, as Posh says it was to help the Club. You never know with land, if you buy some here and there you usually end up with one being a gold mine. Hurley Flyer is surrounded by Nigel, who is probably hoping they want to expand, unless the house owner on the Shrimp side needs a big garage for his black Range Rover, white Mercedes and soft top Bentley (not you Jimbo)

[Wild Bill]

Read it a weep, potential vultures hovering around our Club. Jog on!

[marky No.1]

Read it a weep, potential vultures hovering around our Club. Jog on!

Nice thought, but we still need dosh

[Niborian_Shrimp]

What is that small square to the right of the PMG stand with the red border?

It's something to do with Electricity North West Limited

Figures. You can just see it to the left. Definitely a small substation/junction box thing.

[shrimper]

Great information. I had a pretty good handle on the details at Christie Park but not how it was all strengthened during the move. Really interesting and encouraging. Thanks for this, very worthwhile.