New idea to solve Bath stadium deadlock

Bath will stay at The Rec next season even if they do not receive approval for an extension to the the East Stand.

The club is awaiting permission to add 2,000 seats to the temporary structure to maintain capacity at 10,600.

The East Stand falls outside the area where the club has a 60-year lease which means an application has to be put in for permission to keep it.

But owner Andrew Brownsword has pledged to remain at The Rec irrespective of the Charity Commission's decision.

Chief executive Bob Calleja described the issue as the "first priority" in the ongoing situation regarding the club's home.

A covenant on the city's Recreation Ground requires that it is preserved for Bathonians and the Charity Commission, which has ultimate control over the land, turned down plans to redevelop the stadium in January as it deemed there was no benefit to locals.

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However, a land-swap deal involving green space at Firs Field in Combe Down has opened up the possibility of Bath staying at The Rec instead of moving out of the city and Calleja is encouraged by the development.

He told BBC Points West: "I hope it works and it's certainly a positive initiative on behalf of the council.

"It's a glimmer of light at the end of a very dark, long tunnel and it has taken us many years to get to this stage. It's certainly an initiative that is worth pursuing.

"We've made our plans perfectly clear. We need to increase the capacity because currently 10,600 is inadequate. What we need is to increase the capacity and also improve the facilities."

If the land-swap deal falls through the club would be forced to go back to the drawing board, but Calleja added that staying in Bath would be the priority as opposed to moving further afield.

"We'd be in a difficult position because financially we wouldn't be able to make ends meet," he said.

"We would have to rely on our benefactor Andrew Brownsword even more, and I don't think that's fair.

"We would have to look at alternative sites in Bath. I have looked briefly at the possibility of a site at Lambridge, but really we want that to develop as a training ground so that's in desperation.

"There aren't many sites in Bath, but the intention would be to stay in Bath."

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