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Bulldozers to move into old stadium
The demolition of Scarborough’s much-loved Athletic Ground in Seamer Road is imminent.
A tender has been put out by Scarborough Council inviting companies to submit bids to level the stadium, where football was first played way back in 1898.
The news puts an abrupt end to any lingering faint hopes that football could one day return to the venue.
Since Scarborough FC folded in 2007, the once-proud arena has fallen into a state of disrepair, and been subjected to regular bouts of vandalism.
The council bought the stadium in 2008 for £1.335 million, but Hilary Jones, the council’s strategic director, said that safety concerns meant the local authority had no other option than to bring an end to well over a century of history.
“We have to make it safe, we’ve been really concerned,” she said. “We’ve had real problems in terms of people breaking in. We’ve had to do all sorts of work.
“As soon as we make it safe somebody else finds a way in and then there’s something else we need to sort out.
“We decided the best thing to do is to permanently take out the things that are dangerous. Buildings are crumbling.”
Some stands may be saved and transferred to the new sports village which will be built at Weaponness coach park. However the rest of the stadium is expected to be flattened. “If anything can be reused then that’s obviously great for us”, Mrs Jones added. “The council have a real commitment to providing high quality football and leisure facilities for our local communities.”
The new sports village, which will include a football stadium, could be open by 2013. Eleven companies have expressed an interest in building the new development and will receive up to three patches of land, including the Athletic Ground site, in return.
It is likely that no development work will begin on the land until after the sports village is finished.
The news of the demolition is likely to be welcomed by residents near to the disused stadium, who have seen house prices plummet as a result of the derelict building, which has become an eyesore and attracted anti-social behaviour.
However others will no doubt be sad to see the final curtain brought down on a venue which holds so many happy memories for football fans in the town, including Neil Warnock’s Scarborough side’s promotion season in 1986, and the legendary matches with Chelsea in 1989 and 2004.
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
RockySamboa
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 01:58 PMSo how exactly will this deal work? The firms bidding for the tender will build the 'sports village' on Weaponness carpark for 'free' and in return they get three pieces of land? So, no capital expenditure? This all seems a little too simple to me.
Mr Do!
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 10:54 AMDont listen to what they say. Watch what they do.
FairDealForFiley
Friday, October 22, 2010 at 10:48 AM#5 - Well said. SBC are to save £4.5 million over the next 4 years yet persist in carrying on with such 'pie in the sky' schemes, whilst declaring to the rest of the Borough that they cannot carry out any capital schemes as they have no funding. Total hypocrites.
amaroo
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 10:37 PMThe Athletic Ground even in the state it is now is far more advanced than this pipe dream of one ever being built at Weaponess.------In 1995 'Zenith' aka 'The Sands' was going to be built in 3 years and fully operational across the whole site. Er !!, now 2010 and 2 blocks of flats, refurbished chalets and refurbished OAT, the rest a vast wasteland.------So I for one will not hold my breath for the new sports village, which will include a football stadium, to be started let alone open by 2013.
accountdetails
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 09:08 PM"Could"....."Likely"
JordanHookey
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 08:56 PMapsolutley stupid just think the money they could save just redoing the mc cain one and not have to completley start sgain like us people that have parents working on week ends carnt go watch it as its to far to bike or walk where as if it was nearer more people would attend its a disgrace
Mr Do!
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 08:19 PMMrs Jones added " The council have a real commitment to providing high quality football and leisure facilities for our local communities". looks like it.
Bluebird One
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 08:08 PMR.I..P Athletic Ground Seamer Road . Thanks for the memories.
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