A junior football team could fold after Angus Council hiked the rent on their home from £900 to an eye-watering £11,000.
Arbroath Sporting Club have been involved in an ongoing debate with the authority over the use of Seaton Park as their home ground, but the club have now received a letter offering them the park for another year with the small matter of a 1122% jump in rent.
“When we got the letter I thought it was a misprint,” said club vice-president Barrie Munro. “I thought the comma was in the wrong place and I was all up for phoning and arguing over a £200 increase I thought they meant £1100.
“However, when the man at the council said the letter was right there was no point in speaking to him.”
Formed in 1960 as Angus Social Club, Arbroath SC played at amateur and juvenile level in the 1960s and early 70s, with home games at the Low Common. The club made the move to Seaton Park in 1973 when they turned junior, changing their name to the current moniker.
Mr Munro said club representatives are set to meet council officers in an attempt to come to some sort of compromise.
“If it is £11,000 there will be no club next year that’s £500 a game.
“As it stands at the moment our lease is up at the end of the season. Ron Ashton (neighbourhood services director) said we would definitely get somewhere for a community club where we could join up with younger teams and female teams, but that would obviously mean getting grants to build a new stadium.
“That is only an option if Angus Council come down (in rent price) though, because otherwise we can’t run for the next two years.”
A council spokeswoman said, “This is an unusual situation at Seaton Park, as the club not only leases the land for football, but also holds weekly car boot sales which generate a substantial income. In setting rent we have used general market principles, and the proposed rent level takes account of the club’s potential income achievable from the car boot sales.
“Council officers require confirmation of actual car boot income levels achieved, and any offsetting expenses incurred, in order that a negotiated rent can be progressed.”