Trust calls for clarity
The Glovers Trust has called for clarity from Yeovil Town and South Somerset District Council about the future of the club and land around its Huish Park home.
In a statement issued to members on Wednesday night, the Trust has called on the club to end nearly three months of delay to hold a fans’ meeting and called on council representatives to be in attendance to answer questions.
It follows a confirmation by Councillor John Clark, Portfolio Holder of Economic Development at SSDC, that the buy-back option on the land around Huish Park lies with Yeovil Town Holdings Limited, the business controlled by chairman Scott Priestnall.
The Trust said: “We call on the club ownership to stop hiding behind the quoted ‘period of exclusivity’ with a preferred investor and to schedule as a matter of great urgency the Fans’ Forum that was promised, by the current owner, on 14th October 2022, some 89 days ago.
“The Glovers Trust fully understands that certain questions may not be able to be answered at the event but this should not be used as an excuse to hide from fan scrutiny across other areas.”
It was October 14th that Priestnall said “we will be setting up a meeting next month for supporters to have their voice heard and raise questions” but then on New Year’s Eve 2022 he confirmed the club had an “exclusivity agreement” in place with an unnamed group which was seeking to become majority shareholder of the club.
At that point, the chairman said: “These ongoing discussions continue to delay an announcement for the supporters meeting but a time and date will be confirmed as we approach a conclusion.”
The Trust’s statement also calls on SSDC to attend any forum – if/when it ever happens – to discuss its plans to develop Huish Park and surrounding land which it bought for £2.8m in May.
The Trust adds: “We call on SSDC to commit to attend the Fans’ Forum, once scheduled. Those who conceived and agreed the deal to purchase the land from YTFC are best placed to answer fans’ questions.
“We appreciate that the Fans’ Forum is not a Glovers Trust event and for us to invite others to an event we are not running could be seen as overstepping. We have therefore today sought a meeting with SSDC to raise further questions. We will provide a further update to our members in due course.
“Our football club is more than just land. It is more than companies registered, and accounts filed. Our club is our fans and our history. Our club is our town, and our county.”
More eagled-eye readers of this website will note this we were told that it was Yeovil Town Holdings which had the exclusive buy-back option for the land at Huish Park by Robert Orrett, Commercial Property, Land and Development Manager at SSDC, back in August – see here.
Speaking then, he said: “It is correct that Yeovil Town Holdings Limited has a four-year period during which they can buy back the whole of the YTFC freeholds that have been purchased by SSDC. In broad terms, that would reverse the purchase.
“Beyond that, there are continuing arrangements that are linked to the structure that enables consented non-core land to be sold off by SSDC, with the non-core lease surrendered, and the sale proceeds to be used to repay the capital SSDC has put in.
“These are following the approach summarised in the report and continue in the longer term. If the land sale price for the non-core land is high enough, then the rent for the core land that is left, reduces to a peppercorn and essentially the club can buy the core land back for £1.”
