Join us live for a special Barnsley Council and Barnsley FC press conference about the future of the club’s Oakwell stadium. Details will be announced with a panel consisting of Barnsley Council leader Coun Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Barnsley FC director Jean Cryne and club chairman Neerav Parekh.
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SportsTranscript
00:00 director and an owner at Barnsley Football Club and Nirav Parekh, chairman at Barnsley
00:05 Football Club. Thank you very much and I'll just hand straight over to Steve.
00:09 Everyone and thank you for coming along to today's announcement. 21 years ago in 2003
00:17 the council acquired 50 percent of the assets at Oakwell alongside Patrick Crine. We created a
00:27 company called Oakwell Community Assets and the purpose of that was a significant contribution to
00:33 protecting professional football in Barnsley and over the last 20 years that deal has proved
00:38 hugely successful for the town, for the club and obviously for the council itself. Towards the end
00:46 of last year the council has now acquired from the Crine family the other 50 percent so we are
00:54 now 100 percent shareholder in Oakwell Community Assets and therefore the site ultimately is in the
01:02 council's ownership. And the reason we have done that is fourfold. First of all we wanted to sit
01:08 down with the football club and try and secure a long-term lease to protect professional football
01:14 in Barnsley for years to come. Secondly we wanted to make sure in doing that that we protected
01:21 valued business in Barnsley. Barnsley Football Club helps bring around 22 million pounds a year
01:29 into the local economy employing over 200 people. Reds in the community now, Barnsley FC Community
01:36 Trust, they contribute around 10 million pounds into the local community. We wanted to ensure
01:43 that those organisations succeed and thrive into the future. The third reason we wanted
01:51 to extend our involvement was to protect the town centre and the 250 million pounds developments
01:57 that you can see in and around the glassworks. That again has been incredibly successful but
02:04 what we didn't want to see at any time in the future was a competitive development in this
02:09 part of town that could undermine that. So in securing this site, gaining control, we can ensure
02:15 that the town centre and the glassworks goes from strength to strength. That is really important
02:21 that that major investment we made continues to be able to be successful. And then the fourth reason
02:28 we wanted to get further involved is because this is a major site right on the edge of Barnsley Town
02:34 Centre. It could be used for many uses as I've already described but we've got the football
02:42 club here and we've got Barnsley Premier Leisure here again who are a major contributor to the
02:47 borough and to the town. And one thing we want to do is to sit down with the football club, sit down
02:53 with Barnsley Premier Leisure and look at what the opportunities are, not just for the ground
02:58 but the site as a whole in furthering sport and cultural activities for Barnsley. That would be
03:05 a huge complementary series of activities to the town centre but would clearly continue to help
03:12 make Barnsley a major visitor destination. It would also by giving the council control,
03:18 give us the ability to maximise not just the opportunity but to maximise benefit to local
03:25 residents, particularly those who live near the ground, will be able to sit down now and look at
03:30 things like access, egress to the site and many other issues at the same time. So this is a major
03:36 step forward I think not just for the council but for the town. But of course the biggest thing
03:42 we want to announce today is that we've been successful in our negotiations with the club
03:49 and the club have now signed a new 30-year lease to remain at Oakwell. That's great news for the
03:56 fans, that's great news for the club, it's great news for Barnsley as a place because we know how
04:03 much value that club brings economically, sporting wise and it puts Barnsley on the map, there's no
04:10 question about that. So to have that 30-year deal can give everyone the assurance and comfort that
04:18 they need. You will know under certain previous owners that had been in doubt and we can now put
04:25 that to bed and the club and ourselves can sit down as I say and think about that long-term future.
04:32 I'm incredibly grateful to the Crine family for their support and contribution they've made to
04:37 that by working with us as a council and obviously very grateful to the new chairman, Nira, who's not
04:44 that new these days but anyway, for his help and support in the club being part of first of all
04:51 getting the new lease which gives us the security we want but also willing to sit down with us and
04:57 as I say looking at this 30 acre plus site as to how we can develop it for the benefit of the club
05:04 obviously but for the benefit of residents and the town on a more wider basis as I've already
05:10 described. So this is a major step forward not just for the football club but for the borough
05:15 and the town as a whole and we think this is something worth celebrating today. There's a lot
05:21 of hard work in front of us but no doubt we can come through that. Some people may say to us well
05:28 will we be investing in the site, what's it going to cost the taxpayers? Inevitably what I can say
05:35 is part of our agreement with the club is that any income we receive as the landlord will be reinvested
05:44 back in the site. So this is a cost neutral deal, the new lease is a cost neutral deal to the council
05:50 and taxpayers. We won't be putting any additional funds in but clearly the club then know that what
05:58 it does in terms of its contributions to the lease will come back in benefit in other forms. So that's
06:04 good for them, that's good for us and obviously it's good for wider taxpayers. So from my perspective
06:10 it's a win-win all around for everyone in the borough. So without any further ado just to say
06:16 really pleased to be here, really good day for everyone concerned and I'll now hand you over to
06:22 Jean. So I echo everything that Sir Steve has said today and thank him for his continued support.
06:35 We have built I hope a good relationship with the council and hopefully that will get even
06:41 stronger. I would like to give a shout out to Patrick for first of all saving the club and
06:46 having the foresight to put the ground in a 50/50 split with the council and now it has I hope a
06:53 secure future. All of this is done for this town for Barnsley, for my hometown and I have to tell
07:00 you the adopted and loved town of our directors Nirav and Julianne and James. James being born
07:07 in Cheshire not in Yorkshire. Nirav and Julianne have such busy lives yet they give so much of
07:14 their passion and time to the football club. Their energy and enthusiasm is to be admired.
07:20 Thank you for all the advice and encouragement we are lucky to have you as partners.
07:24 The club and council are also working closely with the BFC Community Trust in building strong
07:30 community links. I know this is something Sir Steve is very keen on. The trust has a wonderful
07:36 team and a hands-on group of trustees. They help so many people within our community.
07:42 I hope the fans can see and appreciate what the club, the manager and his team, the academy and
07:50 their team, the women's coach and her team and the players and staff are all trying to do on and off
07:56 the pitch for Barnsley FC. You have a council who have built a wonderful new town, a town to be
08:02 proud of. The football club is part of that. The staff and directors want only the best for you
08:08 and the fans. I really want and need to encourage all our fans to bring more supporters into the
08:16 ground. We need to back the players on the pitch. They need to hear the positive and let's get rid
08:22 of the negative. Can I just add that we are thinking of Patrick from yesterday. It was six
08:27 years to the day that we lost him. Thanks. Sir Steve and Gina made it easy for me. I think all
08:42 that remains for me is to really thank them for their efforts in making this happen. Sir Steve,
08:47 since the change in ownership and the change in the board, has been relentless in trying to repair
08:52 the relationship between the council and the club. I'm happy that it's culminated in this new lease.
08:57 Jean, I don't think there's enough I can say to thank Jean, Patrick and James for what they've
09:02 done for the club and the town. Jean was obviously wearing two hats as a 50% owner in O'Kell and an
09:07 owner of the club. Getting a lease signed in these situations would have been very difficult.
09:12 Unselfishly she made sure she sold a stake to the council. I'm glad the land sits with the council
09:17 now because no matter who the future owners are, the asset will sit with Barnsley Council for the
09:21 benefit of Barnsley people. Jean unselfishly did this. She sold her stake and made this happen.
09:27 Also, she's covered this but just a moment to remember Patrick. One day after the six-year
09:33 anniversary of his passing, I think this is probably what he'd have wanted for the club,
09:36 for Barnsley Football Club to remain in Barnsley. Sir Steve alluded to this but all the tosh that
09:42 had come up over the last few years about ground sharing moving away from Barnsley. I'm very glad
09:46 to see that for the next at least three decades, ideally longer, Barnsley Football Club stays in
09:50 Barnsley and at O'Kell which is his home. I'm really glad we've managed to get this over the
09:54 line. Thank you everyone for your efforts to make this happen.
09:56 Now we will do a quick photo opportunity with the lease. If photographers would like to come
10:09 forward and just do a quick photo of everyone signing the lease and then we'll go to questions
10:13 from the floor.
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11:55 >> So now we'll take questions from the floor.
12:00 So if anyone wants to kick us off, just wait for the mic to come to you, just for
12:05 the audio, and then we will begin the press conference.
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12:16 >> Have you got any plans yet to develop anywhere in the ground or
12:19 even the West End?
12:20 >> [LAUGH] Funny, I knew the West End would come up somewhere.
12:25 As part of the due diligence we've looked at, we know if we properly maintain
12:29 the West End, there's at least another ten years' life in that.
12:32 Now what that does is give us time to think about the future of that part of
12:36 the ground without making any hasty judgments as to what's required.
12:41 But what we do want to do is not just look at the ground itself,
12:44 it's look at the whole area to see how we can develop this in a sporting sense.
12:50 Not just football, but other sporting activities and other cultural activities.
12:54 What does that require?
12:56 How can the ground contribute to that, as well as obviously contributing to the
13:00 well-being of the football club going forward?
13:02 So we've agreed a memorandum of understanding between the council and
13:06 the club, with Bowser Premier Leisure as well, that we'll sit down in the months
13:11 and years ahead and work through the detail of that.
13:15 So no immediate plans.
13:16 There may be some short-term investments in terms of maintenance and
13:19 other things that are required.
13:21 But in terms of developing the ground, that's for the longer term.
13:24 And as I say, this is cost neutral to the council.
13:27 What we've agreed to do is use all the income we get from this site and
13:31 reinvest that back in.
13:33 And again, we need to look at what's the best way of reinvesting that income.
13:37 There are different options.
13:38 So still a lot of work to be done, but what today does is give us that security
13:44 for the next 30 years that we can do those things.
13:48 And that should be hugely beneficial to everyone involved.
13:53 [Silence]
14:02 Hi, what are the sort of short-term things that you would like to change
14:06 in terms of maintenance?
14:07 In the past it's been talked about sort of creating a fan zone and other
14:11 things like that.
14:12 Is that on the short-term agenda to implement?
14:15 Well, again, we need to sit down with the club.
14:18 Some of this is about general maintenance, whether it's renewing electrics
14:22 or other things.
14:23 Not very exciting, but crucial to making sure the ground's fit for purpose
14:27 and can do the job that it wants to do.
14:30 Obviously, we want to look at how we can improve the experience for fans
14:34 and others.
14:35 So whether that's a fan zone or there's other activities can be done.
14:38 Again, we rule nothing out.
14:40 But as I say, at this stage, we're not sat down with hard plans.
14:43 We just want to work that through with the club.
14:45 I appreciate that.
14:46 Is there a possibility for sort of other sport?
14:49 Boxing's been mentioned here, concerts and stuff like that.
14:52 Is that something that's possible?
14:54 Of course.
14:55 Now, we need to look at how you do that, what the implications of visitor
15:00 numbers.
15:01 We've got to think about local residents here and the impact that has as well.
15:05 What's the cost of doing those things?
15:06 What's the return on those investments?
15:09 So, yes, Barnsley Town Centre has a lot of great assets, but it doesn't have
15:15 a particularly big venue where you could put big events on.
15:18 Well, clearly, we've got one here.
15:20 So the question then becomes what are those opportunities and how do we make
15:24 them work?
15:25 I know you won't want to go into much of the details of this, but I'm sure fans
15:28 will be wondering how much sort of will be invested into the ground.
15:32 Is it hundreds, thousands, millions?
15:34 Can you give us an idea?
15:35 Well, it's the 30 years income from that.
15:38 So that income could vary.
15:40 What I can say, I think, whilst that's a commercial deal, the better the club
15:44 does, the more income we get.
15:46 So it's in everyone's interest the club succeeds because that then gives us more
15:51 money to reinvest back in the facility.
15:53 So there could be some variation in that over time.
15:56 But again, whatever that may be, it's looking at what are the possibilities
16:01 because it isn't just income from the club or the council or the deal we've
16:06 struck.
16:07 It's looking at funding opportunities from other organisations.
16:10 So the football industry has opportunities to get grants.
16:14 We as a council have opportunities to get grants from government and other
16:17 sources.
16:18 So I suspect as we move this thing forward, you'll see a range of funding
16:23 organisations getting involved, not just the primary participants.
16:28 To all of you, why was 30 years a license on and is there a possibility to
16:33 extend it once it gets towards the end of that?
16:36 Well, we certainly hope so.
16:38 I suspect in 30 years you'll be looking at three different people than you are
16:44 today.
16:45 But 30 years is standard for a commercial deal of this type.
16:49 So that's why it's 30 years.
16:52 But obviously we hope those that will come after us will extend that.
16:56 If we can make a success of this going forward, I'm sure extending the lease
17:00 won't be a problem.
17:01 But as I say, that will be for people who come later.
17:04 You mentioned, obviously, there's been stories about potentially the previous
17:08 chairman talking about moving the club away.
17:10 I mean, for the council, was that worrying when you heard that?
17:13 Was that a factor in wanting to sort this out?
17:16 Of course it was.
17:17 Oakwell has been here since 1887 the club was founded.
17:22 We've played our games here.
17:24 So it's not just that sort of cultural and passionate link to football.
17:29 This is a major business in Barnsley.
17:31 It attracts visitors from all over the country.
17:34 It puts Barnsley on the map every time there's a game and sometimes when there
17:38 isn't a game.
17:39 It creates huge interest in the town.
17:43 It's one of our best advertisements we have.
17:46 It employs over 200 people.
17:48 It's contributing $22 million to the local economy.
17:52 Barnsley FC Community Trust, again, that's making a massive social impact as
17:57 well as sporting impact in Barnsley that operates from this site.
18:02 We need to make these things secure and then we need to give them opportunity
18:06 to grow and develop into the future.
18:09 So that's the ambition.
18:11 There's a big impact here with Barnsley Football Club.
18:14 As I say, when we heard there were threats to move it away, we, well,
18:20 this is a family audience, isn't it?
18:22 So I'll be careful what I say.
18:24 But we weren't too pleased to hear that and we did try to engage with the
18:29 previous leadership of the club.
18:32 Unfortunately, that didn't prove too successful.
18:35 But it's great now that that's changed.
18:38 We've got a different approach entirely from the club who want to be part of
18:42 what we're trying to do in Barnsley.
18:44 You've seen the glassworks and everything that that's created.
18:47 We can do that again on this site in different ways.
18:50 Those two things together, we're already on the map in Barnsley.
18:55 But people want to be here even more.
18:58 So fantastic opportunity it creates, not just for the town centre but for
19:02 the whole of the borough.
19:04 Last question for me.
19:06 When the Crine family sold it in 2017, I remember the press conference here,
19:12 the plan was for the club itself to eventually acquire the whole stadium.
19:18 Obviously it's different people involved now, but what's been the change?
19:21 Why has it been a change over the years since then?
19:24 Gene, do you want to...?
19:26 No.
19:28 I think it's pretty simple.
19:29 I think what we've realised over the last seven years is sometimes it's going
19:32 to be good actors, sometimes bad.
19:33 And we might not be custodians of the club forever, so I think it's best that
19:36 the asset sits with the council, sits with the people of Barnsley.
19:39 It's just the safest outcome.
19:42 I mean, I think what we can say, none of us are getting any younger,
19:45 including me.
19:47 And speaking to Gene and her family, we want to protect this asset for the
19:52 long term.
19:53 And what was the best way of doing that?
19:55 Do you keep that yourselves?
19:57 You don't know what might happen to the club itself.
20:00 We were there to say we want to protect this asset for the next 30 years
20:04 and beyond.
20:05 And I'm really pleased Gene was prepared to sit down and talk with us on how
20:10 best to do that.
20:11 So if anything's changed, I think we're all thinking we've been through a
20:15 difficult period as a club, let's be honest.
20:18 Let's put that behind us.
20:19 Let's get some security now around where the club's at, where it's based,
20:24 what can be achieved.
20:26 Working in partnership with the council, with Barnsley Premier Leisure,
20:29 we're a massive influence on this borough and a key player that we need to
20:34 work alongside.
20:36 And then the opportunity, I think, not just for the town, but for the club
20:40 itself, is much better than it would have been otherwise.
20:44 Any more questions just before we wrap up?
20:51 No?
20:52 Great.
20:53 So now the plan is for any media wanting to do one-on-ones, TV will take you
20:57 pitch side.
20:59 And then the written press was doing here.
21:02 So yeah, it'll be in here for the written, pitch side for TV, we'll take it
21:06 down now.
21:07 Thank you.
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