WEYMOUTH chairman Ian White described the Terras’ deal to remain at the Bob Lucas Stadium as “great news”.
Prior to Weymouth’s 1-1 draw with Bath City, White announced to shareholders the club had bought back almost a third of the land surrounding the ground from Wessex Community Sports LLP (WCSLLP) for just £1.
A new option agreement was in turn granted to WCSLLP until 2024, while a licence for car parking has been afforded to the Terras, enabling supporters to continue to park at the stadium.
WCSLLP are also expected to build a road to separate the new Terras-owned land from retained land outside the main stand.
White admitted he had wanted to get the agreement “finished” after lengthy negotiations.
He said: “It’s great news. I’ve been involved with the land deal for 10 years – it’s a long time – and when I became chairman it was one of the things I wanted to get out of the way.
“To be honest, at the last AGM we knew, they just wouldn’t let us say anything. We so wanted to do this, get it finished.
“I just wish Roy Child (former solicitor and Terras’ fan who died last year) was still here because he was the one that gave the push to do it, but we’ve done it now and we’ll stay at the Bob Lucas.
“Ten, 15 years ago when we moved out here people said ‘we’re in the middle of nowhere’.
“I think in five, 10 years time we’ll be in the middle of somewhere, getting into the community, sorting stuff out.”
At the meeting, shareholders expressed their concern over parking spaces but White moved to allay those fears.
“I’ve been to grounds all over the county. At Maidstone, there were 10 parking spaces,” he said.
“So, we’re lucky with the amount of parking we’ve got.”
Commenting on the protracted concept of relocation, White admitted a suitable new home for the Terras was becoming more unlikely.
He said: “The bottom line to that is the relocation idea is still there but we’re 10 years down the line now and there doesn’t seem to be anywhere we can go.
“At the end of the day, the club has the choice.
“I’ve got to say thank you to Wessex Community Sports for negotiating. At the end of the day, they could’ve said no.
“But we needed it finished and I think they wanted a deal in place.”
