"Very worrying "exclusive" piece by Graham Rusell in today's local Sunday paper, gist is; Sainsburys want to pull the plug as they no longer see it commercially viable. Rovers are prepared to take Sainsburys to court and believe they have water tight contract. Lawyers on both sides already involved and there has been two legal skirmishes so far that have gone unreported. So that explains the recent MP's intervention, the clubs lack of communication to us. and confirms our worst fears are well founded" Read more: http://gasheads.org/thread/772/sund...rys-out?ixzz39KYKGl9a=undefined#ixzz39KvnR23b Taken from the Gashead forum.. it really isn't going well for them is it.!
"STORES GROUP DECISION PUTS PIRATES' PLANS IN JEOPARDY Supermarket giants Sainsburys wants to pull the plug on the £20-Million deal to buy Bristol Rovers' ground for a new store. They claim delays and a changing public mood no longer make it viable. For Rovers it is a financial triple whammy just months after losing their Football League status after 93 years of continuous membership. The Pirates are braced, if necessary, to take Sainsbury's to court to protect the contract, which would give them the money to build a new stadium. Prime Minister David Cameron told local MP Charlotte Lesley recently in the commons that he very much hoped the stores group would go ahead with the land purchase, but they have decided it no longer makes commercial sense. When Rovers were relegated to the Conference in the spring, Chairman Nick Higgs promised the plans for the new stadium would still go ahead, although they would be put back a year. The promise was conditional on Sainsbury's still going ahead and providing the money for Rovers to move from the Memorial Stadium. Lawyers on both sides are involved and there have already been two legal skirmishes which have so far gone unreported. Since the banking crisis began, all the domestic stores have seen market share drift away to the German discount Groups Aldi and Lidl. The fear is those customers are unlikelt to come back now because while the recession is officially over, the purse strings are still very tight. Expansion plans throughout the country are being reviewed by the food groups, who are tending to look to establish smaller convenience stores. It is a major crisis for the football club. They have already lost regular rental income from Bristol Rugby, who have left the Mem after 93 years to move in with Bristol City, where their owner, Steve Lansdown is the biggest shareholder and boss. Rovers are facing up to lower revenues as a Non league club but insist their future is still secure. They have a Plan B to improve their present stadium which was agreed with the City Council before Sainsbury's came down the aisle. A club source said last night 'We don't want to see the arrangement with Sainsbury's scuppered. We believe the contract is pretty watertight but the last thing we want is another court case. We don't want compensation to give up the contract. We do want a new ground with facilities to see us through the 21st Century.' Bristol Rovers are the west;s oldest senior club, dating back to 1883, and truned professional in 1897 - the same year as Bristol City. Read more: http://gasheads.org/thread/772/sunday-independent-sainsburys-out?page=3#ixzz39L5iQdDO"
Looks like two grounds unable to get built, I was hoping that if they got their ground then concerts might start getting held there.
Having read several newspaper articles over the past year about the changes in shopping habits like more, local and smaller stores, the increasing internet order/home delivery services, this news is not surprising. I wonder if this could be a factor in SL's decision to go ahead with the redevelopment of Ashton Gate instead of going back to the legal process to get Ashton Vale built. Had Saintsbury's already told SL that they now did not want to move to Ashton Gate stadium? Maybe the Rovers have to look at redeveloping the Mem site with more commercial use and/or housing.
Fancy a swift boot in the goolies when you're down and almost out? Yet again the only winners in this scenario are the greedy lawyers who will promise their clients the earth and deliver nothing substantial except the bills.
The problem with this case is that Rovers believe they have a water tight case but Sainsbury's have more money and will pay their legal beagles whatever it takes to get out of the deal. Simply put, the biggest stick wins and to hell with the law! That's why any contract is not worth the paper it is written on even if it is in blood.
Wycombe have already been fined by the fa they have already been punished, they do not have a case to answer it was just a very poor and desperate attempt by the clueless board to hold on to their league status Rovers do not have the financial clout to be able to take on a company like Sainsbury's I can see this ending very badly for the sags,
