Further Delays for Blackfriars End

Hereford United chairman Graham Turner has said that he expects the opening of the proposed new Blackfriars End will now be after the start of next season.

A week ago Turner had hoped that plans would be with the council this week, but this hasn't happened and Turner has admitted that matters are taking longer than he originally thought.

It appears that the main stumbling block at present is dividing the football area from the non-football area around the Blackfriars End. In essence this needs to be agreed with the Richardsons so that new long leases can be obtained from Hereford Council.

"We've had further conversations with our architects this week," said Turner.

"I don't think that now it's so much to do with the stand, it's the further and future development of the area that we are trying to come to terms with, and that will influence the exact positioning of the lease boundries.

"On Monday we have a meeting with the council. We are hoping that the Richardsons will be present. It is to further the conversations we have already had regarding the actual lease allocation, and the good news for the club is that we would get our own leases back, and a long one at that, that would secure the tenure of the club at Edgar Street.

"We realise that we have got to give up something in return for the debt we owe the Richardsons and get the leases back, so the land surrounding the ground will be there for development, now it's just reaching an agreement on that development.

"We are battling hard for better office facilities, better shop facilities, ticket office and all the rest of those sort of things that we require. It's not a stumbling block, but it's taken up most of the time during negotiations at the present time."

Turner went on to say that the discussions involved with the Blackfriars End had been something totally different for him, nearly as hard as negotiating with players.

"In some ways I've quite enjoyed it, in some ways it's been a real headache. But the worst part has been the Football Licensing Authority's requirements to meet the license criteria."

What about the next steps?

"It is to get the heads of agreement with the leases and planning formally for the grant. Get tenders in, planning application will go in.

"You don't realise how slowly things grind but the major problem is the carve up of the land for new lease boundaries.

"We are hoping it will be resolved very quickly.

"I'm not so optimistic for the start of the season but certainly into the early matches of next season it should be up and running."

Turner's quotes are from the Hereford United Official Site.

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