Government cash may help Tigers

Published in Gloucester Citizen Newspaper on Tue 16th Jun 2009

GOVERNMENT funding could be the answer to getting Gloucester City Football Club playing back on home turf.

The Tigers are fighting to return to the city by the 2010/11 season but progress on a new ground is slow.

Now city councillor Jeremy Hilton, chairman of the task group which is working with the club, has said Government support could be vital.

"There has been no offer of Government money," he said.

"But the proposals I have seen not only suggest a new stadium but flood protection to a lot of houses and I would have thought the Government would be looking to help."

Coun Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) was speaking after the latest meeting of the task group, which saw a presentation by the football club of its latest plans.

The club is looking at the stadium at Meadow Park in Sudmeadow Road as a viable option for when the Tigers finally make their move back to Gloucester.

Last month Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, joined officials from the Environment Agency and planning officers to tour the ground which was destroyed during the floods of July 2007.

Coun Hilton said he could understand fans frustration at the slow progress but urged patience.

"I understand the fans are getting restless," he said.

"The existing stadium at Meadow Park is in a site which has been shown to flood.

"In order to resolve that issue is a rather complicated process which needs to be looked at with great care

"It's a tough and complicated process to work out what the club needs to do.

"There are issues to overcome in planning terms."

The task group is set to meet again on July 9.

Coun Hilton added: "Getting Gloucester City back home is in the hands of the club.

"There is work to do in the next month, progress has been made and we will now be meeting more frequently."