Bangor 1876: Club's proposed move to Nantporth in doubt
- Published
Bangor City played at Nantporth Stadium between 2012 and 2021
A north Wales football club says it may have to play outside the city it represents unless a dispute over the future of its planned stadium is resolved in the coming weeks.
Bangor 1876 were formed by Bangor City fanss who were concerned at how the club was being run.
They are in the third tier Ardal North West and hope to secure promotion to the Cymru North for 2023-24.
But a club sponsor says he will pull out if the club moves to Nantporth,
If Bangor secure promotion to the Cymru North next season, the club expected that they would move from their current home in Treborth to the city's main Uefa-licensed stadium.
But their main sponsor warned he would withdraw his support if Bangor "went into bed" with the company that runs the facility.
Nantporth Stadium, which opened its doors in 2012 after Bangor City moved from Farrar Road, is run by a Community Interest Company (CIC) on behalf of Bangor City Council.
As well as a 1,100 seater stadium with a license to host some European and age grade international matches, Nantporth CIC also owns a 4G pitch which is also in regular use by several local grassroots clubs.
Bangor 1876 currently play at Treborth playing fields, which is part of the University
But with Nantporth CIC owing £63,000 to the council in rent and insurance arrears, the authority has already threatened legal action.
According to Nantporth CIC it, for the most part, stems from the failure of Bangor City FC - who were sub-tenants until they surrendered their lease in 2022 - to pay their rent.
But the council says that the "dispute relates to the continuous breach of the terms of the lease" and that they have a responsibility to "act in the interest of Bangor's ratepayers".
There is no longer a Bangor City team after the club pulled out of the Cymru North in February 2022 having been suspended from all football activities for missed payments to players.
Bangor 1876 was formed in 2019 by City fans who were unhappy with the way their former club was being run.
Having worked their way up the pyramid, the club is facing possible promotion to the second tier next season - with the play-offs being the most likely route.
But with the stadium requirements meaning that a move would be necessary, this has caused headaches for the club's committee.
"Unfortunately, Treborth's facilities do not meet the requirements for the second tier, so if we get promoted we will need a ground that is suitable", chairman Glynne Roberts told BBC Cymru Fyw.
"Nantporth is just a mile away and we have expressed interest in playing there and have obtained an agreement to do so."
While grateful to Bangor University for being allowed the use of Treborth, Mr Roberts said that Nantporth has the potential to be "a hub for the entire north west of Wales".
"The road leading down to Treborth is a single track, only wide enough for one car, it's a very open site and difficult to attract people there, while at Nantporth there's enough parking space and shelter.
"My aspiration is to work with Bangor 1876 women's team and to settle at Nantporth."
But as a result of the dispute between Bangor City Council and Nantporth CIC, he added that they were in a "terribly difficult situation".
This is after the club's main sponsor stated in a letter to the club that he would not be willing to continue with his financial support if the club entered into agreement with Nantporth CIC.
Mark Watkin Jones told Cymru Fyw: "Our concern is that should Bangor 1876 join forces with CIC, whatever those arrangements may be, then the debt associated with the non-performance could, in some capacity, end up becoming the responsibility of 1876, either through having to find additional funds or not having a ground to play on half way through a season, should the council enforce the eviction, which wouldn't see anyone in the community benefit."
In his letter to the club Watkin added: "(The) most sensible solution for the wider football community in Bangor would be for CIC to agree a surrender of their lease with Bangor City Council and for Bangor City Council to agree a new lease with a new company formed to act on behalf of the community as was the original CIC business plan.
"We regret to inform you that Watkin Property Ventures are not willing to continue our financial support to Bangor 1876 if they are involved with CIC as, in our opinion, it will not be in the best interests of Bangor 1876 or the wider community in the long term."
Having agreed to sponsor the club to the tune of £20,000 a year over three years, Roberts said that the club was "largely dependent" on that income.
After holding a supporters' meeting on Tuesday night to discuss the contents of the letter, Mr Roberts added that "all the supporters are keen to see us in Nantporth next season" and are supportive of Mr Watkin Jones' comments, but that "the clock is ticking" on the need to confirm a venue.
He added that his hope is that Nantporth CIC would agree to a change in the stadium's management structure in order to satisfy everyone.
"We have concerns that the legal processes are not being presented quickly enough for us to resolve this before the start of next season," he said.
He added that were it not possible to play in Nantporth, it may mean having to play in a stadium outside of Bangor in order to satisfy the requirements of the second tier, "on a temporary basis".
Bangor City Council has not responded to a request from BBC Wales for comment.
Dilwyn Jones, one of the directors of Nantporth CIC, said that he would not respond directly to the letter as "it is a matter between Bangor 1876 and its sponsors".
But he told Cymru Fyw that he is trying to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Bangor City Council within the coming weeks.
With several clubs and 2,000 people using the facility monthly, he said that Nantporth "should be there for all the clubs that use it".
He said that Nantporth CIC continues to try to attract grant aid to improve the facilities, but that "all the trouble stems historically from Bangor City FC's troubles".
Jones, a former chairman of Bangor chairman, added: "From our point of view there is an agreement for Bangor 1876 to play in Nantporth next season, we have worked with the club all along.
"All the documents are in place... it enabled them to secure the necessary licence.
"As far as we are concerned this agreement remains in place.
"Regarding a meeting with the city council, we expect this to happen by the end of the month.
"No one is more eager to hold these discussions than we are."