Wasps owner Chris Holland makes loan to Worcester to secure Sixways lease
- Published
Wasps and Worcester were both officially relegated from the Premiership in October
Wasps owner Chris Holland has made a loan to new Worcester Warriors owners Atlas to help secure a lease to play Championship rugby at Sixways from next season onwards.
Warriors have taken out a debenture through Companies House from Loxwood Holdings Limited, of whom Holland is a director along with two family members.
The agreement is secured against land and the stadium at Sixways.
Wasps confirmed in a statement that playing at Sixways is an option.
But the club insists it has "no interest at all in the property other than a lease to play first-class rugby in the stadium."
"Our loan to Atlas, secured by the debenture, is simply a means of securing our agreement to enter a three-year lease for Sixways," the statement added.
Warriors co-owner Jim O'Toole told BBC Hereford & Worcester: "It is a security of tenure deposit for Wasps to play at Sixways".
Wasps have lain dormant since being relegated from the Premiership in late October, other than to be told that they had satisfied Rugby Football Union financial checks and were free to return to playing professionally in the Championship next season.
They already have RFU permission to use Solihull Moors' home at Damson Park.
There has also been the option of using the training ground at Henley-in-Arden, but their application for Sixways now suggests that they will be heading to Worcester, as Atlas first claimed at their public meeting in Feburary.
A decision on the proposed move will be made when the RFU meets at the end of the month.
"It's just Sixways they've applied for," said an RFU spokesman. "At the moment the permission is for Solihull Moors."
It is understood Wasps will move the rugby operation to Sixways four days a week - both for training and playing home games there - and find another use for their Henley site.
Worcester Warriors' last game at Sixways was the win over Newcastle in September
As for Worcester, to have any chance of being allowed to operate in the Championship again, the new owners would have to commit to paying off rugby debts and also pass the RFU's fit and proper persons test.
As yet, the RFU says that Atlas have not committed to pay off debts or passed the fit and proper test.
The governing body says it is up to the Worcester owners to approach them with details of how they propose to participate in rugby.
Scott steps down as Wasps chief executive
Wasps chief executive Andy Scott has left his job - less than five months after joining the club.
"It was a planned move to allow Andy to concentrate on his personal business," said a Wasps statement.
"The function is well covered within the group and a further announcement will follow."
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