Herne Bay Football Club are asking the council for a £30,000 loan to resurface the Winches Field car park

by Chris Price

Herne Bay Football Club have asked the council for a £30,000 loan to end a dispute between the club and an angry neighbour.

The council will consider a loan application for 40% of the £75,000 needed to resurface the club's car park off Stanley Gardens and put in new nets behind the goals.

The club claim they have been forced by the council to get resurfacing works under way because of a 21-year argument with a neighbour.

The resident says his garden gets flooded every time it rains and the Winches Field car park overflows.

However, the council denies coercing the club into doing the work, saying it does not have the power to do so.

Club secretary and former chairman John Bathurst, 76, said: "We have got a neighbour who complains that we mess up his garden when it rains.

"The council have done tests and are convinced that when the car park floods, it overflows into his garden. We think that is a load of rubbish.

"The council have been on to us from day one. He has been complaining about this for 21 years.

"We have had mediation services with the neighbour because we beg to differ.

"The council have got three box files of complaints about the football club from the neighbour.

"We never want to see the club getting into debt but the council are forcing us.

"The neighbour keeps complaining and the council have come down on us because we are leasing the ground from them.

"When the landlord says something, you have to do it."

Herne Bay, who were promoted to Ryman League Division One South last season, have already gained funding of £11,000 from Viridor Credits and expect the low or no-interest loan application to get the go-ahead.

Mr Bathurst conceded there are benefits to carrying out the work.

"It is in our interests because at a higher league level, a nice new car park is brilliant.

"At the moment it has pot-holes and floods, which is not conducive to people enjoying coming here."

Council spokesman Robert Davies said: "Herne Bay Football Club have approached the council for a loan to help fund work to resurface the club's car park.

"Executive members will consider the request. In doing so, they will have to balance the security of the council’s money with the benefits of the planned work."