Whitby Town Football Club’s safety certificate was revoked by the council, aiming to reduce costs and ensure the club’s financial sustainability
Whitby: So, the North Yorkshire Council just pulled the safety certificate for Whitby Town Football Club. This happened during a meeting on January 7, where the club was trying to cut costs by deregulating a bit.
The Towbar Express Stadium, where the club plays, has been regulated since 2006. But now, they want to drop the number of seats to below 500, which means they can save some cash.
The council confirmed that they’ve already taken out nine seats, bringing the total down to 498. WTFC is really feeling the pinch with rising costs for security and medical staff.
Scott Booth, the club’s CEO, mentioned that removing those seats would help them manage staffing better. He’s not looking to skimp on security; he just wants the club to stay afloat.
The Sports Ground Safety Authority reminded everyone that the club still has to follow safety rules, even with fewer seats. There’s no history of issues with the club, which is a good sign.
The committee said this change could save the club around £8,000 a month. After the meeting, Booth was thrilled with the decision and couldn’t wait to share the news with the board.
He pointed out that the stadium, which holds less than 1,400 people, was overstaffed for the actual attendance. He’s excited about the potential savings and how they can reinvest that money back into the club.
Over the last 20 years, they’ve spent a whopping £250,000 just to keep up with safety reports and requirements. Now, with this new decision, they can save a lot and focus on improving the club.
