Cromer Town FC logo.
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Find out which famous football club and countess are trying to save Cromer Town from extinction
By STEVE DOWNES
Thursday, March 14, 2013
12:33 PM
A sleeping giant of the football world and a countess with connections to the Queen have pitched in to try to save a north Norfolk club from possible extinction.
Cabbell Park, home of Cromer Town FC. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLYIn a new twist to a remarkable tale, Leeds United instructed its solicitors McCormicks of Harrogate to give advice to Cromer Town FC to help its legal battle to stay at its home of 91 years, Cabbell Park.
Leeds stepped in after a plea from the club’s patron the Countess of Harewood, whose late husband the 7th Earl of Harewood was the Queen’s first cousin and a club president for 49 years.
Lady Harewood was concerned after hearing that Cromer Town could be evicted from its home on Mill Road because of a clause in its lease which ended its tenancy 21 years after the death of the last grandchild of King Edward VII.
That person was thought to be King Olav of Norway, who died in 1991. But Cromer’s former mayor Greg Hayman discovered Lord Harewood, who died in 2011 but was a few months from birth when the lease was agreed in 1922 – potentially adding another two decades to the deadline.
Cromer Town FC celebrate clinching the 2011/12 Sterry Cup.
PHOTO: ANTONY KELLYNNDC and Cromer Town are at loggerheads over who was the official “last relative in being”, with lawyers for NNDC confident that it was King Olav, and that the council should now be the legal owner of the ground. But lawyers for Cromer Town have advised that Lord Harewood’s death triggered the 21-year countdown.
Meanwhile, a bid to transfer the ground from the trust to NNDC has stalled, 10 months after tentative agreement was reached.
Last year, a document was put before the five Cabbell Park trustees, who all needed to sign it in order for the ground to be transferred to NNDC.
But it is understood that not all of them have put pen to paper, and NNDC is threatening legal action to remove those who have not.
NNDC leader Tom FitzPatrick would not confirm the details, but said: “We are involved in a legal process relating to the transfer of the land at Cabbell Park to NNDC.
“As part of this process NNDC’s head of legal services has written to two of the trustees. We hope that the legal process will be concluded as soon as possible, after which the council will be able to take a longer-term view of the future of Cabbell Park in consultation with the residents of Cromer.”
NNDC has suggested redeveloping the ground, putting the current Overstrand Road GP surgery at the front and moving Cromer Town to the back.
The deal could see Cromer Group Practice giving money to Cromer Youth FC in compensation for lost open space, helping to fund a permanent base for the youngsters after more than 30 homeless years.
But Paul Jarvis, Cromer Town chairman, said: “We are concerned that if NNDC gets hold of Cabbell Park, we could cease to exist at the end of this season. If we were given notice to quit, that would the end for us.”
He added: “The Duchess of Harewood has been in touch and says she does not want us to fold. She spoke to Leeds United and their solicitors wrote to NNDC on our behalf.
“They have a solicitor whose opinion is that we are correct.”
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11 comments
Once the council get thier hands on the land it will soon be Cabbell Park housing estate.
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FootballFan
Friday, March 15, 2013
I'm sure that is or was the intention and any judge would say that is true in the spirit of the intention. The stupid thing is councillors want to play their silly ego games and waste your money so they can feel clever for being idiots. and certainly not representing the ethos of a town community and any past intentions.. Cromer is Cromer and no individual sad political egos should unrepresent the tradition of a proud town.
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Dave01
Thursday, March 14, 2013
I can't understand the Council's actions. They are taking a stance they need not take. The gift to the football club was made with what is known as a "perpetuity period". There is very clear legal authority to say when perpetuity periods were made with reference to "lives in being" that you should include those lives conceived but not yet born. The Earl of Harewood was born just after the gift was made. Thus, the Club have until 2032 before the ground should be handed over to the Council.
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GoodbyeToAllThat
Thursday, March 14, 2013
That should read ego-centric , an eco centric councillor is not what I had in mind. The only psuedo eco-centric is Ingo who posts sometimes on here. Yet he supports smoking mind changing plants cannibis etc so many(and I) can't support that. I've seen too many well educated people end up in special homes because of it. Nasty inhuman polluting stuff! give it up Ingo if you are using, you certainly are promoting on your other activities! For your own good not mine. Chill with meditation not weed...
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Dave01
Thursday, March 14, 2013
That should read 'their' future. apologies..
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Dave01
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Yet another ridiculous story caused by councillors. I'm not a politically minded person yet day after day we hear of absolutely stupid ideas from councillors. NCC, NNDC, WDC and their £13m offices, the list is endless. Can't councillors just stop having eco-centric 'I'm powerful' ideas and get a life and serve the wishes of the people. We are all getting bored with the selfish stupidity of these arrogant twerps where-ever they surface, Norfolk and Suffolk is particularly ripe with them at the moment. The epitomy of pure stupidity... I vote we let the high school kids run the councils, after all it is there future...
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Dave01
Thursday, March 14, 2013
what was it the head of the national trust said last night "nobody should think they have a right to live where they were born!! " well it seems NNDC has the same idea with the local football team as well ??? just because you are playing for a football team called CTFC you have the right to play in cromer. NNDC you should be ashamed of yourselves and move yourselves to another town !!!
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stephen watson
Thursday, March 14, 2013
How many of NNDC councillors are local? They should be proud of this old established club and strive to keep it going. Personally, I think the Countess and Leeds U are correct in their beliefs.
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Muggas Budal
Thursday, March 14, 2013
What a bunch of snivelling, faceless twonks these councillors must be. The protagonists should be identified and booted out at the earliest possible opportunity. Honestly, a local council taking the opportunity to put its local club out of commission. Completely unacceptable.
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LittleYellowBirdie
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Looks like once the council get their hands on the ground it could be goodbye Cromer Town FC which would be a disaster for a town of Cromer's size not to have a senior football club which has been in existence since 1898. The promise of sharing it with a new surgery is only talk and could disappear once the ground is transferred into the councils hands.
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FootballFan
Thursday, March 14, 2013
There was me thinking Tesco were the enemy of all local seaside residents. Looks like your localcouncil are the ones you should watch more cloesly.
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KeithS
Thursday, March 14, 2013