Youth football club in Corby left without clubhouse for over a year as council fails to sort out subsidence problem

A youth football club has been forced to live without its clubhouse for more than a year due to a lack of intervention from the council.

Hellenic Fisher YFC, based in Burghley Drive, Corby lost the use of its clubhouse, a council-owned facility, in September last year after discovering cracks in the rear wall.

When the cracks were discovered, the council was contacted to go out and have a look.

The council went out to look and the problem was said to be subsidence, so they had the building cordoned off, labelling it unsafe.

Since the issue arose, many people from the club have contacted the council on countless occasions to try and get a decision and the next steps in progress, but after all this time they are still no closer.

According to Paul Cunningham, club chairman of Hellenic Fisher YFC, and Christopher Moorey, the club secretary, they’ve had emails from the council stating that it’s between two different insurance companies that are fighting out liability.

Paul said: “We keep chasing for updates and the council, they’re probably stuck in limbo as well, but somebody needs to take accountability for it now.

“The children are missing out here, there’s nearly 200 children at this club now ranging from the age of three to 17 and I just feel 14 months is a long time for insurance companies to be trying to sort out this issue.”

Paul believes the club is down at least £12,000 a year without the clubhouse.

He said: “We could easily be making £200 to £250 a week, selling teas, coffees, snacks, sweets, cold drinks, to the children, to the parents.

“We’ve got an alcohol licence - we can’t sell our alcohol. All our stock is still in there - it’s all out of date.”

Without the clubhouse, the children at the club have access to no facilities other than the pitches.

Paul said: “They haven’t got any facilities, they’ve got a grass field. We haven’t got any toilets, we haven't got anything, other than some good quality pitches.”

Christopher said: “This club is unisex and the fact we can’t offer toilets to anyone, let alone females, is unacceptable.”

Hellenic currently has a two star accreditation from the FA but there is a fear that this could be lost given their current situation.

A spokesman for North Northamptonshire Council said: “We are keen to find a resolution for the building issues and are working with our insurers. We have been keeping Hellenic Fisher YFC informed during this process.

“There are several surveyors reports that have needed to be done and we are waiting for the options to be presented to us from our insurers.

“The council will meet with club representatives as soon as we understand the full picture and will discuss plans to move forward.

“In the meantime, as the club currently doesn’t have access to the building where their mobile goals are stored, the council has supported the club by buying new goals that have been installed on their pitches, provided through match funding via an application to the Football Foundation.”

NNC has allowed Hellenic’s U16 team, free usage of Lodge Park Sports Centre’s astroturf for their Sunday home fixtures during this period.