Irish League club allay fears over stadium sale after ground put on market for £175,000
Carrick Rangers have allayed fan fears after their Taylors Avenue ground was put up for sale by Mid & East Antrim Council – saying it has no impact on the club’s future due to entering a 75-year lease in 2011 which transfers to new ownership.
The Co Antrim venue, which comprises of a main playing pitch, two stands, toilet block, floodlights and an artificial playing pitch, has been placed on PropertyPal for an asking price of £175,000.
Belfast-based firm O'Connor Kennedy Turtle (OKT) are overseeing the potential sale and a listing on their website states Carrick Rangers hold a 75-year lease, paying £3,000 in rent per annum for their main pitch and grounds and £900 per annum for the artificial pitch with a rent review due every seven years.
Regardless of the new party taking over ownership of the ground, Carrick will remain playing their home fixtures at Taylors Avenue, which was given planning permission earlier this year for a new stand with a capacity of over 800.
Carrick were one of 20 Irish League clubs successful in the first stage of the NI Football Fund with their £5.8million project now progressing to due diligence checks.
The club said in a statement: “Following the recent announcement that Mid and East Antrim Borough Council intends to put the land at Taylors Avenue up for sale, we would like to reassure stakeholders that this potential transaction will have no impact on Carrick Rangers Football Club.
“In 2011, Carrick Rangers entered into a 75-year lease with the Council. Consequently, if the Council were to sell the land to a third party, the lease - including all associated rights, liabilities, and obligations - would automatically transfer to the new owner.
"Therefore, regardless of who owns the land, the Club will continue to operate as usual.”
Taylors Avenue was originally founded as Barn Avenue by James Taylor, who owned the land as part of his converted barn estate.
Also previously known as Barn Field, it was home to Barn Football Club from 1889 until the club folded in 1928 – Barn United, who ply their trade in the Amateur League, took inspiration from that name when they were founded in 1954.