Ludlow football stadium crisis talks continue
Crisis meetings to save a Ludlow's football stadium from closure are still ongoing, with eleventh-hour talks set to take place over the next few days.
The town's senior and junior teams will be left without a home unless a solution can be found to help pay business rates at the town's Showtime Stadium.
At a meeting on Wednesday night, owner Matt Davies said he could no longer afford to keep paying £1,200 a month in "extortionate" rates and intended to close the ground.
The stadium is home to phoenix club AFC Ludlow, who play in the West Midlands Regional League, and a number of community and junior teams.
Further meetings have now been set up to see if a solution can be found to the crisis, with Ludlow MP Philip Dunne vowing to speak to movers and shakers to see what could be done to save the stadium.
Mr Dunne said: "I deeply regret AFC Ludlow's Showtime Stadium has decided to cease trading.
"I was informed of this yesterday and have been in discussion with the proprietor and Shropshire Council to see what could be done at this eleventh hour to maintain sporting facilities for the local community.
"I am encouraging Shropshire Council to facilitate a meeting as soon as possible to explore what options there may be.
"At this late stage, it will be extremely challenging for Ludlow's football teams to participate in leagues next season unless access to these facilities can be secured for the next 12 months while a longer term solution is found."
Chris Edwards, Shropshire Council's area commissioner for the south of the county, said officers would talk with Mr Davies about rate relief, but rates were set by HM Revenue and Customs, not Shropshire Council.
He said: "We are very keen to work with local businesses to help them and will always explore with ratepayers who are struggling to pay the rates if they are eligible for any rate relief.
"We had offered support and advised Showtime Stadium Facilities Ltd to apply for rate relief last year and will continue to work closely with them, Ludlow Town AFC and the various other junior clubs in order to try and secure the facility for the future."
Mr Davies, who runs Showtime Security Ltd in Craven Arms, was the head of a consortium that bought the ground on Bromfield Road for an undisclosed sum after Ludlow Town Football Club went into receivership in 2012.
AFC Ludlow, which was created after the demise of Ludlow Town FC, will be holding emergency talks about the club's future on Monday.
Mark Sutton, chairman of Onny Juniors, who are based at the ground, said the closure would be a "disaster for football in south Shropshire".
