皇家区内阁讨论处女膜move again as rival petitions gather signatures

The council leader has asked for the decision to block Maidenhead United’s move to Braywick Park to be discussed again by cabinet.

Earlier this month, the Advertiser reported on the ‘Move Us or Lose Us’ petition launched by Magpies fan Shay Bottomley, which called on the council to review its decision not to release open space in the park to allow the football club’s stadium move.

The petition has received nearly 1,900 online signatures, meaning it has met the 1,000-signature threshold for a council debate.

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, council leader Simon Werner referenced the petition, and asked for a review of the decision to be added to the next cabinet meeting agenda for November 29.

Meanwhile, a counter petition has also been launched by Maidenhead resident Doug Watts, calling on the council to stand by the decision.

It has so far received 473 signatures.

Doug said he launched the petition as he wants the borough to protect the ‘valuable green space’ at Braywick and ‘preserve the history of Maidenhead United FC.’

The Magpies have called York Road home for over 150 years but have been looking for a new ground to help the club grow and develop.

Doug said: “We’ve had a lot of history taken out of Maidenhead, we don’t need any more taken out. It’s the oldest continuous ground in the world.”

“There’s too much greenbelt going too. If the land at Braywick goes, it will just be devastating for the area.

“I’m not against the football club, I want it to develop, but this is just the wrong way.”

Discussing the importance of York Road, Doug, who is also a fan of the club, said local businesses benefited from its location with people coming and going from the town on match-days.

Maidenhead Rugby Club chairman Steve Bough has publicly backed the petition. The club has been an outspoken opponent of the proposed move.

On the park, Doug said: “It’s used frequently by dog walkers and some days you can’t move for kids using the area.”

For Doug, the park holds a special significance as he walks there when visiting the graves of his brother and father buried in the adjacent cemetery.

On the ‘Move Us or Lose Us’ petition Doug said he had spoken to Shay and ‘saw his point of view’ but ‘didn’t think this was the right move.’

Maidenhead United have backed Shay’s petition, saying it was the residents’ chance to ‘show the council that our proposals are supported by the local community and deserve fair and proper consideration.’

The petition argues the York Road ground is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ and a stadium at Braywick will ‘deliver significant community benefit and will be advantageous to a range of stakeholders.’

Responding to Doug’s comments on the loss of Magpies’ heritage at York Road and open space at Braywick Park, Maidenhead United CEO, Jon Adams, said: “We are very proud of York Road and its history but the reality is the facilities we have are no longer fit for purpose. What we’re trying to achieve is the future and sustainability of the club.

“In terms of Braywick Park, the proposed site is actually on existing sports space. While we accept it’s on green space land this area is already allocated for sports. The proposals also represent a very small area of the park.”

Visit tinyurl.com/5hxf6ev9 to view both petitions.