Barnet FC have moved a step closer to returning to their home London borough after public consultations held this month.
The Bees, who have been playing in Harrow since leaving Barnet in 2013, hosted two meetings on 14 and 17 November to canvas the mood in the local area.
Many in the Barnet FC fanbase have harboured dreams of returning to their home borough ever since they left Underhill over a decade ago.
Harry Brown, who has been going to watch his team ever since he first went as a baby strapped to his dad, said: “There’s something special about being in your community and supporting your local club and when it was gone, it just didn’t feel the same and it never has since.
“When the opportunity came to come back I remember getting goosebumps, it’s better than any last-minute goal we’ve scored.”
The club aims to submit a planning application to the council by the end of the year, with the new ground to be situated on the current playing fields of the Ark Pioneer Academy.
The complex will cost £14million and be funded entirely by the football club, including a new school playing field plus four multi-use games areas available to pupils and expanded car parking.
Kevin Meehan and Eliza Hughes are two fans who haven’t been to see Barnet play football since the move to Harrow.
Kevin said: “It’s not even in North London, I wouldn’t know how to get there as it is so I fully support it coming back.”
Eliza added: “We still have friends that live in the area and we’d love to go together, but it’s so much more complicated to organise going to a different part of London that you’ve never been to versus going to your local.”
Sean Hooker was a councillor for Barnet between 2000 and 2006, and he also supported the need for the team to come home.
He said: “Barnet Underhill was an ideal location for the club, in reality they should never really have moved.
“Although my nephews and other people have gone to The Hive, I never have.
“There’s no direct transport links at all to that area.
“It will be interesting to see if this is a real plan, whether they can make it work.”
Not everyone present, however, was in a positive mood and many had concerns regarding traffic, parking and the environment.
David Semple lives around the corner from the proposed new stadium and he stressed his worries with the plans.
He said: “It is the most peaceful place on God’s earth.
“I suspect with a 7,000-seater stadium 200 metres away it won’t be.
“At the moment we can park, it’s really easy, but on a matchday, with a 7,000 seater stadium, I think suddenly there will be no free parking, no possibility of parking.”
Barnet FC chairman Tony Kleanthous originally announced his intention for the club to move back to the Borough of Barnet in February this year.
Once the application is submitted, it will be down to Barnet Council to assess whether the proposed plans are feasible.
Picture credits: Barnet FC for feature image, and Tom Wise
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