Passion and new stadium could take Gateshead Football Club to league

Jan 6 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

The plans for Gateshead’s new stadium, which will be on Prince Consort Road opposite the Civic Centre on a site which previously housed North Durham cricket and rugby clubs, will be submitted to Gateshead Council next month.

The club hopes to secure planning permission in late spring and start work on the stadium, which is not far from the town’s transport interchange, by June in time for completion by the kick-off of the 2011-12 season in August 2011.

Wood and Waites are currently talking to potential “blue chip” tenants with a view to securing agreements on long-term leases for the 3,000-plus square metres of lettable space which will be built into the stadium’s main east stand.

Wood continued: “The key to creating a self sufficient football club at Conference and lower Football League level is to build commercial space into the stadium. Leasing this space not only assists with funding the construction of the stadium but in meeting the ongoing running costs of the club.”

“Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club trialled this model and have shown that it works. Preston North End and Blackpool Football Clubs have since followed suit by using the same concept to finance new stands.”

“All three have let space to the local primary care trust on leases ranging from 25 to 50 years and this is the type of tenant we’ll be looking to attract. We’ll be talking to potential clients in both the public and private sectors.”

“The annual rental income we’re looking at will be in the region of £500,000 and we’ll look to maximise revenues through income streams generated from other activities at the stadium.

“We’ll look to squeeze the asset six or seven days a week and not simply rely on matchday revenues.”

Wood says, “Ultimately, the level of attendance will determine the size and quality of the squad but we’re confident that there will be at least sufficient income to achieve and sustain League Two status.”

At the end of last season Gateshead, who are currently based at the town’s International Stadium, which is primarily known as an athletics venue, played AFC Telford United in the Conference North play-offs for a place in the Conference Premier League, the pinnacle of non-league football. The match attracted a crowd of 4,200, including nearly 1,000 Telford supporters.