15834/2GAZETTE & HERALD: CALNE Town Football Club's bombshell decision not to relocate to the Beversbrook site has left councillors gobsmacked.

Club chairman Steve Walker revealed they would prefer to stay put at Bremhill, their home of more than 40 years despite four years of graft by the council to make the move possible.

Deputy mayor Cathy Bowyer said she was appalled by the decision, which came totally out of the blue.

And Coun Mercy Baggs said she was disgusted with the way the news came out at a meeting to discuss funding for the move.

But Mr Walker said club officials felt so much money had been spent bringing the Bremhill site up to Western League standards, it would be a shame to demolish it.

He branded a new football pitch a chronic waste of money, estimating it to cost between £300,000-£400,000.

Mr Walker said he there were also fears over rental costs at Beversbrook, its location and whether fans would be willing to travel.

He said club officials had become increasingly worried about the situation over the past few months, but only decided to speak out last week.

The town council, which owns a parcel of land at Beversbrook and is about to buy another, was planning to sell the club land for development.

But as a result of hard campaigning and a petition of more than 100 signatures the decision was overturned and it was resolved to use the land as a sporting venue for local people. The council continued to support the football team's plans to move to Beversbrook and there have been several meetings since to firm up support and lay the foundations of their future within the town.

Coun John Ireland said: "To introduce this argument at this late stage, and especially in front of those who we had negotiated with for so long to support the project, has left a bitter taste in our mouths.

"My heart went out to the town clerk as she has worked her socks off for three years to satisfy their demands and they change their minds so suddenly and without any real thought to the rest of the people of the town, both youth and adult, who want this facility.

"Cathy Bowyer says that she is appalled, I am disgusted and my view is that it will be the football club that will suffer if they continue on this self destructive route, as the move will go ahead with or without them.

"The behaviour of the club's representative was an absolute disgrace. Calne as a whole is desperately short of sporting facilities and all the people of the town would benefit from this facility, it is not just for the football club, it is for everyone."

Coun Bowyer added: "I am appalled that Calne Town Football Club representatives threw the cat mongst the pigeons by stating that they do not want to move to Beversbrook in the meeting discussing funding with the FA. Calne Town Council has worked long and hard to preserve Bremhill as a green area and to move the appropriate sports, including football, to Beversbrook."