Out of order: the stand at Croydon Arena epitomises so much of Jason Perry’s Croydon
Football supporters turning up for Croydon FC’s Bank Holiday Monday fixture at Croydon Arena last weekend exposed another of Mayor Perry’s porkies.
The council-owned sports stadium has its main stand and toilets out-of-bounds to the public, almost six months since piss-poor Jason Perry, the £82,000 per year Mayor of Croydon, declared that he was “delighted” that the stand and changing areas were back in operation.
There’s now more Perry porkie pies than you might expect to find in a well-stocked Sainsbury’s.
- There was the time when the Mayor warned the Town Hall of a Brick by Brick house that had been built with no stairs. No such abomination ever existed; Perry claimed to have been misinformed.
- And the same Mayor who hiked your Council Tax by 21% continues to dissemble that he’s “fixed the finances”… after he has lined up repeat government bail-outs of £38million per year.
We may have missed some, too…
As far as Croydon Arena is concerned, Perry’s cash-strapped council will doubtless plead poverty over the long-neglected sports venue, just as they do over the sadly neglected state of the borough’s gardens, parks and open spaces, as the borough’s infrastructure is allowed to rot, or gets flogged off on the cheap.
Stand-by stand: plastic folding chairs at the track’s edge are the best on offer at the Arena at present
The Arena, home of Croydon Harriers and once the regular venue for county championships and other significant area meets, has gone nearly five years without being able to stage recognised athletics meetings for lack of a properly certified running track.
The playing surface for the borough’s oldest non-league football club, the Trams, has frequently been the subject of (entirely justified) criticism. But earlier this year there was a risk that Croydon FC could suffer sanctions from their league for not having changing rooms or a safe, undercover spectator area.
The main stand and changing rooms were closed in March following a health and safety inspection. Perry claimed then that he “asked officers…”, by which he meant council staff, “… to review minor remedial works”. In a tweet where he (or the press office flunky) could not even bother to tag Croydon Harriers properly, Perry claimed that these works had been carried out.
Evidently, that was simply untrue.
The volunteer officials at Croydon FC went to huge efforts to create a welcoming and exciting atmosphere for the Bank Holiday clash with Bridon Ropes, with new kit, new badges, printed programmes and special street food on offer. And while the team on the pitch was winning, the council-owned facilities left much to be desired.
The main stand remains closed, despite what Perry – who enjoys regular VIP hospitality with the Premier League big boys at Selhurst Park – claimed. Plastic fold-up chairs were on offer instead. If a spectator needs the toilets, they have to seek them out elsewhere. The football club’s clubhouse, however, remains a haven for supporters – it has little or nothing to do with the council.
Delighted: but untrue, Mayor Perry’s tweet from March this year
“Better”, the trading name for Greenwich Leisure Ltd, have the council contract to manage the sports venue. It remains Croydon Council’s responsibility to pay for maintenance and repairs.
Today, a spokesperson for Better told Inside Croydon that they “continue to support the council in completing the repairs required to the main stand”. Which roughly translates as they are still waiting for the council to get the repairs done.
“The changing rooms remain open for both football and athletics, following clearance that they are safe to use.
“Both parties will continue working towards achieving full access to the spectators stand. We are committed to improving customer access and experience.” Which is nice. And confirms that what Mayor Perry tweeted in March was untrue.
Croydon FC’s next home game is against Clapton on September 7. Let’s hope for spectators’ sake it doesn’t rain that day…
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