Barnet F.C. - Club Vs. Council

Club Vs. Council

Despite success on the pitch, off it Barnet FC have struggled to improve their ground. A plan to move to Copthall Stadium in Mill Hill was blocked by a Government Planning Inspector and a proposed move to South Underhill has been quashed.

There have always been problems with the ground, Underhill, which is in need of modernisation. A controversial sale of the ground's freehold in 2002 to the Club by the London Borough of Barnet has failed to produce any changes to the stadium. Meanwhile, the council have publicly said they will do what they can to help the club but this help has never materialised; indeed, many Keep Barnet Alive (KBA) supporters consider the loss of the local council seat to the Conservative Party to have been detrimental to their cause. Attempts by the club to sort out the ground issue, either by making improvements to the current site or by finding a site elsewhere in the borough, have so far failed.

The Keep Barnet Alive (KBA) movement has been central to fighting Barnet FC's corner on this issue.

Recent negotiations with Barnet Council resulted in a new planning application to modernise the existing ground. This included rebuilding both the north and south stands to comply with the League requirement of 2,000 additional covered seats. After some modifications this application was passed by Barnet Council's planning committee in December 2007 and building work commenced on a new South Stand. The building work progressed at incredible speed and it took only a month for the new stand to be built. Work also took place on a new North Stand, this involves a small, temporary, covered structure, just to the right of the North Terrace. Away fans now use this seating.