Cardiff's latest financial headache could result in a winding-up petition
Under-achieving Cardiff Blues have been given their latest headache – the threat of facing a winding-up petition if they fail to pay outstanding rent for their use of the Arms Park.
The Blues are only tenants at the ground adjacent to the Principality Stadium and they have been issued with a statutory demand by the Arms Park’s landlord, Cardiff Athletic Club (CAC), to either pay the debt or reach an agreement to pay within 21 days.
Failure to keep up with payments is apparently nothing new for the Guinness PRO14 rugby club who failed to qualify for the league play-offs and didn’t secure qualification for next season’ Heineken Champions Cup. But the existing debt is now reported to be in the region of £140,000.
“We were assured by Cardiff Blues that a financial package had been arranged which would guarantee settlement of all arrears before the end of June,” read a statement issued by Cardiff Athletic Club. “As a result of this reassurance, the legal proceedings were put on hold.
“Cardiff Athletic Club recognises the tough financial environment for regional rugby in Wales and has made every effort to work with Cardiff Blues Ltd to clear the outstanding arrears.
🏉 Cardiff Blues issued with demand over unpaid rent
👉 https://t.co/YdT5XJbQZL pic.twitter.com/9wGPunYvob— BBC ScrumV (@BBCScrumV) July 4, 2019
“However, Cardiff Athletic Club management committee has a duty to all five (bowls, rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis) of its sections. The absence of any rental payments for such a substantial period has impacted on the operations for all sections of the club.
“Having exhausted all areas of negotiation and being able to settle this matter amicably, Cardiff Athletic Club has therefore issued a statutory demand in respect of all outstanding debts to protect the interests of our members.”
Cardiff revealed in February 2018 that they were considering a move away from the Arms Park as a new lease had not yet been negotiated with the CAC beyond its 2022 expiry date. In an effort to cut costs, though, the Blues announced some weeks ago that Arms Park will be their training base for the 2019/20 season and not the Vale of Glamorgan hotel.
WATCH: The Dragons Lair, the RugbyPass behind the scenes documentary on the Dragons when Bernard Jackman was at the helm
Comments on RugbyPass
ABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
225 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
225 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to commentsBest team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
84 Go to comments