It has been an extremely busy week at the Basingstoke Gazette with the plight of the town's football club at the forefront of the agenda. 

In case you missed it, here are three major stories from us this week. 

#3 Basingstoke rated one of the top places to live in the U.K. 

It feels like a world away but on Sunday last week, Basingstoke was rated as one of the top places to live in the U.K. 

Basingstoke Gazette:

The town was named 49th out of 50th top towns to live in the country, with nearby Hart named as the third best place.

The findings were published in the Halifax Quality of Life Survey which looks at the cost of living index as well as access to housing and crime statistics. 

Read more: https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/18205242.basingstoke-named-one-best-places-live-uk/

#2 Festival Place evacuated after a bomb hoax 

On Friday afternoon, the heart of Basingstoke's retail sector came to a standstill amid fears of a bomb scare. 

Basingstoke Gazette:

This quickly turned out to be unfounded with the fire service denouncing the threat as nothing more than a hoax. 

Businesses were forced to close and children were evacuated from the swimming pool and forced to stand in freezing temperatures while the emergency services investigated.

Today Hampshire Constabulary has confirmed to the Gazette that a 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the inicdent.

Read more here: https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/18220515.festival-place-evacuation-confirmed-hoax-incident-fire-service-say/

#1 Gazette finds long-lost covenant showing Camrose MUST stay a football ground

For years, the public have been told a covvenant protecting the Camrose Stadium from development was 'lost or missing' by council officials.

Basingstoke Gazette: The Camrose before the side were evicted in August 2019The Camrose before the side were evicted in August 2019

Basingstoke Gazette: The Camrose after work began last month to dismantle the pitch and stadiumThe Camrose after work began last month to dismantle the pitch and stadium

But a copy of the paperwork was recovered by the Gazette this week which proved the covenant to still be in existence. 

The complication comes as the ground is now owned by Rafi Razzak, meaning the covenant is essentially against himself.

However, it will be a moral question as to whether or not he and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council deicde to go ahead with building 89 homes, against the wishes of Lord Camrose. 

Read more here: https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/18205242.basingstoke-named-one-best-places-live-uk/

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