THE FORMER owner and chairman of The Camrose stadium has been grilled about the future of the stadium on BBC Radio Berkshire.

The Camrose stadium was the home of Basingstoke Town Football Club for over 70 years until it was evicted by its former owner and Chairman, Rafi Razzak.

Rafi Razzak and his company Basron spent the best part of two and a half years refining the application to turn the Camrose ground into an 85-bed housing estate and a care home.

But after a dramatic debate late into the night of September 23 2020, both applications were rejected because the development did not meet the council’s CN8 policy.

This comes after football fan David Graham, who lives in Basingstoke, protested to save the much-loved stadium and told The Gazette he wants the ground turned into a 'top-class' council-owned football ground.

READ MORE: Camrose stadium should be turned into a 'top-class' council-owned football ground protesters say

Since then, David was contacted by BBC Radio Berkshire and appeared on the Phil Kennedy Show last Friday (January 14) alongside Mr Razzak.

Mr Razzak said he feels "disappointed" that his name has been “smeared” despite all he has done for the town.

“I have been involved in many social activities in the town and I have been an employer in the town for over 40 years. I have sported rugby, schools and I have supported the hospital and I am the ambassador of the art centre. When we sat down to look at ambitions of how to see a town with 130,000 people having a football ground. The current Camrose ground cannot sustain long-term business because the town has grown, and it is surrounded by houses and shops," he told the radio show.

The future of the stadium hangs in the balance after Mr Razzak appealed the decision.

READ MORE: One year on from the historic decision to refuse plans to rip up the Camrose ground

He added: “We need to relocate and that is the advice that we have got the Camrose is not the right location for football. We took the plan to move it to accommodate football, hockey, athletics, and rugby in one place.

“This has been my aspiration for 25 years. The idea was that the land will be developed in consultation with the local authority and the money we would get for the land would build a stadium for Basingstoke and that was the plan. This is not done for any financial gain.

“I feel bitter and disappointed that I have spent 25 years of my life supporting a football club and now my name is being smeared by people that do not understand what I have contributed to Basingstoke.”

Message from the editor 

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support. 

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from Basingstoke by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page, click this link and hit like. 

Kimberley Barber.