Historic sailing clubs 'blown out the water' by Fulham FC stadium plans

Allan Munro-Faure, Christopher Edwards, Nick Price.

TWO historic sailing clubs face ruin because Fulham Football Club’s stadium redevelopment will alter wind conditions on the
Thames and make the pursuit a ‘frustrating lottery’.

Ranelagh, which has operated from Putney Embankment since 1889, and South Bank, which formed opposite the stadium in 1956, received emails from Hammersmith and Fulham Council to say the Premier League club had scrapped its offer of financial support to help deal with the effects its new Riverside stand will have on wind direction.

The design of the new stand at Craven Cottage, which will increase the stadium capacity to 30,000, means it will encroach
11 metres into the river and thus reduce the strength of the breeze, making sailing more difficult.

When permission was granted last year for the development, the club agreed to pay for a number of measures to help both sailing outfits, after wind experts calculated nearly half of Ranelagh’s races would become ‘impossible’ and a large number
a ‘frustrating lottery’, and that the position of South Bank’s start and finish line in relation to the stand would also be problematic.

But the offer was suddenly withdrawn after discussions between Fulham and the clubs broke down, which leaves them
facing an uncertain future.

Ranelagh commodore Nick Price said: “As things stand the future of the club is in jeopardy. We attract sailors from all
over the country and if we can’t offer them decent conditions, they won’t come any more.”

South Bank commodore Allan Munroe-Faure said: “It’s a struggle for us because we are run by volunteers but because of the actions of Fulham Football Club we have no idea what the future holds. The river is a public place which should be enjoyed by everyone and they have ridden roughshod over that.”

The Premier League club had offered to pay South Bank £25,000 and then £5,000 a year for five years to improve facilities at the club house and alter the angle of the start/finish line to mitigate against new winds. It also suggested Ranelagh, which
sails past the stadium towards the Crabtree pub and back, could relocate to South Bank on wind-affected days and pay for a motorboat to tug Ranelagh’s participants to its neighbour. Thinning of trees and shrubs was also proposed.

But both clubs questioned the practicality of sharing and said making the alterations would cost £200,000. Last week they were told council planners were recommending withdrawal of the offer because the new stand would not ‘preclude the continuation’ of sailing.

“We’re one of the oldest clubs in the country and this is going to make things very difficult,” added Mr Price. “We are consulting solicitors.”

A Fulham FC spokeswoman said: “The club is keen to work with all local groups as part of the stadium plans and held extensive consultation.”