We have only recently discovered that the former Manweb Sports Ground in Thingwall Road has a new owner: an Isle of Man based company called C&PS Limited. The freehold of the site is still owned by Liverpool City Council, but the lease (i.e. the residue of 125 years from 1995) was, in February 2016, sold to C&PS by Chris Chetwood and Paul Pearce. These two individuals had bought the lease from Scottish Power in 2011 for £40,000 (as reported in our September 2011 Newsletter 185); but they sold it to C&PS for £1,000,000.

The terms of the lease - including a stipulation that the land is to be used for "sports and allied non-residential Sports Club Activities" and that it is to be kept "in good and tenantable condition … in a clean and tidy condition and free of noxious weeds" - remain in force. We have once again drawn this to the attention of the City Council, and have asked what steps they have taken to enforce (or to reclaim) the lease.

Clause 4(a) of the lease would appear to be unambiguous: "If and whenever during the said Term there is a breach by the Lessee of any covenant or other term of this Lease … Then in any such case the Lessor may re-enter the demised property … at any time and then the said term will absolutely cease …".