A resident has described her “horror” at discovering that Bedmond Sports & Social Club in Abbots Langley is set to be repurposed.
Back in July 2019, Bedmond FC slammed Abbots Langley Parish Council’s (ALPC) “shameless decision” to close the social club, leaving the football club “with no home”.
After the lease ran out, the resident who previously helped to fund Bedmond FC and the social club decided to step down. ALPC, which owns the building, said that Bedmond Sports & Social Club was then “not able to take up the lease”.
Now, a resident and mother to three boys who play for Bedmond FC has alleged that ALPC plans to give the lease to a supervised visitation centre. These centres are designed to provide a safe and neutral environment for children to have contact with parents who may pose a risk.
She said: “It’s not appropriate to have a supervised visitation centre next to a playground. When parents who are considered a risk come out of the centre, they are not being supervised.
“The football club is historic and a community hub. No one has a clue it’s happening. It’s horrifying.”
A spokesperson for ALPC said: “The lease for the Bedmond Sports Pavilion has not yet been assigned.
“Please note the changing rooms, including toilets, and the storage facilities at Bedmond Sports Pavilion have been excluded from the lease negotiations. These facilities have their own dedicated entrances and will remain under council management.
“The changing rooms and storage facilities have been offered to Bedmond Youth FC. Looking forward, the council has been awarded a small grant by Tesco for improvement of the changing rooms.
“Additionally, the council has agreed with Bedmond Youth FC to increase the number of pitches.
“The council continues to foster and support the grassroots football community at Bedmond.”
Photo credit: Bedmond Youth FC
Oh my God, it is so inappropriate to have a children’s visitation centre in this location, whoever thought this was a good idea seriously needs their head tested. This is not a safe environment for parents’ visitation rights. What smart ar** not decided this? It is truly unbelievable that this has been approved for purposes of supervised visitation – God give us strength!