Dunfermline Athletic chairman Bob Garmory has insisted that an enforced change in training facilities should not affect the East End Park club’s chances of promotion this term.
It emerged yesterday that the Pars have now received confirmation from Fife Council that their lease of the land and buildings at Pitreavie has now been terminated following a long drawn out saga which stretches back more than eight years.
Club officials have been trying to find a way forward to resolve the complex situation surrounding the lease ever since taking the reins at East End Park last year, and have been trying to bring its tenancy of Pitreavie to an end.
And although Fife Council’s decision to do just that means the Pars will now have to look elsewhere for facilities in the not-too-distant future, Garmory yesterday stressed that the club was delighted at the outcome.
“We’ve been looking at this issue ever since Pars United took over, and contingency plans had been made for there to be alternative arrangements for suitable training facilities,” he said.
“Those plans will immediately be implemented.
“We’ve been in discussions with Fife Council to give us alternative facilities once we’re fully out of Pitreavie and there are two or three options which have been put forward, although we can’t go into any detail on these at this moment in time.
“But the manager Jim Jefferies, the staff and the players have been aware about the situation at Pitreavie for some time and knew that Pitreavie would be a problem moving forward.
“Obviously the manager and coaches at any football club don’t like to see anything getting upset in terms of preparation and it is a crucial point in the season because the manager wants to get things on an even keel.
“But they are upbeat about the situation and they haven’t got any concerns as suitable alternatives will be found.”
The lease was originally entered into in 2002 between Fife Council and Vida Sports Ltd and was for a period of 60 years, but the Pars sublet Pitreavie to The Pars Trust – a company which was, at that time, linked with DAFC in 2006.
However, that arrangement proved problematic after Pars United took control in 2013 with the Pars having to go to court in an attempt to remove the subtenant – so the fan-led takeover group wanted to end the lease to prevent the club being financially responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Pitreavie.
Fife Council’s decision should bring the episode to an end, as the Pars now have no legal rights over or obligations in respect of Pitreavie, although the club is expected to be able to continue using the facilities for the time being until alternatives are in place.
“The people who are now the leaseholders will obviously have discussions about how to go forward, and we are in discussions with Fife Council about offering alternative accommodation,” Garmory continued.