A Clacton football club has been given until the end of the season to leave its ground after it failed to agree a lease and pay rent arrears – leaving tax payers short-changed.

The Rush Green Bowl at the Tendring District Council (TDC)-owned Rush Green Recreation Ground has been used by FC Clacton, and its predecessor Clacton Town FC, since 1987.

But the club has today (Thursday, 14 November) been given notice by TDC to vacate the ground and clubhouse building at the end of the current football season.

This facility is used by the club’s senior teams – and the notice to leave would not affect the club’s youth teams, which rent other pitches at the recreation ground on a per-game basis.

FC Clacton signed a Heads of Terms agreement to use the site in 2017 and the council asked for a nominal back rent of just £4,250 for the period April 2019 to March 2024.

Despite a valuation obtained prior to 2017 that market-rate rent would be £15,000 a year, the council’s Cabinet agreed to offer an ongoing lower-than-market rate rent starting at £4,000pa to the club due to its good community work, rising gradually in order to further assist the club.

But with the club refusing to sign the lease and rent agreement offered, and pay the back rent, the council has now been forced to serve notice on the club to vacate the site by the end of May 2025.

Councillor Peter Kotz, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Assets, said: “These negotiations have been ongoing for years and no bills have paid in that time.

“We don’t want to kick the club out – but taxpayers can’t foot the bill, and we have been left in the unfortunate position that we must ask the club to vacate the site.

“The club is not the only one in the district that rents council land and it is not fair on other clubs that are paying their own way. I am sure many would love to have such a low rent agreement for a facility which they could use to not only host sport, but also raise funds for the club’s future.

“The council will be able to retender the site, for which FC Clacton or any other club could bid to take it over – at a suitable rent.”

The council is also seeking details from the club about money it has been taking for a telecommunications mast on the site, estimated at £18,000 between April 2019 and October 2023. This money should be paid to TDC as a sub-lease, and was part of the justification for the club’s rent being set at significantly below the market value.