No light at tunnel end for Barnet FC plans

8:12am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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Reconstruction work at Barnet Football Club's stadium could be held up following a dispute with its energy provider.

The club is two-thirds of the way through redevelopment at Underhill, but delays to new floodlighting threaten to hinder efforts to complete the scheme before next season.

Dennis Signy, the club's associate director, said EDF Energy was asked last season to rectify problems with the lighting, which failed during the club's home game against Darlington on April 1.

He said: "The scope of the work is progressing, but is currently hampered by the monstrous monopoly that is EDF, which requires several months just to provide a quote."

Redevelopment plans for the ground were approved by Barnet Council in December and the work has so far included undercover seating and improved toilet facilities at a cost of £1 million.

Barnet FC chairman Tony Kleanthous said work was going well but the power supply was struggling to cope.

He said the club needed a full quote from the company to enable it to submit an application to the Football Federation for part-funding.

"EDF has been aware of the problem for more than a year and it is frustrating it has done nothing about it," he added, before stressing the ground was already much improved.

"Supporters and residents expect better and the facilities here have improved dramatically," he said.

"There is still a lot more to be done, but we had hoped to get the floodlights in over the summer because the close season is the best window of opportunity to get the work completed."

Peter Williamson, secretary of Barnet FC Supporters' Association, said: "The new south stand is an excellent addition to the ground and is proving very popular.

"But this problem with EDF is obviously frustrating and we hope it can be rectified soon to offer a better sight line for fans and cause as little disruption as possible."

A spokeswoman for EDF Energy said: "We received a formal order for the work in February, but unfortunately did not receive all the information we needed to progress the work until April.

"We are in the process of carrying out the design work required to facilitate the increase in power and will liaise closely with Barnet Football Club to ensure it has a firm quotation as soon as possible."

Mr Kleanthous added: "Angelo Fitzhenry, the head of customer communications at EDF, has rung Underhill and says the company will do all they can to speed this up."