Didn't Barrow apply last time around? What were they planning to do stadium wise?

Can't argue with that.

Barrow is Lancashire.

What year are you in?

It either needs someone or a business with some cash, then it would have a chance of success.

Realistically unless a club can draw around 8000 crowds they can't be long term sustainable without significant private backing. Which cumbrian club could achieve that?

There's enough interest and people to have RL represented as a sport in the area. There's just not one spot big enough to support a SL team in terms of finance and that would be able to attract fans from the entire area to support a club.

I would love to see a team from Cumbria in SL as I think our heartlands should all be represented.

The reality is though it isn't going to happen any time soon. There is too much parochialism between the three Rugby towns
of Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow and there isn't a good enough stadium or financial support. A combined team might be the way forward and look appealing with each of the three clubs acting as feeders but there isn't enough money in the game to do this. One of the three clubs has to meet the franchise requirements and improve thier stadium facilites and capacity to do it. Its the only realistic way.

Although the amateur game has been traditionally strong in the area one of the biggest often over looked problems is the terrain and logistics of the area. There is no train service between Barrow and Whitehaven and Workington on a Sunday, which means its either bus or car to travel between the towns and from everywhere else if matches were to played on a Sunday.

To put another thing in perspective the distance between Barrow and Whitehaven is 46 miles and it takes 1hour 25 mins in the car. (Anyone who travels the route between the two towns knows why.
As a comparitor, the distance between St Helens to Huddersfield is 48 miles but it only takes an hour in the car.

Unless the logistical transport issues are improved in West Cumbria the idea is also a dead duck.

I actually wonder if Stobart might be the key to backing a SL team in Cumbria based in Carlisle.

Then we could try and push on to Scotland.

It may well but it would end up being a Carlisle Team and not a Cumbrian one. The heartland of the game is on the West Coast of Cumbria. ask yourself why the Carlisle club went out of existence.

The problem of wherever it is is logistics. Cumbria is a huge geographical county with a low population density and poor public and road transport infrastructure in many areas . If a SL club was to be based in one place in one stadium, then wherever it is the supporters/people from the rest of Cumbria would have to travel a considerable distance to get there.

If Carlisle was the location for a franchise or new club, its a 1 hour 50 minute journey from Barrow. Its also 55 mins from Workington and and hours drive from Whitehaven.

Two solutions:

1. Whitehaven and Workington amalgamate as Cumbria and share fixtures between their grounds

2. Barrow make progress

Regarding transport links; has there ever been any discussion of a bridge/tunnel linking Morecambe and Barrow or are we more likely to see hover cars first?

My view is theres a big enough population and lack of competition for attention for a Copeland SL franchise. A cumbria club that tries to also draw support from barrow and carlisle is a non starter. It would be great if it ever happened but seems unlikely sadly.

yeah, great idea so why not put a team from the Bradford area in SL ?

oh, ehhrr .... wait a minute !