And now that the council have changed the planning consent so that Peel can start operating Port Salford before the access road is complete there is even less urgency to get the road improvements finished!

Oddly I overheard a couple of guys at the gym last night talking about the old Willows site, not sure which company but they are in the building game as site foremen and they one was saying to the other than work has just started on the 103/113 (not sure which) new homes they are building on the site.

I always thought the Doc could do worse than try and go into partnership for the stadium with Sale, both hold a 50% stake and split profits

Do Peel sell?
Recently, a Peel spokesman met a number of locals at a forum to push for the expansion of the Rochdale/Bury wind farm. After promises of being in it for the long-term and not turning their back on the area, I raised the matter of their selling the Trafford Centre etc.
Peelman's answer was complicated and I should have taken notes: in short, they have a large interest still.

My experience is that peel do not sell. They also are politically astute and would snooker any competing stadium. Wilkinson was trying to do it without Peel but even, before the company failure, you could see Peel were getting into Wilkinson's ribs (the hotel matter was an obvious example).

I fully agree with the Doctor on this. Sadly the cards dealt are poor.

Peel didn't sell the Trafford Centre,they swapped it for about 25 % of a far bigger company that now owns
it. The owner of Peel sits on the new company's board,I think.
MK is a wealthy bloke but I'd guess reports of billions are massively exaggerated .
It suits his purpose to allow the reports to go unchallenged. In any event where would a former college teacher make billions,and it's not by selling training courses!
We wouldn't be where we are without him,and I thank him for that
But we will stay at the AJ Bell,he won't buy it and the only relevant question is whether we can continue to retain his interest and support beyond the next couple of years

Have you considered this?
Peel do not have any sway with the stadium,it is owned by the City of Salford solely!

Interesting comment Bonita - Do you know how he made his loot then? Come on - spill the beans.

Somehow I don't think that's true.

The stadium appears to be owned by THE CITY OF SALFORD COMMUNITY STADIUM LIMITED registered number 07225208

The current directors are:

Mr David Jonathon Glover - also a director of Peel Land and Property Investments Plc and 26 other companies all with the exception of The Pie Factory Limited having "Peel" in their name!

Mr Mark Leslie Reeves - no other directorships

Mr David Anthony Lancaster - also a director of The Lowry Centre Trust, The Salfordian Trust Company Limited and The Landing At Mediacityuk Limited so presumably a Salford City council chappie?

Mr Peter John Hosker - with 171 other directorships again virtually all related to Peel companies

and finally the Company Secretary is given as:

Peel Management Limited and the registered address is:
THE CITY OF SALFORD COMMUNITY STADIUM LIMITED
PEEL DOME
THE TRAFFORD CENTRE
MANCHESTER
ENGLAND
M17 8PL


a little more reseach and investing £1 with companies house tells us that the shareholding is broken down as follows:

Salford Council 5,000,000 £1 ordinary shares
Peel 5,000,000 £1 ordinary shares
Salford Council 1,666,666 £1 Preference shares.

The ordinary shares confer voting rights and can receive dividends but the preference shares have no voting rights, the owner of the prefs can recover their value out of either capital (eg if the stadium were sold) or the Stadium company can buy the preference shares from their owner.

So it would appear that for share capital Peel & The Council each put in £5,000,000 then the council put in a further £1.67 million

I've absolutely no idea and it's none of my business.
Within reason,I couldn't care less apart from the usual curiosity.

In my opinion the situation should improve significantly at Barton when the new access road gets built. The problems at the stadium have been compounded by lengthy and unforeseen delays to the road. Port Salford could be the key with thousands of new jobs being created. This will enivitably lead to public transport improvements with a high probability of an expansion to the metrolink.

I have to sympathise with the Doc because promises or assurances he will have been given are a long way behind schedule.

On a positive note for the future, the stadium does offer probably the largest corporate facilities to sell in British rugby league. Improve the stadium access, get the team playing to it's full potential and more people will want to attend regularly. With regard to the SMC and Marwan's comments about lack of profit margin on matchday's I believe a compromise must be reached. It seems they want to charge the club Premier League football hospitality prices but rugby league attracts a much different clientele.

Profit margins are going to drop further when the new pub/restaurant opens, Greene King sell good quality beer and decent food, the stadium doesn't.

I'd expect they will need to urgently look at what they sell and the price that they charge for it sooner rather than later.

I am very surprised that the doc hasn't made more of a play too build and operate a bar/hotel or some other form of retail outlet on the Barton site.

Yes competition can only be a good thing. The SMC have had a free rein to charge what they want. Maybe MK should consider talking with Greene King about hospitality packages?

Interesting point that, surely MK could have built his own pub/restaurant facility and financed it through the club. At least that way all revenue goes back into the club.

What I would be interested in knowing is if Salford and Sale pay the same rates for the stadium rental?

Yes most NRL teams have what they call a Leagues club separate from the stadium. Marwan could consider opening a Red Devils Leagues club at the Trafford Centre. Bar, restaurant and merchandise?