I'm not trying to be smart, but is there a particular reason that you both pay for a ground of your own? Would it not be better to sell one, divide the money up between the two clubs and draw up a contract that keeps both of you in the one ground forever?
Maybe even use some of the money left over for some redevelopments?
This way the ground will be used all year round and you're only paying half of the bills.

The football dont own theirs

Would it still not be easier for them to move in with you and reduce expenditure?

In my personal opinion (and that of many of the town's sports fans) I'd welcome a groundshare with open arms. I know there will be plenty of 'over my dead body' merchants (mostly soccer fans), but if those fans had to be lost, then so be it.

Both grounds are in a similar state of dis-repair and my preferred option would be to sell both grounds (the soccer DO own their ground. They bought it back after bankrupcy) and build a brand new stadium, split and owned 50/50. Second option would be to sell one of the grounds and spend the money renovating the other ground.

Getting the council involved would be far less palatable and would probably mean that rent would have to be paid and also catering/sponsorship/some gate receipts would have to go their way. That option would be far harder to sell to the fans.

From a rugby point of view, I think Barrow RL would really take off given the right facilities. However, for some reason, none of this has ever happened. It's the town and areas' loss.

Completely agree, it's such a massive place too. If the football team own their ground i'd sell the ground with the least room to expand and develop. It just seems a no-brainer to me.

Always an issue that has bewildered myself tbh. Have only drove past the footy ground but it looked the same as the Rugby Leagues.

The one major thing 'Cumbria' is missing is a top class sporting facility! If two semi pro clubs could put some money forward get the council involved a community stadium could be built in Barrow that could serve Cumbria in so many different way's it's untrue.

Even just at the Stobbart there is a Gym, table tennis centre, snooker hall and 3 dart boards... Imagine what Barrow could do? I'd even stick a running track on it for a Cumbrian athletics centre? Or look at a sports village like Leigh have.

Sport in Cumbria IMO is so waisted it's untrue and this is a prime example, two semi pro sides with decent enough fan bases playing in identical old stadiums in a good sized area... sounds simple to fix doesn't it?

Obviously there are many issues to sort but just think how big it could be!

The issues seem petty though, maybe it's easy for us to say from the outside. What kind of fanbase does the football team have?
A stadium like the Stobart (which I have worked in so I know how smart the facilities are) or like you said a full blown sports facility would be great for RL in Cumbria.

There are plans (at the minute stalled - due to the banking fiasco) for a Marina Village at Barrow. The original plans had a shared stadium included and there were initial talks between both clubs and the council. However, the proposed stadium was only 4,000 capacity and both clubs had to sell their grounds and give 100% of the money to the council.

Barrow boards down the years have fought tooth and nail to keep Craven Park (through some very hard times) as it is a massive asset for the club. Unfortunately in recent years it has become more trouble than asset and is actually a glass ceiling to the clubs' ambitions.

I hear what you are saying that it's a 'no-brainer' and 95% of Barrow's sports fans would agree. How we get it to happen is another matter .......

You're probably right. 4000 capacity seems way too small if you have ambition. 10k has got to be the minimum for progressing and attracting representative games.
Hope your council get their thumbs from up their a**es and get it sorted.

Good thead, both clubs should sell each old home and build a new one to be shared 50/50.