A new era has begun for Frome Town Football Club after a two-year lease was agreed to secure the club’s future at its historic Badgers Hill Stadium home.
The new agreement between Frome Town AFC and Frome Town Council ensures the club can compete in the forthcoming season in the Southern League at Badgers Hill, while also preserving the facilities for varied community use.
Chair of Frome Town AFC, Courtney Fong, said, “Frome Town AFC is pleased that a new lease agreement has been completed for Badgers Hill.
“Over the past year, many people have worked tirelessly to reach this point. We would like to thank our supporters, volunteers, sponsors, staff, players and partners for their patience, encouragement and unwavering commitment to the club throughout a period of uncertainty.
“We also thank Frome Town Council for its engagement in reaching an agreement that allows both organisations to move forward with clarity and confidence. While there have been differing views at times, we are pleased to have found a way forward that secures the future of football at Badgers Hill and creates a foundation for a positive working relationship in the years ahead.
“The focus now shifts firmly to the future. Following a remarkable promotion-winning season, the club enters the Southern League Premier Division South with renewed optimism and ambition. Our priority remains building a successful, sustainable football club, improving facilities at Badgers Hill and strengthening the role the club plays within the wider community.
“This is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning. We look forward to continuing the work of developing Badgers Hill, supporting football at all levels and creating something that the people of Frome can be proud of for generations to come.”
Leader of Frome Town Council Cllr Fiona Barrows said the agreement provides ‘stability’ needed for the club to continue operating, investing and growing.
She said, “Since 2022, Frome Town Council has worked consistently and proactively to secure a sustainable long-term future for football at Badgers Hill. We have remained committed to finding a workable solution, making significant concessions along the way to keep football at the ground. It hasn’t been easy, so we are pleased – and relieved – to have reached this stage, providing stability for football and community at Badgers Hill, and enabling vital improvements to the site, including the boiler and changing room facilities.”
The agreement facilitates vital improvement works at the site, settles rent arrears and other debts and ensures league champions Frome Town can compete in the forthcoming season in the Southern League at Badgers Hill, the team’s home for more than a century, while also preserving the facilities for varied community use.
