The River

[Steve T]

Our intrepid explorers venture into the wilderness. Will we ever see them again?

Here are some figures to ponder. Rearranged fixtures with attendances (incl. visitors) compared with last season. This season on the left, previous on the right (*the Darlington game was also a rearrangement). 1,300 down just on those four.

Tue 19 Dec  Chorley       429   12       803  ~35  Sat 26 Nov
Tue 30 Jan  Darlington    534   76       780 ~100  Tue 28 Mar*
Tue 27 Feb  Peterborough  452   17       702  ~25  Easter Monday
Wed  3 Apr  Hereford      837 ~300     1,324 ~280  Sat 27 Aug

Just Boston to come. Last season: 812 (~100) Tue 16 Aug (and it was a wet night).

[petet]

I'm all in favour of the club meeting these people to try and solve the issues.
But I thought that we only had one season left at the present ground? Can we now assume that we have been granted an extension?
Would be nice if someone could make a statement with regards to the ground situation.

[Steve T]

Isn't it the case that the rent was agreed for two years but nothing had been decided upon for 2025 onwards?

[petet]

Not sure Steve. A statement from the club would be nice.

[Steve T]

The Cherwell passed danger level (~0.9m) yesterday afternoon. It's now at 1.6...

check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/station/7060

[puritanmk]

Looks like it's only the ground that's flooded, not the surroundings.

[Steve T]

Sept 24, 2024 15:21:38 GMT 1 puritanmk said:

Looks like it's only the ground that's flooded, not the surroundings.

Your FB post has gone missing.

[puritanmk]

www.facebook.com/@puritans.Radio.Banbury

[Steve T]

I see Bourton Drains have signed up again.

January 2nd this year:

[Sparky]

Sept 24, 2024 18:39:04 GMT 1 Steve T said:

I see Bourton Drains have signed up again.

January 2nd this year:
View Attachment

Some irony in that😂😂

[Steve T]

At the end of September the website included a short report on the river. Members got a little more detail in an e-mail update. If you haven't seen it:

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While we've hit the headlines again in relation to our flooding and are certainly not alone in terms of football clubs underwater last week, it is not all negative news for our pitch. As mentioned in Claire Dumbreck's live interview with ITV Meridian News on Wednesday, working with the Environment Agency, we're making lots of positive steps in terms of understanding how the ground's draining system was designed to work as part of the Banbury Flood Management Scheme.

The system, which was stated to save the Canalside area and Banbury United FC specifically from flooding, required certain protocols and pumping regimes to be installed. These were neither budgeted for, despite being essential to the successful functioning of the scheme, nor communicated to the Club. If there was an operating manual for the defence scheme, Banbury United never got to see it. Now all of this is understood, it is incredibly frustrating that the Environment Agency will not pay for the very pumps required to deliver the stated purpose of the scheme.

Luckily, with some individual donations and the loan and purchase of some pumps this week, we are ready to take on the River Cherwell, and hopefully be able to save many of the fixtures that we couldn't last year. A big positive from the recent visit from the River Cherwell is that we've been able to test the gates, draining system and pumps – and all the signs are that everything is working as it should.

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Thirteen years and no one knew?