Happy Iranian New Year - your surprise present is a PCN

On Friday morning at about 8.30am Mr Mustard was wending his way  to Cafe Buzz, driving down Barnet Lane, alongside Barnet FC's former home at Underhill, when he observed a council employee putting up signs like this one (which Mr Mustard stopped after breakfast to photograph):

Mr Mustard wondered what the event might be. He noted the long hours, so clearly not a single football match, and the spelling error. He also noted to himself that this form of sign does not comply with any parking regulations.

This sign has been redundant for 2 years but is still in situ:

and he noted how much later the proposed restriction was.

He also noted that these signs were erected on this stretch of road

and white lines do not convey any form of restriction; these ones have been painted over the top of yellow ones.

Ambiguous signage doesn't help. Mr Mustard safely parked under these two contradictory signs whilst he took a photograph. The grey sign hanging down is the red match day sign.

When is the match day?

What a mess.

The only people caught out at this location will be residents who have gone away for the weekend and had no idea of the upcoming event.

The location is badly signed, both with a 2013 plate and then sometimes with signs which can't make their mind up between 11am and 11pm (the event finishes at 6pm).

The warning signs were posted very late in the day, being only 2 days before the event when the absolute minimum is 5 days. New Year can hardly have come as a surprise.

Mr Mustard hasn't seen the Traffic Management Order but if it refers to football matches then it can't be used for regulating the traffic when the field below the stadium is open for some other purpose.

Mr Mustard took a walk around the area and put his business card on a number of cars with PCN - he distributed so many that he ran out. If you know anyone who lives near the Underhill Stadium who might have been affected do please call them and if they were unlucky enough to get a PCN suggest they contact Mr Mustard by email on mrmustard@zoho.com as these PCN are eminently contestable.

NSL and the sign shop still need improvement work.

This is partly why Mr Mustard beats so many PCN, so many of them are duff.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

Barnet Council upset Barnet FC

This blog is a guest blog on behalf of Barnet FC. Mr Mustard's neighbour is a keen supporter of Barnet FC and suggested this as a guest blog. It first appeared on the Barnet FC website, here.

The directors of the Football League will consider next week if Barnet FC can start (but possibly not complete) next season at Underhill, giving them additional time to explore if need be options including possible relocation.

Group director Graham Slyper, a chartered surveyor and property adviser to the board, said today: "The situation is serious and not of our doing. The stark reality is that as a consequence of unresolved ground differences with the council, Barnet FC face the prospect of a reduced footprint next season and an end to their 100 plus years residence of their spiritual home".

These are the main issues:-

PRIORY GROVE

For decades Barnet supporters have used Priory Grove, which runs alongside the East Terrace at Underhill, to get to the turnstiles and Durham Suite at the southern end of the ground by foot and by car.

Now Barnet Council are claiming that Barnet FC has no right of vehicular access and is looking to licence the club for the privilege of using the road subject to the unworkable caveat of the public being precluded from using this route for access to the stadium.

Not so the St John Ambulance and the Scouts, who can continue to use Priory Grove as they wish!

CRICKET CLUB LEASE

The 30-year lease of the cricket club expires in December 2012 and contains an Option for us to apply for an extension to a term of 125 years at a peppercorn rental on payment of a premium.

As a consequence of that lease ownership, the club has extended the stadium footprint southwards which, when combined with the route down Priory Grove, has enabled us to provide emergency and private vehicular access and car parking to the southern end of the ground. 

What is not generally appreciated is that the car park and access is on cricket club, not football club, land. There is further access for emergency vehicles over the cricket club site via the gates from Barnet Lane.

The council have been insistent on basing the premium required for this lease on a valuation undertaken for them before the current downturn in property values. Eventually, last March, the council were persuaded to commission a new (updated) valuation. That surveyor issued his 

Determination early last June (six months ago) and, notwithstanding continual requests and an application under of Freedom of Information Act, they still refuse to let us see a copy.

In the meantime that same council, with extreme haste, have agreed that Saracens, having no previous connection with the Borough, can be offered a 125 year lease of Copthall for no payment whatsoever.

After further pressure the council, who still refuse to negotiate this valuation, have offered us instead a 15 year lease at a market rent. The amount of investment necessary if the club is to remain at Underhill cannot be justified unless we have the security of the longer term lease to which we are entitled.

Staying at Underhill may not be a permanent solution but, presently, it remains the only available option. Unfortunately the continuing opposition of the council precludes even that. "It seems to me that they want us out", said Graham Slyper.

Dennis Signy 

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There doesn't seem to be any end to the number of residents that the council want to upset.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard