North Yorkshire Council Approves £150,000 Financial Support for Scarborough Athletic Football Club

The executive of North Yorkshire Council has today unanimously approved a loan facility of up to £150,000 to support Scarborough Athletic Football Club following a challenging period of displaced fixtures and lost revenue.

The fan-owned club, which currently competes in the National League North, has faced a significant financial downturn during the 2025/26 season resulting from the discovery of serious structural defects at their home ground, the council-owned Scarborough Sports Village, forcing it to play all home fixtures in Bridlington.

While the council had intended to replace the pitch at the end of the previous season, ground investigations revealed issues that have rendered the surface below FIFA standards. Consequently, the club has been forced to play its home matches at Bridlington Town, leading to a sharp decline in match-day ticket sales, hospitality income, and merchandise revenue.

The council’s decision to step in reflects the deep-rooted connection between the club and the local community. Councillor Simon Myers emphasized the cultural and social importance of the organisation to the town of Scarborough:

"were very anxious that the football club which is owned by its members continues to thrive, provide opportunities young people in Scarborough through the programs they run there and generally contributes to the well-being of Scarborough. It is a much loved football club."

The approved financial package consists of a loan of up to £150,000 provided on commercial terms. To assist the club further, the council has included an incentive: if SAFC adheres to the repayment schedule for both the principal and interest, a grant will be provided to help cover the cost of interest payments. This measure is designed to provide financial security as the club works to "reset" its position ahead of an expected return to the SSV for the 2026/27 season.

Councillor Myers provided further detail on the nature of the support, stating:

"We're going to make a loan of up to £150,000 available in commercial terms to help them over a difficult cash flow situation. We have every confidence that they will repay this that they'll only use the loan if they need to and we may incentivize them to do just that with a small grant towards interest payments. This is a realistic loan to get load of this very difficult period. We hope they won't meet to use the loan would be best for them if they didn't. But it's there should they need it."

The council’s Corporate Director, Gary Fielding, clarified that the authority is strictly capped and subject to rigorous checks:

"As part of the agreement around the loan, what we'll want to do is talk to the club about some due diligence effectively. So wanting to know, they've said £150,000, so we need to look at that and work out what their needs are. So as part of that conversation, it be made clear that at this point the authority is only for £150,000."

Despite the unusual nature of the request, there was strong cross-party support for the move. Councillors Mark Crane and Heather Phillips noted that while such interventions are rare, the specific circumstances involving a council asset made it a necessary step for the community:

"Normally I'd be reticent to support something like this, but I think given the circumstances behind why they need it. It's welcome that the council is doing this and I'm sure the good people of Scarborough recognise the money we're investing and giving to them."

"I'm happy to say that North Yorkshire are continuing to support communities like Scarborough because the football pitch is not just used by the club. It is a community facility and I look forward to seeing football back at Scarborough of that level."

The club has already taken steps to mitigate its losses through fundraising campaigns and the continued support of local sponsors. However, the council report noted that without this intervention, the club’s financial stability would be at risk due to factors entirely beyond its control.

Work to remedy the defects at the Scarborough Sports Village is ongoing, with a goal of having the pitch ready for the start of the 2026/27 season, finally bringing the "Seadogs" back home to their local supporters.