Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Football Club saved from liquidation
One of the city’s most successful and ambitious rugby clubs has been saved from liquidation after its directors struck a deal over a five-figure tax bill.
Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Football Club, whose first team, the Bees, are about to embark on the inaugural season of the 12-team Championship, were faced with a winding up order from the Inland Revenue and were due in court last Wednesday.
But directors staved off disaster when they reached an agreement with the taxman that has kept the club afloat in what has been an awful summer for the newly promoted outfit.
The agreement came just days before Bees had their application for planning permission on their existing Sharmans Cross Road ground rejected by Solihull Council, a proposal that was crucial to their dreams of a groundshare at Damson Parkway.
Consent would have allowed them to build 87 houses, valuing the suburban site at more than £8 million, and in a single act have enabled the club to pay off their debts and still have enough to set up a joint Community Foundation with Solihull Moors Football Club.
But their failure to provide 35 affordable houses in the application gave councillors the excuse they needed to turn down a controversial scheme that would have angered some of the electorate in Solihull.
However, even though their problem with the Revenue has been resolved for now, the short and medium-term futures are not yet certain and the board have announced their intention to meet with members on Thursday evening in order to decide the way forward.
