Bath City FC calls on Government to let fans into the National League

The Bath City Football Club joins The National League in calling on Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to urgently commit to allowing crowds of 1,000 into all National League grounds from the scheduled start of the season on Saturday 3rd October.

Bath City, in common with all clubs in our league, has taken strenuous efforts to prepare for the beginning of the new season and has planned its business model, including employment, on the ability to let in paying supporters. This planning was undertaken following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 17th July that Government intends to bring back audiences to stadia from October. Whilst we have submitted plans for a larger, safely socially distanced capacity, we agree with the National League that a capacity of 1,000 would be expedient in the short term to allow the League to commence without serious detriment to our Club.

In common with all clubs at our level, we depend for a huge proportion of our income on match attendance and associated hospitality, food and beverage revenues. It is simply not possible for us to play in the League without paying supporters at matches.

We urge supporters to contact their MP or The Secretary of State to express their own concerns.