Boston United have 'not given up' on kicking off next season in new stadium, says chairman David Newton

David Newton hopes Boston United can still kick off next season in their new ground.

Work at the Community Stadium has halted for the past month due to the coronavirus lockdown.

However, the Pilgrims chairman says it could still be possible to get the necessary work done in time for the next campaign as planned.

If not, however, United have an option to ground share. There may even be a possibility of remaining at York Street.

“We’ve not given up up on having it ready for the start of the new season,” Mr Newton told The Standard.

“We’ve only lost one month so far and, if we can get back fairly quickly, we haven’t given up on starting next season in the new ground.

“In reality, all we need are the facilities like a ticket office and changing rooms.

“We don’t need our corporate facilities to be open. Ideally we’d like them to be because they bring in revenue, but we could start the season without that.

“It’s also possible next season may also be delayed if the EFL season is delayed.”

Some construction firms are looking to return to work at the beginning of next month.

However, Mr Newton - who owns property developers Chestnut Homes - admits problems such as employees travelling in groups, working in close proximity and even workers signing in and eating lunch in the same area could cause complications.

“We are considering if and how we can start construction again,” he said.

“It’s very difficult because we get quite a lot of people working in a relatively small area.

“We often have 80 people on site. It’s not a very big and guys often work side by side, not two metres apart.

“We’d love to be back but the bottom line is that everybody has to be safe.”

Mr Newton confirmed that United have spoken to clubs in the area and, although keeping names close to his chest, says there is a ground share option in place if the club were unable to have the Community Stadium, being built at the south of the town, ready in time.

“The National League are comfortable with the position we are in,” he said.

“They have their criteria but understand the current situation is not a normal one.

“We don’t have to have it ready as they are aware of our possible ground share arrangements. We are laid back about the situation as we have that in place.”

The Pilgrims have called York Street home since their inception in 1933.

While the lease runs out this summer and owners the Malkinson family have put the site up for sale, Mr Newton says United continuing to play there beyond that date may be another possibility.

“It may be, we don’t know,” he said.

“At the moment the answer is that we are leaving at the end of June if we can, obviously we need to be able to get in and remove everything. But at the moment, we’re leaving at the end of June.”