8 Sep 2010MP concerned about West Ham United tenancy

Football Clubs News | Football Technology and Stadia

Former sports minister Kate Hoey has expressed concern that grassroots use targets for London's Olympic facilities may not be met if West Ham United assume tenancy in Stratford from 2012.

The Vauxhall MP urged the London Assembly's Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee to push for 90 per cent community usage of Olympic venues, even if the eventual proportion ends up being considerably lower.

"It may be that it will not end up at 90 per cent, but if we are not arguing for 90 per cent we may well get far less," she told the meeting. "We have to get whoever is there, if it is a football club, to sign up to it."

Ms Hoey added that she finds it "annoying" when clubs choose to leave stadia sitting empty rather than allow local residents to make use of them.

English Premier League rivals Tottenham also recently expressed an interest in occupying the Olympic Stadium, but this would uproot the club from their north London home and is considered unlikely.

Written by Mark Thompson

© Copyright