Barrow Rising and the Mythical Field of Dreams

[Lancaster Branch]

That survey is about the town centre. Presume that means Dalton Road, Portland Walk etc.

Is that where you envisage the new stadium being?

Where will disaffected youths in black tracksuits gather to spit and glower if there’s no town centre? Think man!!

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

That survey is about the town centre. Presume that means Dalton Road, Portland Walk etc.

Is that where you envisage the new stadium being?

Where will disaffected youths in black tracksuits gather to spit and glower if there’s no town centre? Think man!!

It is about the town centre but plenty of space to mention a multi use shared facility for the community in the blank boxes.

[Barrow afc 2018]

That survey is about the town centre. Presume that means Dalton Road, Portland Walk etc.

Is that where you envisage the new stadium being?

Where will disaffected youths in black tracksuits gather to spit and glower if there’s no town centre? Think man!!

It is about the town centre but plenty of space to mention a multi use shared facility for the community in the blank boxes.

You’re right MSST and that’s exactly what I did.

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

It is about the town centre but plenty of space to mention a multi use shared facility for the community in the blank boxes.

You’re right MSST and that’s exactly what I did.

Good man that’s the way. Hopefully more will do the same and just maybe it might just alert those In that read the replies
Link below
https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.u ... own-centre

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

The Latest on Barrow Rising and Team Barrow from Team Barrow chair Simon Case in the link below
https://businesscrack.co.uk/2026/01/05/ ... rtnership/

[Wintergreen]

Well nothing there we don’t already know but talk of improving health care in the area is looking rather weak when there are moves to remove ICU facilities and cut the number of beds at FGH. That NHS guy from Lancaster hasn’t got enough money to play with and sees Barrow as an outpost not really worth fully funding. So totally at odds with what the Government supposedly wants for Barrow and a matter to address urgently instead of more talk and consultations.

We still don’t know if the club’s owners are having talks with Barrow Rising but let’s just assume that they are. They have been fantastically generous in their stewardship of the club to date, they have kept us in the football league, making a dream come true for many and acted in the club’s best interests from day one. However, if a multi-use shared facility gains traction it might put them in a rather difficult position financially. That being that they have ploughed a significant amount of money into the Holker St ground and wouldn’t be getting much back if they sold it as real estate pending the transfer of the club’s operations to a new venue. Should such a scenario present itself, my hopes would be that they take the hit and continue running the club at any new venue. All highly fanciful of course and even if a multi-use shared facility were to become a reality it would be years away from fruition and a lot could happen in the meantime.

[Hadrian]

Local NHS issues aren't just Barrow - the Lancaster Royal is losing even more beds. Important in the context of rising population in the area that services are maintained. I understand that there may be arguments for fewer but better centralised services but someone, say from Coniston, having been transported to Barrow for emergency treatment but, on specialist A&E assessment, then having to be further moved to Lancaster.

[Wintergreen]

So Simon says (har har) “...what Team Barrow does is go to central government and say, ‘you agree that the nation’s security depends on Barrow being successful? That means Barrow has to go to the top of your list for investment.’ If you want submarines to deter Putin, you need to invest in the health system in Barrow...” The government seem to agree and provide £200 million while at the same time under-fund the local health authority which is making drastic cuts in Barrow. All a bit Yes Minister innit?

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

So Simon says (har har) “...what Team Barrow does is go to central government and say, ‘you agree that the nation’s security depends on Barrow being successful? That means Barrow has to go to the top of your list for investment.’ If you want submarines to deter Putin, you need to invest in the health system in Barrow...” The government seem to agree and provide £200 million while at the same time under-fund the local health authority which is making drastic cuts in Barrow. All a bit Yes Minister innit?

Simon did say Team Barrow got us 7 million to invest in Alfred Barrow Health Centre

[HenneysKnee]

https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2026/jan ... l-stadium/

A chance to pop along and ask the CEO directly whether we’ve had any sort of contact with them

[Wintergreen]

https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2026/jan ... l-stadium/

A chance to pop along and ask the CEO directly whether we’ve had any sort of contact with them

Well that would be an opportunity for the owners to tell us what stage the talks are at – if there have been any! With regard to this matter, I have recently written to Paul Hornby MBE and the Bluebirds Trust to see if there would be anything supporters/Barrovians could do in the way of supporting or lobbying for any such proposal. I have not received any reply to date not even to say shut up will you we’re on with it!

If there is anything doing re Barrow Rising, supporters/Barrovians really need to give it some serious thought, I was surprised at how many on here were against such proposals to future proof the club. I don’t want to be in a pub sometime in a post-Barrow AFC future and some bloke says to me ‘The soccer’s owners never showed any interest in the shared stadium and neither did the supporters’

We’ve had three false dawns with this matter already involving the following:

Stephen Vaughan – built one stand which now needs replacing
Brian Keen – couldn’t agree a redevelopment deal with the NHS
Paul Casson – employed architects to draft concept plans but failed to act any further on them

As an aside I see the Workington clubs have started on their new build and I wonder when Kendal will start on theirs? Come on - you know it makes sense.

[Adam29]

The owners aren’t at this first Q&A
They are doing one in March when Tony Shearer is over

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2026/jan ... l-stadium/

A chance to pop along and ask the CEO directly whether we’ve had any sort of contact with them

Well that would be an opportunity for the owners to tell us what stage the talks are at – if there have been any! With regard to this matter, I have recently written to Paul Hornby MBE and the Bluebirds Trust to see if there would be anything supporters/Barrovians could do in the way of supporting or lobbying for any such proposal. I have not received any reply to date not even to say shut up will you we’re on with it!

If there is anything doing re Barrow Rising, supporters/Barrovians really need to give it some serious thought, I was surprised at how many on here were against such proposals to future proof the club. I don’t want to be in a pub sometime in a post-Barrow AFC future and some bloke says to me ‘The soccer’s owners never showed any interest in the shared stadium and neither did the supporters’

We’ve had three false dawns with this matter already involving the following:

Stephen Vaughan – built one stand which now needs replacing
Brian Keen – couldn’t agree a redevelopment deal with the NHS
Paul Casson – employed architects to draft concept plans but failed to act any further on them

As an aside I see the Workington clubs have started on their new build and I wonder when Kendal will start on theirs? Come on - you know it makes sense.

I couldn’t agree more. The great Ray Wilkie also had a new joint stadium plan a joint venture with developers called Bovis. I remember attending a public meeting at Vickerstown school but alas nothing came of it. Ray was of the opinion that for a town the size of Barrow to have two stadiums for the two pro teams in the town was ludicrous and had the land on Schneider Road that is now used by local sides earmarked for the plans
There is still time to complete the questionnaire on town centre developments and if a community stadium floats your boat the questionnaire is easily adaptable to voice your support for one. Link below has the questionnaire to complete
https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.u ... own-centre

[Barrow afc 2018]

The owners aren’t at this first Q&A
They are doing one in March when Tony Shearer is over

Hi Adam

That seems a long time away, the Barrow Social Team have been great discussing all the thoughts and fears of us as fans. Would there be an opportunity for yourself/Radio Cumbria to have a chat with the owners to ask the same questions? it just feels to me we are all guessing what the future holds. Is our CEO not available for an update?
Knowing you I’m sure you’ve already tried but be good to know, it just seems really quite and feels like something not quite right I hope I’m wrong.

[Wintergreen]

While we wait for the big March Q&A with the owners for any possible news vis-à-vis the multi-use shared facility and Barrow Rising rumours, I seem to remember that Paul Casson handed over the club free of charge to Hornby & Co back in the day. So it might just prove a case of swings and roundabouts for them financially if such a move was ever to be on the cards. And despite what looks like a failed investment drive, let’s hope the March Q&A brings good news of some kind or other, even if it is just to keep calm and carry on.

Looking back, PC’s legacy is a good one I think; albeit rather haphazard in approach, he set the ball rolling for an unlikely promotion and his heart (and wallet) were certainly in the right place. Unfortunately he himself wasn’t in the right place often enough and perhaps he lacked a competent locally-based right-hand man/woman to make some of his objectives more structured, properly-funded and achievable. However, his final act of handing over the keys F.O.C. was an amazing and unprecedented act of generosity from any one supporter I would imagine.