Barnet Football Club will be plying our trade in Harrow from Season 2013-2014 after Harrow Councillors voted in favour of the club playing League Football there during a Council Meeting on Thursday night.
The move will see the club leave Underhill Stadium, home for the past 106 years, at the end of the upcoming 2012-2013 Season and play all League and Cup football matches at a renovated, purpose-built stadium at the site in Camrose Avenue, Edgware. The state-of-the-art facility is currently used by the First Team, Youth Team and Ladies Squad as their training centre.
The relocation was widely expected in recent weeks as Harrow Council Officers and Deputy Leader, Thaya Idaikker, voiced numerous calls for the move to go ahead. Having The Bees in Harrow is expected to bring "tremendous social and economic benefits to the community, as well as employment and training opportunities within the local area", as stated by Councillor Idaikker earlier in the week.
Harrow Councillors approved a 10-year lease for the club to play League Football at The Hive, until the end of the 2022/2023 Season.
Since being opened in 2009 by then-England Manager, Fabio Capello, the £11million complex underwent an additional £4million renovation over the summer and added a gym, changing facilities, restaurant, bar and 500-person sit-down banqueting suite – all which will be open to the public and people from the local area – as well as offices for the club’s staff.