Club facing eviction after Norwegian king's death

By Gregg Davies
published

Cromer FC, based in North Norfolk, are facing eviction from their home of 90 years, due to the death of a Norwegian king.   King Olav V died in 1991, sparking a 21-year countdown on the lease of their Cabbell Park ground.   As part of the lease, a puzzling clause was entered that once Queen Victoria's last remaining grandchild died, the 21-year countdown would commence.   The bizarre stipulation occured when Evelyn Bond-Cabbell bequeathed the land to the people of Cromer in dedication to the locals who had lost their lives in the First World War.   Victoria's last grandchild was Norwegian ruler King Olav V, with his death meaning the lease is now set to expire on January 17 2012.   Club officials are now in talks with Mrs. Bond-Cabbell's great grandson, Benjamin Cabell-Manners.   However, the club could face conflict with Cabbell-Manners, who feels the ground is not being used by the public as his great grandmother had wished.   “The trust disappears 21 years after King Olav's death," said Cabbell-Manners.

"I can confirm that when the trust goes, the legal right for the football club to play at Cabbell Park goes with it.
 We will be looking at the wishes of my great-grandmother to see how it's taken forward.”
 
Cabbell-Manners is reportedly keen to see Cromer join up with the host of youth teams around the area and allow them to play at Cabbell Park, a plan supported by the club's chairman Paul Jarvis.

"Our position is that we would prefer to stay here, but if not, in order to see the continuation of the club we may have to move somewhere," said Jarvis.

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Gregg Davies
Gregg Davies

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.