Dulwich Hamlet: After eight months away from Champion Hill the club will now work with the National League to begin the process of returning from its temporary home at Tooting and Mitcham United’s Imperial Fields

DULWICH HAMLET have announced that their eight-month exile from Champion Hill Stadium looks set to come to an end.

The Vanarama National League South club expects the work required to prepare the ground will take between four and six weeks and will announce the date of their first home fixture as soon as possible.

An agreement has been reached after the conclusion of successful talks between Dulwich Hamlet Football Club, Southwark Council and Meadow Partners that will see the club return to Champion Hill.

In a statement, published on the clubs website, supporters’ trust co-chair Duncan Chapman said: “The club and the trust have been working as one on this and are both delighted that Dulwich Hamlet will be coming home to where, over many years, it has grown to become such an important part of our local community.”

With crowds regularly exceeding 2,000 people the return to Champion Hill will also be a welcome boost to many local businesses on match days.

The final agreement was reached following a meeting attended by all parties chaired by sports minister Tracey Crouch.

Club director Ben Clasper added: “We’d like to thank Tracey Crouch and our local MPs Helen Hayes and Harriet Harman for facilitating and attending the meeting which led to this positive outcome.”

A joint statement was prepared and agreed between all parties following the meeting at the department for digital, culture, media and sport on October 22, 2018.

A joint statement from Dulwich Hamlet Football Club, Southwark Council and Meadow Partners said: “Dulwich Hamlet Football Club has approached Southwark Council to ask for support to secure the long term financial security of the club and facilitate its return to Champion Hill.

“Dulwich Hamlet Football Club has requested a new lease from the council on the AstroTurf pitch. This new lease, to be granted by the council, would be coterminous with an 18-month lease, to be granted to Dulwich Hamlet Football Club by Meadow, on the Champion Hill site. Both leases include a 1 year rolling extension.

“The new lease of Greendale would allow Dulwich Hamlet Football Club to use the AstroTurf pitch for all its sporting requirements including any match day use and such other community and sporting uses as Dulwich Hamlet Football Club may undertake from time to time.

“Dulwich Hamlet Football Club has agreed to meet the council’s aspiration for investment into the improved sporting facilities on that site for the benefit of both the club and the wider community.

“Meadow has agreed to support the club’s return to Champion Hill on this basis. In recognition of this, the council has agreed not to progress activity on a compulsory purchase order in relation to the Champion Hill site for the duration of Dulwich Hamlet Football Club’s lease at Champion Hill, so long as it is on fair and reasonable terms, including allowing the club to retain match day income, bar-takings and catering proceeds.”

After eight months away from Champion Hill the club will now work with the National League to begin the process of returning from its temporary home at Tooting and Mitcham United’s Imperial Fields ground where promotion was secured at the end of last season to the Vanarama National League South.

Visit Dulwich Hamlet’s website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet