Town could face legal action regarding unpaid rent dating back to 2004 relating to the 643% rise revealed by Blues chief executive Simon Clegg yesterday. After the club and Ipswich Borough Council were unable to settle on a new rent, the matter went to an arbitrator who recommended that the figure jump from £15,000-a-year to £111,000 and, it has now emerged, backdated it to 2004.
Council deputy leader John Carnall says the club have so far not paid them back rent of just over £500,000 and that the situation could ultimately result in legal action: "We have been reasonable with them. We have said we would be prepared to accept it in three instalments.
"We felt we had to put up the rent, we have a duty to council taxpayers, and we set up an independent tribunal to which the football club came to work out a reasonable rent.”
Carnall has said Town offered £1 million for the freehold of the ground — although they already own the actual stadium — but the council felt that that valuation was well below its true worth and it wasn't considered.
The Blues have not added to Simon Clegg’s comments on the increase made at yesterday’s season ticket press briefing.