Welsh dismiss Kassam claims
London Welsh have confirmed that they are not currently in negotiations over the purchase of the Kassam Stadium – their home stadium in Oxford.
The Premiership club issued a statement to dismiss comments made by John Taylor, former Managing Director of London Welsh, to BBC Radio Oxford that the club were in active negotiations to look at the possibility of buying the Kassam.
"There is no doubt that we as a club have enjoyed a very successful start to playing our home matches at the Kassam Stadium,” CEO Tony Copsey said in the statement.
‘We have worked hard to begin bedding into the local community in Oxfordshire. Achieving an over 10,000 crowd at the recent Wasp's match, supports our belief that there is a good appetite for rugby in the Oxfordshire area.
“However, any talk of us as a club buying the Kassam, is premature at best. Our immediate focus is on Premiership survival and developing our club as a business to compete within the top echelons of English Rugby.
“Certainly any purchase of the Kassam in the future, if we remain in the Premiership, would be something we would consider, but not without consultation with many stake holders including Oxford United Football Club."
The owner of Kassam Stadium, Firoz Kassam, also denied there has been contact with London Welsh to buy the venue.
"They have made no approach," Kassam told BBC Radio Oxford. "We have a rental agreement for the one term, with an option for a second – there have been no discussions about a purchase."
