| Barnet Copthall | |
|---|---|
Barnet Copthall Stadium |
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| Location | Hendon, London NW4 |
| Owner | Barnet Council |
| Surface | grass |
| Capacity | 5000 (500 seated) |
| Tenants | |
| Kentish Town Barnet & District AC Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers |
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Barnet Copthall is a leisure complex in Hendon, London NW4, near the border with Mill Hill.
Today, the complex houses a local authority-owned swimming pool, athletics stadium and gymnasium facilities. There is also a private golf driving range on the site.
The complex perhaps achieved its greatest fame when London Crusaders made the athletics stadium their home for two seasons of second division professional rugby league between 1993 and 1994.
The stadium is today home to two athletics clubs, Barnet & District AC and Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, as well as non-league football club Kentish Town.
In November 2010, the rugby union Premiership side Saracens, searching for a new home after their landlord Watford F.C. activated a break clause in their groundshare agreement, revealed they were in discussions with Barnet Borough Council about a move to the stadium. Under the plan, Saracens would redevelop the stadium into a modern facility with 3,000 permanent seats. Demountable stands would allow a capacity of 10,000 for rugby matches whilst retaining the stadium's ability to host athletics events. Finally, the plans call for the use of an artificial pitch, the first in English rugby.[1]
As of May 2011, the project was still awaiting final approval from Barnet Council. This led Saracens and Watford to agree to a one-season extension of the groundshare agreement.[2]
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