Twin Towers to go

Wembley's Twin Towers on Cup Final day

A major row has developed over the decision of Wembley National Stadium Limited to knock down the Twin Towers.

The company announced on Monday that the cost of re-organising the stadium's demolition to save the towers could not be met Halton Borough Council, who were hoping to take them.

But the council have hit back, claiming that WNSL have reneged on the deal.

"Their unilateral, out-of-the-blue walk-out from our negotiations is an affront not only to us but to all the sporting public of Britain," said council leader Tony McDermott.

There have been reports of bids to save the Towers and almost all of these could be described as self promotion rather than conservation

  Bob Stubbs, Wembley chief executive

"I wonder if the negotiations were in good faith.

"There was an outcry from the public about the Towers, and I think Wembley would like to say they made every effort to save them.

"In my view that isn't the case. We were ready to move on this months ago.

"The engineering problems had been overcome, the finance was in place from our development programme, the site was chosen - even the transport plans were in place."

Stadium chief executive Bob Stubbs said: "There have been many reports of bids to save the towers and almost all of these could be described as self promotion rather than conservation.

"It is fair to say that the only serious bid has come from Halton Borough Council.

The Towers are to go after 73 years

"However, with the appointment of a contractor for the new stadium and the development of a demolition plan, it has become clear that staging demolition in such a way as temporarily retain the Towers would add in excess of £10 million to the cost of the new stadium.

"Halton have made it clear that they could not meet such a cost."

But McDermott dismissed Stubbs' comments.

"The £10m is a preposterous suggestion from Wembley Stadium, if that's the price we have to pay for the delays they've caused," he said.

"We've been in negotiations for nearly six months. We've overcome every hurdle and escaped from every trap they've set for us - we spent the whole of September negotiating because they didn't want us to use the term 'Twin Towers'.

"My conclusion is that from the outset there was no real desire to save these Towers."

The council had planned to take approximately the top 35 feet of the towers to pieces and move them to Widnes to form part of a Rugby League Museum.

The existing stadium will be replaced by a new 90,000 seat football and rugby league stadium, opening in 2004.