Sunderland should hang their head in shame for what they’ve done to local community
Sunderland should be ashamed as the full impact of one of their recent decisions has now emerged.
The Black Cats are a hugely community-driven club who have provided themselves for several years by having an extremely strong fanbase in the local area.
Sunderland fans will be delighted by the excellent start that the team have made following their return to the Premier League, but not everything is quite so rosy at the Stadium of Light at the moment.
Regis Le Bris continues to have the footballing matters in a hugely promising position, but locals are sure to feel a little let down by a recent decision that has been taken away from the pitch.
Stadium of Light parking charges have hit local community hard
The Stadium of Light is a real weapon for Sunderland, and the impact that it can have on the team has already been proven in their opening games of the campaign.
The Mackems remain unbeaten on home turf in the Premier League so far this season, and the unwavering backing that they receive at home games is a key part of that.
However, supporters and other locals in the areas surrounding the stadium will understandably have been left feeling a little miffed when the club introduced parking charges at the ground recently.
| Length of Stay | Price |
| Under 2 Hours | Free |
| 2-4 Hours | £4 |
| 4-8 Hours | £8 |
| 24 Hours | £10 |
| Monthly Season Ticket | £30 |
Anybody parking on the club’s premises for anything longer than two hours must now pay a fee, which can rise as high as £10 for 24 hours, according to Sportsbyte Sunderland.
Their report details how members of the adjacent aquatics centre have been negatively affected, as well as people who work in the surrounding area.
Andy’s Man Club, a men’s mental health charity that held weekly events at the Beacon of Light, were also forced to move back in August, due to fears that the new parking charges would drive people away, as per BBC News.
These inconveniences have been commonplace across the local community since the charges were introduced, and it certainly doesn’t reflect well on the club.
Sunderland should be ashamed by their decision
Premier League football was always going to change Sunderland, given how long it has been since they were last in the top flight.
However, the last thing that fans will want to see is their club becoming like some of the superpowers at the top of English football in a commercial sense.
The Black Cats’ relationship with their local community is invaluable, and they risk alienating people in the surrounding area with their decision to implement these parking charges at the Stadium of Light.
They should be especially ashamed by their call, considering the fact that it has disrupted a group which provides such vital and necessary support in the form of a mental health charity.
When you throw in the fact that the aquatics centre will also provide people with exercise and a valuable mental release, the charges are likely to have a bigger impact than just serving as an inconvenience to people.
With that in mind, the Sunderland hierarchy need to think long and hard about whether this is something that they are genuinely comfortable enforcing.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Sunderland news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @mackemnews247