Twickenham Debenture Holders Taking Legal Action Against RFU

A group of 16 "disgruntled debenture holders" in Twickenham's East Stand are "starting legal action" against the Rugby Football Union ahead of England's home game against Scotland on Saturday, according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL. Their solicitor contacted the RFU this week "to put them on formal notice of a challenge to Twickenham's policy of moving debenture holders from long-standing seats to other parts of the stadium" unless they promised to pay an extra £4,500 ($5,474) by Wednesday's deadline of 5pm. The RFU is spending £60M ($73M) to refurbish the East Stand, "building lavish facilities" so that corporate hospitality can be centralized in one place "rather than scattered around the ground." But it has "meant relocating debenture holders, who have sat alongside friends in the same seats for years," unless they pay £4,500 to become members of The Clubhouse or the Union Ale House -- part of the new hospitality offerings (DAILY MAIL, 3/7).