HANWELL Cricket Club has accused Ealing Council of a betrayal of trust by raising rent to what it claims are unreasonable levels.

George Leyton, treasurer for the club, based in Greenford Road, Southall, said the clubhouse is under threat as it cannot afford to stay open under the proposed rent increase.

"Five years ago, the club entered into a 30-year lease with the council. The agreed fair rent was £2,000 per annum, an arrangement acceptable to all parties and complying with legal requirements that the council obtain a fair market rent for the land.

"Through their managing agent Lambert Smith Hampton, the borough have now decided that the market rent is £6,000. While there may exist a legal right to treble a rent agreed only five years ago, there is certainly no moral justification. Attempts to make this fundamental point to Ealing Council have simply been ignored or glossed over.

"It is true that Ealing have offered to discuss a so-called rent subsidy which might reduce the above figure.

"However, to enter into such a scheme would involve a substantial change in the terms of the lease and in any event would still result in the rent being increased by a considerable amount.

"Such so-called subsidies are also renewable on an annual basis and can thus be denied by the council whenever they so choose. When the club signed the lease with Ealing Council, we did so under the impression that we were dealing with people whom we could trust.

"It is now clear to us that this was not the case. It is perfectly obvious that the borough is trying to evict us by raising the rent to a level which we manifestly cannot afford."

A spokeswoman for Ealing Council said: ""We are legally obliged to set rental levels based on comparisons with other sports clubs.

"The council's advisers, Lambert Smith Hampton, have recently reassessed the Hanwell Cricket Ground and found the rent to be too low. We recognise that the club are not in a position to pay the higher level and have offered to subsidise the rent so that cricket can continue to be played.

"We do, however, require that they provide an annual plan to show how they are developing the club for wider community benefit. It wouldn't be right for the council to give subsidised rent to any club which only benefits a handful of people."

Should Ealing Council honour its agreements, or is its stance justified? Post your comments below.