Firoz Kassam
Encyclopedia
Firoz Kassam is a Tanzanian-born
, businessman. He is the former owner of Oxford United F.C.
He was born in Tanzania
of
Pakistani parents and came to Britain
as a student during the 1970s.
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2009
ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK he was placed 309th with an estimated fortune of £180million.
Firoz Kassam made his fortune as a slum hotelier and in the 1980s was labelled a "merchant of misery". He bought run-down London
hostels and hotels and was paid by local councils to fill them with homeless people and asylum seekers, until the inmates rebelled over the conditions in which they were being housed.
In 1999 Kassam bought Oxford United F.C.
for only £1, also taking over its debts, estimated to be in the region of £13m. In 2000 he started building a new 12,500 three sided stadium at Minchery Farm on the edge of Oxford
, which he called the Kassam Stadium
. Construction of this stadium had actually been in progress since 1997, but was suspended in the early stages due to the club's financial problems. The fourth side of the stadium was left empty due to Oxford's decline in the league, as they had dropped down two divisions while the stadium was being built.
The development includes a hotel, cinema, bowling alley, gym, health centre and restaurants. Oxford United played its first game there on 18 August 2001, in Division Three
of the Football League.
Oxford United's old home, the Manor Ground in Headington
, was sold by Kassam, first to his own holding company for £6 million, and then to developers for £12 million in 1999. The ground has since been demolished and developed into the Manor Hospital, which opened in October 2004.
Firoz Kassam also owns the historic mansion and grounds of Heythrop Park
which he purchased in 1999 for £15m. The site recently underwent a £50million rebuilding programme and has been developed into a luxury hotel and spa with an 18-hole championship golf course and restored landscape gardens. In August 2005 he purchased Studley Castle
in Warwickshire
, a hotel and conference centre formerly owned by Phoenix Venture Holdings
, the consortium who owned carmaker MG Rover from 2000 until 2005.
In February 2006, Firoz Kassam's Firoka company was announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Alexandra Palace
in London. The whole Palace would be given to Firoka on a 125-year lease for commercial uses. As it is held on a charitable trust, and Firoka is a private company, this proposal was very controversial. It was subject to agreement of the charity commission, which received 350 objections to the lease to develop a multi-use exhibition, leisure and entertainment complex. On 5 October 2007 in the High Court, Mr Justice Sullivan granted an application by a member of the conservationist Save Ally Pally group to quash the Charity Commission's Order authorizing the lease.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, businessman. He is the former owner of Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
He was born in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
of
Pakistani parents and came to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a student during the 1970s.
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2009
Sunday Times Rich List 2009
The Sunday Times Rich List 2009 was published on 26 April 2009.Since 1989 the UK national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times has published an annual magazine supplement to the newspaper called the Sunday Times Rich List...
ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK he was placed 309th with an estimated fortune of £180million.
Firoz Kassam made his fortune as a slum hotelier and in the 1980s was labelled a "merchant of misery". He bought run-down London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
hostels and hotels and was paid by local councils to fill them with homeless people and asylum seekers, until the inmates rebelled over the conditions in which they were being housed.
In 1999 Kassam bought Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
for only £1, also taking over its debts, estimated to be in the region of £13m. In 2000 he started building a new 12,500 three sided stadium at Minchery Farm on the edge of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, which he called the Kassam Stadium
Kassam Stadium
The Kassam Stadium is the home of Oxford United Football Club, and is named after the ground's owner, and former chairman of the club, Firoz Kassam....
. Construction of this stadium had actually been in progress since 1997, but was suspended in the early stages due to the club's financial problems. The fourth side of the stadium was left empty due to Oxford's decline in the league, as they had dropped down two divisions while the stadium was being built.
The development includes a hotel, cinema, bowling alley, gym, health centre and restaurants. Oxford United played its first game there on 18 August 2001, in Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
of the Football League.
Oxford United's old home, the Manor Ground in Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
, was sold by Kassam, first to his own holding company for £6 million, and then to developers for £12 million in 1999. The ground has since been demolished and developed into the Manor Hospital, which opened in October 2004.
Firoz Kassam also owns the historic mansion and grounds of Heythrop Park
Heythrop Park
Heythrop Park is an early 18th century country house southeast of Heythrop in Oxfordshire. It was designed by the architect Thomas Archer in the Baroque style for Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury. A fire in 1831 destroyed the original interior. From 1922 until 1999 Heythrop housed first a...
which he purchased in 1999 for £15m. The site recently underwent a £50million rebuilding programme and has been developed into a luxury hotel and spa with an 18-hole championship golf course and restored landscape gardens. In August 2005 he purchased Studley Castle
Studley Castle
Studley Castle is a 19th century country house at Studley , Warwickshire which is now occupied as a hotel. It is a Grade II* listed building.The manor of Studley was owned by the Lyttleton family and was bequeathed by Philip Lyttleton to his niece Dorothy, who married Francis Holyoake...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, a hotel and conference centre formerly owned by Phoenix Venture Holdings
Phoenix Venture Holdings
Phoenix Venture Holdings , also known as the Phoenix Consortium, is a British company formed by four businessmen...
, the consortium who owned carmaker MG Rover from 2000 until 2005.
In February 2006, Firoz Kassam's Firoka company was announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in London. The whole Palace would be given to Firoka on a 125-year lease for commercial uses. As it is held on a charitable trust, and Firoka is a private company, this proposal was very controversial. It was subject to agreement of the charity commission, which received 350 objections to the lease to develop a multi-use exhibition, leisure and entertainment complex. On 5 October 2007 in the High Court, Mr Justice Sullivan granted an application by a member of the conservationist Save Ally Pally group to quash the Charity Commission's Order authorizing the lease.
External links
- "Development threat to the palace, where television was born" (Independent article on development plans, 30 December 2006)
- "Firoka One Step Closer To Securing Alexandra Palace"
- "TV studios under threat", 29 October 2006 (Account from MP about Firoz Kassam and future of TV studios)
- Ally Pally faces legal challenge (Controversy over Kassam's proposed takeover of Alexandra PalaceAlexandra PalaceAlexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
.)