Calderdale Council forced to write off £80,000 over sponsorship deal for naming rights to The Shay

The council signed a sponsorship deal with MBI Consulting Limited, which was based in Sowerby Bridge, in 2015 which saw The Shay stadium renamed as The MBI Shay stadium.

At the time the company was the shirt sponsor for the town's football and rugby clubs.

The deal was worth £120,000 over three years, but the council has only ever received one year's worth of the cash.

A Calderdale Council spokesperson said: “Having been informed by the liquidators for MBI that insufficient funds had been obtained to allow for any payment to the Council, and other unsecured creditors, the debt was written off in June 2023.”

The company was dissolved on February 5, 2019.

Gavin Woodhouse, former owner of the MBI group, was also chairman of Northern Powerhouse Developments, based in Elland, which was dissolved on March 3, 2020.