Cornish Pirates chief executive Rod Coward believes the club had no choice but to return to their spiritual "home" at the Mennaye Field.

The Pirates left the Mennaye in a controversial move to Kenwyn, Truro, during the summer of 2005. They then moved on to groundshare with Camborne RFC at the Recreation Ground 12 months later.

After four seasons at the Recreation Ground the Pirates were all set to make it five until the dramatic decision to move the whole playing operation back to the west emerged at the end of last week.

The stumbling block has been a failure to reach agreement over the usage of a hospitality marquee at the Recreation Ground which the Pirates had funded for the new season.

Coward explained: "This is a business decision. We found ourselves in the situation where, with four weeks until our first game, our contracted arrangements for a quality and expensive marquee were in a position where we were told we could only use it on match days."

Ground staff and volunteers at the Mennaye Field are racing against time to upgrade the facilities for the club's first home match, a pre-season fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons on August 14.

Their league campaign begins at home on Sunday, August 29 with the visit of Doncaster Knights.

A new covered stand is due to be installed along the touchline opposite the Grandstand while a new covered facility will be installed at the Newlyn End of the ground.

In terms of ground capacity Coward said: "Currently (we are) just shy of 1,600 and we need the approval of the Cornwall Safety Advisory Group. We hope that we can up the capacity to at least 3,000 and perhaps up as far as 3,500 which will cater for virtually any game that we get."

Camborne issued their first official reaction in a brief statement following an executive committee meeting earlier this week.

It read: "Camborne RFC confirm that the Cornish Pirates will not be playing at the Recreation Ground next season and have given notice that they will be playing at the Mennaye. Unfortunately the two clubs were unable to agree terms for a new licence for next season.

"Camborne RFC very much regrets this has happened but respect the Pirates' decision to return to the Mennaye. We wish them all the best and every success in the future."

Claims that the Pirates would save an estimated £200,000 per annum in rent to the Cherry and Whites were dismissed by Rod Coward.

He said: "The figure of £200,000 was not an annual rent to Camborne RFC. It was more a figure which has been paid throughout our time at Camborne – a rental figure and nothing more than that. You have to remember that in addition to that we picked up all maintenance costs, utility bills and staffing costs."

However, in the current tough economic times Coward highlighted the importance of the need for correct operating decisions for the Cornish Pirates to remain viable as a business as well as a rugby team.

He said: "The short answer is that this has to work for the future of the Cornish Pirates and if it doesn't there will be harsh decision to be taken. Wherever we play is a significant cost to us to play Championship rugby. In terms of long term aspirations Penzance would never be suitable for Premiership rugby and neither would Camborne."