Bassetlaw rugby club receives £100,000 grant to create new clubhouse

A Bassetlaw rugby club are celebrating a £100,000 grant that will improve current facilities and build a new clubhouse.
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East Retford Rugby Club have received a £100,000 grant from Bassetlaw District Council that will help to refresh their facilities and grow the game in the district.

The council’s £100,000 Club Changer grant will give East Retford Rugby Club the power to start development on a new clubhouse at their Ordsall Road ground, as well as attracting more adults and children to play rugby.

Having received the money earlier this year, the grant has kick-started the project, allowing the rugby club to secure planning permission, choose architects and begin clearing and preparing the site for development and groundwork.

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East Retford’s current clubhouse and facilities date back to the late 1970’s and, as a collection of recycled post-war buildings, has come to the end of its useful life.

As part of the four-year project, the club will build a new clubhouse that includes changing rooms, shower areas, a bar and social area and equipment storage to be used by the rugby club and other sporting clubs based in the area.

It will also include a Changing Spaces to increase accessibility and inclusivity at the club, in addition to a children’s play area to encourage and foster membership for players with young families.

East Retford Rugby Club is to benefit from a £100,000 grant from Bassetlaw District Council. Credit: Jon MatthewsEast Retford Rugby Club is to benefit from a £100,000 grant from Bassetlaw District Council. Credit: Jon Matthews
East Retford Rugby Club is to benefit from a £100,000 grant from Bassetlaw District Council. Credit: Jon Matthews

Councillor Julie Leigh, cabinet member for neighbourhoods at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We’re really happy to give East Retford Rugby Club £100,000 to help with their development plans for a new clubhouse and better facilities.

“This is already a successful club with a thriving junior section.

"We want to help them become even more successful and promote the physical and mental benefits that sporting activities can have on the health and wellbeing of people of all ages.”

The new clubhouse will also incorporate a number of energy efficiency measures to reduce carbon emissions, including solar powered heating and batteries for power storage, and a rainwater catchment system.

Over the course of this year, the club will look to secure additional funding that will allow the project to develop.

Richard South, club development officer, said: “This grant will really help the club and kick-start the project, as well as create a platform for future funding bids.

“Our junior teams currently have to get changed in their cars, so the improved facilities for our younger members will really make a difference, give them the space and facilities they need and help to expand our junior section.

“This will also give us the opportunity to increase participation and grow our sport in the wider area, bring more people down to the club and give the senior teams greater sustainability in the longer term, and attract other sports clubs to base themselves at the ground.”

The Ordsall Road Ground has previously been identified as a preferred option for the development of a ‘multi-sport, multi-pitch, sporting hub’ within the in the Council’s Local Plan.

Coun Jo White, deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration said: “As a council we want to see more investment into improving sporting facilities, like the plans here at East Retford Rugby Club, which is why Club Changer funding is so important to support grass roots sport in Retford and across Bassetlaw.

“The development of this club and its ambitions match our own vision to improve sporting facilities in our communities and support healthy active lifestyles for local communities.”

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