Thatcham RFC new base open for business

Clubhouse operational after three year wait

THATCHAM Rugby Club’s brand-new clubhouse is open for business.

It has been three years since the club said that it needed its own clubhouse, bar, toilets and kitchen because of a surge in membership.

The club has been sharing Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club’s clubhouse at the Henwick Worthy Sports Ground and has been raising funds towards the £400,000 project.

Work began on the opening day of the 2015 Rugby World Cup and most of the work was completed by April 15 this year.

Club members celebrated the news after the first XV team’s final game of the season on Saturday.

The president of Thatcham RFC, Bob Moore, said that the new clubhouse would secure the future of Thatcham RFC for years to come.

“It means everything... it means a guaranteed future for the club. We’re doing it as much for the kids, if anything... that’s a side of the club that’s growing and we really want to encourage and build on that.”

He added that the building was open for business and that the club would be delighted to hear from anyone wishing to hire it.

Mr Moore said that some work was still needed to round off the project, including the installation of a kitchen. He added that Newbury-based contractor, Calco Construction, had “made a fabulous job”.

Club members and supporters have raised more than £75,000 towards the project, including producing their own naked calendar and through a buy-a-brick scheme.

Grants and loans were also secured with Sport England’s Inspired Facilities, which granted £50,000, a Greenham Common Trust grant of up to £50,000, a Rugby Football Union grant of £30,000 and loans from the Rugby Football Foundation and Berkshire RFU.

Describing the fundraising as a fabulous effort, Mr Moore said “we raised a lot, but also had to borrow a lot which needs to be paid back”.

He said that the only disappointing news was that the opening came at the end of the season.

However, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for the start of the next one.

The club recently signed a 35-year lease with West Berkshire Council, which owns the Henwick playing fields.

It has three adult teams and touch teams for men and women along with ‘mini’ teams for the under-12s.

Visit www.thatchamrfc.co.uk for more information on Thatcham RFC.