Work to refurbish Stamford Rugby Club in Hambleton Road gathers pace

Work to revamp a town sports club has gained momentum.

Builders have stripped out the interior of Stamford Rugby Club’s clubhouse, just off Hambleton Road, ready for the layout inside to be reconfigured.

The work, which was granted planning permission by South Kesteven District Council, follows a refurbishment of the players’ changing block, which stands in the centre of the Empingham Road Playing Fields and next to the club’s home ground. An upgrade to floodlighting has also already been carried out.

According to Jai Nairn, club chairman and facilities manager, the latest alterations will improve the venue for players and visitors, and make the clubhouse a more appealing prospect for those seeking a hired space for meetings and activities.

He added that the scaling back of the club’s original plans, which had centred around complete demolition and replacement of the clubhouse, was a more cost-effective option that should be completed this year.

With Stamford Rugby Club ending the season on a high note, by playing in the final of a community cup at Twickenham on Saturday, the way is now clear for building work to continue.

It is expected that the refurbishment and extension will be completed in time for the new rugby season to begin.

The club has a JustGiving page where people can ‘buy a brick’ for £1and leave a lasting reminder of their gift https://tinyurl.com/StamfordRugbyClubBrick

Stamford Rugby Club was founded 123 years ago, in 1902, and has been based at the Empingham Road playing fields for more than 60 years. It has more than 1,000 members with men’s, women’s, junior and mini teams.