DOWNEND Cricket Club is planning to rebuild its clubhouse to make it fit for its growing membership.
The £1.1 million project would see the ageing existing pavilion at the WG Grace Memorial Ground replaced with a two-storey building that could accommodate upgraded changing rooms, a conference room and function room.
The club has started to sound out potential builders to develop the scheme and is also looking at sources of funding, from sponsorship to grants.
It expects the project to take about five years.
Club president Miles Davis said the new building would enable the club to grow without moving.
He said: “The club’s getting bigger and our clubhouse isn’t! We’re outgrowing the facilities.
“We’re getting a lot of people going in the clubhouse, thanks to the new bar manager and the growth of cricket, particularly girls’ and women’s cricket.
“We’ve been looking at it for a long time.
“It’s iconic where we are, it’s WG Grace, so we don’t want to move, but we do want a new clubhouse – we’ve got squirrels in the changing rooms!”
Miles said the project would enable the club to provide separate changing rooms for the girls’ and women’s teams.
Function and conference rooms would enable the club to hire out space for private or community events while still keeping the bar open.
Miles said: “It’s exciting, but it’s going to cost a lot of money.
“It’s a big project – there’s no point in doing it in small doses.”
The new building would have a similar footprint to the existing clubhouse, with the extra space courtesy of a first floor.
The club is now inviting people to come forward with ideas for fundraising events and sources of investment.
Miles said: “We are keen for the community to come on board and get involved. Anyone with concerns is also welcome to get in touch at any time – the more local involvement, the better.
People can contact the club via its website, downendcricket.co.uk, or Facebook page.