Frome Town Football Club home to undergo £500k refurb

Sammy Jenkins & Jack KillahBBC News, West of England
News imageBBC the current changing room facilitiesBBC
The club's changing facilities will be demolished and rebuilt

A local football club will soon have new facilities thanks to £500,000 worth of community grants.

Badgers Hill stadium is home to Frome Town Football Club and will be refurbished as "soon as the last ball" of the season is kicked, club director Lester Silk said.

It has received a £350,000 grant from the government and a further £150,000 from footballing bodies.

The work includes new changing rooms, stadium improvements and a classroom.

News imageLester Silk
Lester Silk said work would begin as soon as the season ends

Mr Silk, who is also the supporters' club chairman, said the refurbishment work and the funding was "signed and sealed".

The works are being funded by a community ownership fund and the Premier League stadium fund, while the refurbishment work is being led by the Frome Town Community Benefit Society (FTCBS), which was formed to manage the site after the town council stepped in to save its imminent closure in October 2022.

FTCBS has a 25-year lease on the site and manages its day to day operations.

Club chairman, Derek Graham said: ""I can't believe how lucky we are," without the council's support, the club faced losing its home ground.

Mr Silk said the club hoped the works would be finished by mid July and while football was clearly the "priority", he hoped the refurbishment would allow the club to hold more events for the community too.

News imageDerek Graham
Club chairman Derek Graham thanked the town council for helping the club keep their home
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